General Manager – Safety, Strategy and Governance

About the role

A major national transport operator, recruiting through Arete Executive, is seeking a General Manager – Safety, Strategy and Governance. The role leads the national safety journey, turning systems, standards and practices into one clear, practical and consistent framework across every location. It combines enterprise strategy with frontline impact, influencing executive decisions and strengthening governance while engaging with depot leaders and leading serious incident investigations when required.

Key responsibilities

• Shape the national safety strategy and build a culture where leaders own safety
• Transform safety systems and standards into a consistent framework across the network
• Influence executive decisions and advise on operational risk, growth opportunities and investment priorities
• Engage with depot leaders, challenge accepted practices and lead serious incident investigations when required
• Develop a first-hand understanding of frontline risks, culture and capability within 3 months, then set clear priorities
• Progress a national improvement roadmap within 6 months, lift investigation quality and build safety capability among leaders
• By 12 months embed consistent systems so operational leaders seek your counsel early and safety is seen as an enabler of performance

Required profile

• Degree-qualified safety leader with experience in complex, high-consequence environments
• Experience designing and implementing safety management systems across multiple sites
• Experience personally leading serious ICAM investigations from evidence gathering through to causal analysis and recommendations
• Strong working knowledge of Australian WHS requirements, heavy vehicle regulation and Chain of Responsibility obligations
• Ability to lead change, communicate risk in plain language and inspire leaders to take ownership
• Commercially astute, technically accomplished, direct and human; effective at both the executive table and on the frontline
• Unrestricted working rights in Australia; pre-employment checks will be conducted