A mission that matters 

To achieve its climates goals, the Netherlands is committed to achieving carbon-free electricity. Nuclear Energy Organisation Netherlands (NEO NL) contributes to this by building and operating two new nuclear power plants, on behalf of the government. It is one of the most ambitious energy projects the Netherlands has ever seen. At NEO NL, your work will directly contribute to this national ambition and make an impact that lasts for decades. To make this assignment a success, we need extraordinary people. People like you.

Your assignment 

As Manager Health & Safety, you lead NEO NL's health and safety agenda throughout the development of the Nuclear New Build (NNB) Programme. Reporting to the Independent Nuclear Assurance Director, you are accountable for establishing and maintaining health and safety requirements, standards, assurance frameworks, and a proactive safety culture across the entire programme.

You ensure that risks to workers, contractors, and the public are proactively identified, assessed, and controlled across all phases of the project lifecycle. Acting as the ultimate authority on occupational health, conventional safety, contractor safety, and human performance, you integrate robust H&S standards directly into the NEO NL Integrated Management System (IMS) and core project decision-making.

Your key activities include:

• Health & Safety Strategy & IMS Integration: Develop, implement, and maintain the NEO NL Health & Safety Strategy, policies, and performance expectations. Provide critical input to the Basis of Design (BOD/BIS) and Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) requirements, embedding H&S into organizational governance and the Integrated Management System.
• Contractor HSSE Governance & Strategy: Define and enforce comprehensive HSSE requirements as part of the Contractor HSSE Governance framework. Provide strategic H&S input into procurement and contracting strategies for EPC/vendor packages.
• Programme Risk Management: Own Health & Safety risk management within the Project Risk Register, ensuring risks are systematically evaluated, tracked, and mitigated in close alignment with the Project Management Team.
• Human Performance & Safety Culture: Define and drive NEO NL’s Human Performance & Safety Culture objectives. In close collaboration with NNB project leadership, embed human performance tools and safety culture principles across engineering, commercial, and site teams.
• H&S Assurance, Audits & Oversight: Own and deliver the programme-wide H&S assurance plan. Lead participation in stage-gate and readiness reviews, execute safety audits and assessments across contractors and suppliers, and oversee the tracking and implementation of corrective action plans.

Your background and experience

• A Master’s Degree or equivalent level of education in Occupational Health & Safety, Safety Engineering, Environmental Science, or a related technical discipline.
• Over 10 to 15 years of relevant professional experience in Health & Safety, ideally gained within large energy, nuclear, petrochemical, or complex capital infrastructure programmes.
• 3 to 6 years of managerial experience interpreting strategy and policy to set and deliver clear objectives across multidisciplinary teams.
• Deep knowledge of national nuclear safety regulations, IAEA safety standards, and conventional/occupational H&S legislation and codes.
• Proven expertise in H&S management systems, contractor safety governance, supplier assurance audits, and incident investigations.
• Demonstrated experience supporting major capital project lifecycle phases, particularly FEED and EPC procurement and execution.
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken.

We also value if you have:

Direct experience within a nuclear new build programme or high-hazard industrial environment.

High-level certifications in health and safety (e.g., Hogere Veiligheidskunde / HVK, NEBOSH Diploma, or international equivalent).

Experience establishing safety culture transformation programmes and human performance frameworks from the ground up.

Competencies At NEO NL, everyone needs four core competencies to be successful: Learning Agility, Collaboration, Responsibility, and Communication. For this role, we additionally look for:

Strategic Safety Leadership: Sets a clear vision for organizational safety, inspiring teams and driving high standards across complex, multidisciplinary environments.

Risk & Assurance Mindset: Takes an analytical and proactive approach to identifying hazards, establishing robust barriers, and maintaining rigorous oversight across all stages of project delivery.

Constructive Stakeholder Influence: Navigates complex organizational interfaces with authority and diplomacy, effectively aligning regulators, executive leadership, project managers, and international contractors.

What we offer

A strong and committed team – Become part of a diverse and ambitious team of 100 professionals who share a common goal and mission.

A culture of trust and ownership – We believe in responsibility, collaboration, open communication, and a safe working environment.

Dynamic environment – Experience the energy of building a new organisation step by step, and two nuclear power plants that will help the Netherlands for many decades from now.

About the organisation NEO NL is a state-owned company. Our mission is clear: deliver long-lasting nuclear energy solutions that support the Dutch ambition of climate neutrality. With unmatched standards of quality and safety, and driven by deep expertise and responsibility, we are creating a resilient energy system while advancing nuclear knowledge for generations to come.

At NEO NL, you won’t just have a job, you will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to ensure the Netherlands becomes less dependent of fossils fuel, and to have clean and reliable energy for generations to come. You will be part of an ambitious, supportive, and international team, working at the forefront of policy, technology, and society.

Want to know more? Please contact our Talent Acquisition Partner, Dominique Pichard at d.pichard@minezk.nl For more information, visit: www.neonl.com

Unsolicited approaches or acquisition by recruitment agencies in response to this job posting will not be accepted.