HSEQ Director at Ocean Infinity · Southampt…

We are using and creating technology to transform operations at sea to enable people and the planet to thrive.

We are open-minded and fearless in our approach to innovation and don't believe in boundaries. We challenge everything and have massive ambitions to drag aging industries into the tech era.

We take safety, equality and education very seriously, and our responsibilities don't stop at our front door. Our business is built on the belief that there's definitely a more environmentally responsible way to operate at sea.

We employ people who share our core values. We expect our people to be courageous, trustworthy, and conscientious, driven by a desire to do the right thing. We strive for excellence, work collaboratively, and are genuinely excited by our work.

We offer opportunities for our people to develop beyond their role and span a multitude of disciplines. These are open to all, regardless of background and experience level. Working with us means being part of a team that is harnessing technology and creativity to disrupt a traditional industry.

We are not your average workplace.

Ocean Infinity is seekinga HSEQ Director to lead the enterprise HSEQ agenda across the company. At a time of growth and increasing operational complexity, this role sets the standard for how HSEQ is governed across Ocean Infinity — ensuring risk, assurance and external credibility are managed consistently across different delivery contexts. While anchored in the Robotics Business Unit and part of its leadership team, the remit is enterprise-wide.

What will you do:

1. Set the enterprise HSEQ framework and direction

• Provide enterprise-level HSEQ leadership across Ocean Infinity, with the role anchored in the Robotics Business Unit but influencing standards, assurance and risk decisions across the wider business
• Set the strategic direction, standards and non-negotiables for health, safety, environment and quality in line with business priorities, growth and risk appetite
• Ensure HSEQ engagement happens early and predictably at the decisions that shape risk, rather than by default presence or after the fact
• Lead the shift from process-led support to framework-setting, assurance and decision enablement across the enterprise

2. Own the integrated management system and assurance posture

• Own the integrity and evolution of Ocean Infinity’s Integrated Management System so it provides one credible standard across the business
• Ensure the Integrated Management System can be applied consistently across the business while remaining proportionate to different delivery contexts and risk profiles
• Maintain a strong and defensible certification posture across ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001
• Ensure assurance focuses on decision quality, evidence and control effectiveness, not unnecessary paperwork
• Make safety, quality and environmental risk visible early enough to influence design, change, readiness and operating decisions

3. Enable safe, defensible decisions across the asset lifecycle

• Establish the assurance regime that supports asset build, modification, readiness and handover into operations with clear standards for what is safe and acceptable to proceed
• Provide leadership on novel, high-consequence or externally scrutinised decisions where safety, quality, environmental or assurance risk is material
• Ensure operational readiness, control of work and live execution risks are governed at the right standard without turning HSEQ into a delivery layer
• Close the loop between design, assurance and operations so learning improves standards, readiness and future decisions

4. Lead external and statutory confidence

• Act as Deputy DPA under the IMO ISM Code and uphold Ocean Infinity’s statutory standing on safety and pollution prevention matters
• Represent Ocean Infinity with regulators, certification bodies, clients and other external stakeholders on HSEQ matters
• Ensure the business can evidence compliance, assurance and risk decisions credibly across jurisdictions and operating environments

5. Build capability and reduce unnecessary friction

• Shape the HSEQ function, capability and ways of working so expert effort is focused on material risk and business-critical decisions
• Simplify repeatable controls and use systems, data and automation to reduce low-value manual effort
• Strengthen the organisation’s ability to apply the HSEQ framework confidently, with clear ownership, escalation and accountability across teams
• Build and lead a high-performing HSEQ team through recruitment, role clarity and capability development, bringing new and existing roles together to operate as one coherent function

Who you are:

• Senior HSEQ leader with a track record of shaping operating model, assurance and capability outcomes — not simply running an established function unchanged.
• Experience designing and embedding integrated HSEQ frameworks, with strong technical grounding across IMS, ISO certification, enterprise assurance and governance in a regulated operating environment.
• Strong commercial judgement, with experience balancing cost, risk and operational pace in a high-growth or evolving business.
• Experience influencing and operating effectively at executive leadership level.
• Strong understanding of governance, risk and regulatory environments across multiple jurisdictions.
• Background credible to carry a statutory DPA / Deputy DPA designation under the IMO ISM Code (or demonstrable eligibility) — independent judgement, no disqualifying history, recognised maritime safety standing.

Leadership approach:

• Sets direction and owns outcomes at enterprise level — framework-setter and decision-enabler, not process owner or delivery layer.
• Makes decisions under ambiguity, balancing risk, pace and operational reality.
• Builds credibility through judgement and consistency of delivery.
• Uses data and insight to inform decisions and challenge thinking.
• Focuses on business impact — risk-aware decisions made well, not paperwork completed on time.

Desirable:

• Experience in a technology, defence, maritime or offshore engineering-led organisation.
• Experience supporting a business undergoing growth, scaling, or organisational evolution.
• Familiarity with digital HSEQ systems, analytics and data-led decision making, including AI-enabled tools where relevant.
• Active DPA or Deputy DPA designation, or equivalent statutory safety designation in a comparable industry.
• Relevant professional qualifications such as NEBOSH Diploma, Lead Auditor, CMIOSH, IEMA or equivalent.

What you can expect:

At Ocean Infinity, we believe in creating equal opportunities for all, celebrating each and everyone’s differences. We are driven by transforming the industry, through our technology, thoughts, behaviours and actions. Being inclusive and respectful to all is fundamental to who we are. It is the right thing to do and enables innovation and creativity to thrive.

There is more work to be done, and we know that we aren’t perfect, but our commitment to these values is unwavering. They are central to our mission and the impact we have on the industry, meaning, we cannot live without them.

Salary for this position: Up to £150,000 per annum*

*The salary varies for this position as we are recruiting in multiple regional locations and job grades. The salary process is based on skills, abilities, and experience required. We partner with third party firms annually to verify equity, cash, benefits, and perks benchmarks.