Corporate EHS Manager - Building/Construction Projects

Role Overview

Serve as the leader for Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) within Mawums Limited’s corporate EHQS function throughout Ghana, directly reporting to the General Manager of Construction Division. Ensure all Ghana-based projects, quarries, production units, workshops, camps, and support operations fully comply with applicable laws, contractual standards, and company EHS policies.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive the execution of Mawums corporate EHS policy, strategy, standards, and continuous improvement programs nationwide.
• Establish an EHS governance framework encompassing clear roles, minimum controls, reporting mechanisms, and escalation thresholds.
• Lead corporate EHS reviews and provide independent assurance and risk prioritization to the General Manager.
• Promote visible leadership, effective workforce consultation, and inculcate a safety-first culture that prevents commercial or scheduling pressures from compromising safety or regulations.
• Maintain a current register of relevant Ghanaian occupational safety, labor, environmental, fire, public health, and permitting requirements, translating these into operational controls and compliance criteria.
• Coordinate regulatory inspections, statutory filings, license adherence, and responses to enforcement actions, promptly alerting management to any significant breaches and verifying corrective actions.
• Set EHS requisites during tender, planning, mobilization, and operational changes, approving all project-level EHS, environmental, traffic safety, and emergency plans prior to high-risk activities.
• Confirm availability of trained personnel, permits, welfare amenities, monitoring tools, and emergency resources for projects.
• Implement standards for hazard identification, risk assessments, safe work procedures, permit systems, and task briefings.
• Ensure proactive hazard elimination through hierarchical controls in planning and fieldwork, with special attention to critical tasks like lifts, confined space, excavation, working at heights, hot work, and energization.
• Develop and oversee comprehensive occupational health programs addressing medical fitness, fatigue, heat stress, noise, dust, vibration, and ergonomics, along with the provision of first aid and welfare services in all facilities.
• Maintain incident reporting and investigation protocols, ensuring thorough root-cause analyses and learning dissemination for serious or environmental incidents.
• Apply environmental controls related to erosion, dust, noise, waste, spills, emissions, biodiversity, and rehabilitation, ensuring compliance with permits and regulations.
• Define and enforce safety controls for high-risk construction activities such as earthworks, excavation, temporary structures, lifting operations, demolition, and water-related work.
• Set standards for traffic, plant, and equipment safety, including driver competence, road safety, maintenance, and interaction with communities.
• Maintain emergency preparedness through risk-based response plans, team training, communication systems, and drill coordination involving local responders.
• Lead risk-based audits, inspections, and management reviews across all operations to assess compliance and effectiveness, escalating findings as necessary.
• Manage subcontractor and supplier EHS qualifications, inductions, monitoring, and performance reviews, recommending corrective actions for non-compliance.
• Develop and implement EHS training programs covering all workforce levels and promote a culture of safety leadership, engagement, and accountability.
• Establish EHS performance indicators, analyze data to identify risks, trends, and areas for improvement, and report results to senior management to drive continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science or Engineering, Civil/Construction Engineering, or related fields; master's degree advantageous.
• Highly desirable advanced certifications including NEBOSH International Diploma or equivalent; NEBOSH IGC preferred; ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 Lead/Internal Auditor certification considered a plus.
• At least 10 to 15 years of progressive EHS experience in construction, civil engineering, or heavy industries, with a minimum of five years in senior regional or corporate multi-project roles.
• Broad exposure to roads, earthworks, drainage, structural work, quarries, asphalt and concrete production, workshops, and heavy equipment operations.
• Demonstrated experience leading serious incident investigations, regulatory communications, emergency responses, and overseeing high-risk task assurance.
• Experience working within Ghana or comparable West African contexts is a significant advantage.

Key Skills and Knowledge

• Proven expertise in corporate EHS leadership, independent assurance, and influencing stakeholders.
• Advanced capabilities in risk assessments, audit execution, root cause analysis, and incident investigation.
• Strong crisis, emergency, stakeholder, and regulatory communication skills.
• Proficient technical report writing, data analytics, and executive-level EHS reporting.
• Excellent command of business English and competence in Microsoft Office and EHS management software.
• In-depth understanding of ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 management systems.
• Comprehensive knowledge of Ghanaian occupational safety, labor, environmental, fire, and public health regulations.
• Expertise in construction hazards, traffic & plant safety, occupational hygiene, environmental stewardship, and emergency management.
• Ability to translate legal and contractual EHS requirements into actionable site-level controls.

Behavioral Competencies

• Unwavering integrity, courage, and respect for personnel.
• Demonstrated visible and credible leadership, especially in field operations and emergency situations.
• Sound judgment with strict confidentiality and evidence-based decision-making.
• Effective collaboration and communication with all organizational levels including executives, workforce, clients, regulators, and communities.
• Commitment to ongoing learning, prevention strategies, and nurturing sustainable local EHS capabilities.
• Willingness and ability to frequently travel and maintain a consistent presence across all operational sites.