Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) Manager

Location: Kenya, Homabay

Are you a strategic and hands-on HSE leader with the expertise to build a strong safety culture, drive regulatory compliance, and protect people and the environment across a complex operational environment?

We are seeking an exceptional HSE Manager to join our leadership team at Victory Farms Kenya. This role is responsible for leading and overseeing all Health, Safety, Environment, Occupational Health, and Compliance functions across the business, ensuring that robust HSE systems are implemented effectively and aligned with Group standards and operational objectives.

You will work closely with business leaders and operational teams to identify and mitigate workplace risks, strengthen safe working practices, and ensure compliance with Kenyan occupational safety, health, and environmental regulations. Through proactive risk management, continuous improvement, and environmental stewardship, you will help create a safe, compliant, and responsible working environment across our operations.

This is a strategic and delivery-focused leadership role for someone who can translate HSE policies and standards into practical action, drive accountability at every level, and embed a proactive safety culture that supports operational excellence and the sustainable growth of Victory Farms.

Key Responsibilities:

1. HSE Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and implement the HSE strategy aligned with Group objectives.
• Lead the development, review, and implementation of HSE policies, procedures, and standards.
• Provide strategic advice to management on safety, environmental, and occupational health matters.
• Promote a proactive safety culture across all operations.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives in safety and environmental performance.
  
  2. Occupational Health & Safety Management

• Ensure compliance with all applicable OSHA, DOSHS, NEMA, and other regulatory requirements.
• Establish and monitor workplace safety programs and safe systems of work.
• Conduct risk assessments, hazard identification, and mitigation initiatives.
• Lead incident investigations and ensure implementation of corrective and preventive actions.
• Monitor safety performance metrics and develop improvement plans.
  
  3. Environmental Management

• Develop and manage environmental compliance programs.
• Ensure proper management of waste, emissions, water usage, and environmental risks.
• Lead environmental audits and inspections.
• Support sustainability and ESG initiatives across the business.
• Ensure compliance with environmental permits and regulatory obligations.
  
  4. Operational HSE Oversight

• Conduct regular site inspections and safety audits.
• Ensure contractor and visitor safety compliance.
• Monitor implementation of emergency preparedness and business continuity plans.
• Coordinate fire safety, emergency response, evacuation drills, and crisis management activities.
• Oversee safety requirements for construction, maintenance, production, and logistics activities.

5. Training & Safety Culture

• Develop and implement HSE training programs.
• Facilitate induction and refresher training for employees and contractors.
• Promote employee awareness campaigns and behavioral safety initiatives.
• Build leadership capability in HSE management.
• Support development of safety champions across departments.

6. Compliance & Governance

• Ensure full compliance with Kenya Occupational Safety and Health regulations.
• Manage HSE audits, inspections, and regulatory assessments.
• Maintain required statutory records and reports.
• Liaise with authority inspectors, auditors, and regulatory bodies.
• Ensure implementation of Group governance standards and risk management frameworks.

7.Reporting & Analytics

• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual HSE reports.
• Analyze trends relating to incidents, near misses, injuries, and environmental performance.
• Develop and monitor HSE dashboards and KPIs.
• Provide recommendations to leadership based on HSE data and trends.

Qualifications and Requirements:

Education

1. Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, Public Health, Industrial Safety, or a related discipline.
2. Master’s Degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Management, Engineering, Business Administration, or related field is highly preferred.

Professional Certifications

One or more of the following:

• NEBOSH International Diploma or NEBOSH IGC
• IOSH Managing Safely / Graduate Membership
• ISO 45001 Lead Auditor
• ISO 14001 Lead Auditor
• Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
• Registered Occupational Safety and Health Advisor (Kenya) preferred
• Other recognized HSE certifications

Experience

1. Minimum 15 years of progressive HSE experience.
2. At least 5 years in a senior HSE leadership or management role.
3. Experience within manufacturing, agribusiness, food production, FMCG, logistics, construction, or industrial operations.
4. Proven experience managing multi-site HSE programs.
5. Strong knowledge of occupational health, safety, environmental management, and risk controls.
6. Demonstrated success in reducing workplace incidents and improving safety culture.
7. Experience working in large, fast-paced operational environments

Key Competencies

Leadership

• Strategic Leadership
• Team Management
• Coaching & Development
• Decision Making
• Change Leadership

Technical HSE Competencies

• Occupational Health & Safety Management
• Risk Assessment & Risk Mitigation
• Incident Investigation
• Environmental Compliance
• Emergency Response Planning
• Regulatory Compliance
• Safety Auditing
• Contractor Safety Management
• Fire Safety & Emergency Preparedness
• Business Continuity Planning

Business Competencies

• Stakeholder Management
• Project Management
• Budget Management
• Data Analysis & Reporting
• Problem Solving
• Communication & Influencing Skills

Benefit:

• Visibility into the world’s fastest growing aquaculture company.
• Ideal for a candidate looking to dive into a mission-oriented Organization.
• The team is committed to the candidate’s success and will provide coaching, mentorship, and unique exposure to people and experiences that come from the most successful leaders in the entrepreneurial community and the social sector.

About Victory Farms:

Victory Farms (VF) was established on Lake Victoria in 2016 with both on-shore and off-shore facilities. The head office is in Nairobi, and its Farm site is in Homa Bay County, with distribution across Kenya. VF has since become one of the fastest growing companies in aquaculture globally. In its first eight months of operation, the Company became the largest aquaculture producer in Kenya. Victory Farms aims to become the leading tilapia farm in Africa over the next 5 years while maintaining the highest environmental and social standards; as the most sustainable tilapia farm in the world, adhering to global standards and best practices, and producing affordable, sustainable protein to feed millions of people across Africa. Today, it is the largest commercial aquaculture player in East Africa and operates one of largest hatcheries on the continent.

The Company is continuing to rapidly expand its vertically integrated model: production, processing, and sales & distribution, to keep pace with the rapid growth in demand for protein. To support this, Victory Farms employs world class technologies, people, and processes to build its model for sustainable protein production on the continent. VF strives for the highest standards in performance, execution, culture, and integrity.

VF’s growth trajectory provides enormous opportunity for excited professionals to uplift their careers and make an impact within a diverse operation. We recognize the utmost importance which contributions by individuals and teams have to the success of Victory Farms. We work to create a fantastic environment for our employees. An environment where employees have an opportunity to develop professionally and personally.

How to Apply:

Please send your 2-page CV and a short note on your most significant HSE achievement to recruit@victoryfarmskenya.com with the subject line “HSE Manager – VF Kenya”. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.