Role Description
The HSE Head will be responsible for building, integrating, and leading a robust Health, Safety Environment ecosystem across Kimbal. To provide strategic leadership and governance for Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) for the plant, ensuring statutory compliance under the Factories Act, 1948 and State Rules, while driving a proactive safety culture, risk elimination, and sustainable environmental performance. This role will strengthen ISO management systems, champion a Zero Harm culture, and drive continuous improvement across manufacturing, offices, and project sites.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Responsibilities:
- Define and deploy HSE vision, strategy, and annual objectives aligned with business goals.
- Act as principal advisor to Plant Leadership on all HSE and statutory matters.
- Ensure adoption of best-in-class HSE practices and continuous improvement programs.
Statutory & Compliance Leadership:
- Ensure 100% compliance with Factories Act, 1948, State Factory Rules, and environmental laws.
- Interface with regulatory authorities (Factory Inspectorate, PCB, Fire Dept., etc.).
- Ensure statutory approvals, licenses, returns, and legal registers are maintained.
- Provide oversight on Safety Officer function as mandated by the Act.
Operational Governance:
- Establish robust HSE management systems, procedures, and control frameworks.
- Lead plant-wide risk management (HIRA, HAZOP for hazardous processes if applicable).
- Drive contractor safety management and permit-to-work systems.
- Ensure safe design, operation, and maintenance of plant and machinery.
Incident Prevention & Response:
- Lead investigations of major incidents and ensure systemic corrective actions.
- Oversee emergency preparedness, on-site emergency plan, and mock drills.
- Ensure fire protection systems and disaster management readiness.
Occupational Health & Welfare:
- Ensure compliance with health, hygiene, and welfare provisions under the Act.
- Lead occupational health surveillance and industrial hygiene programs.
Environmental Management:
- Ensure compliance with environmental regulations (Air, Water, Hazardous Waste).
- Drive sustainability initiatives: waste, emissions, energy, and water management.
Capability Building & Culture:
- Build HSE competency across all levels through structured training programs.
- Drive behavioural safety and safety culture transformation initiatives.
Performance & Reporting:
- Establish KPIs (TRIR, LTIFR, near-miss reporting, compliance metrics).
- Report HSE performance to management and corporate leadership.
Current Challenges
- Scaling HSE systems and practices in line with rapid manufacturing and business growth.
- Integrating multiple HSE-related functions into a single, cohesive governance model.
- Strengthening proactive risk identification and near-miss reporting culture.
- Ensuring consistent compliance and safety practices across plants, offices, and field operations.
- Driving leadership ownership and workforce engagement towards a sustainable Zero Harm
Success Metrics
- Zero fatal accidents and reduction in recordable incidents.
- Successful ISO certifications and surveillance audits with minimal observations.
- Timely closure of NCRs and CAPAs.
- Improved HSE KPI performance (leading and lagging indicators).
- High levels of employee participation in safety initiatives.
Job Requirements
Qualifications
- Engineering/Science degree with specialization/certification in HSE, Safety, or Environmental Management.
- 15-20+ years of experience in HSE leadership roles within manufacturing, energy, or industrial environments.
- Strong working knowledge of Indian statutory regulations and ISO management systems.
- Proven experience in audits, risk assessments, incident investigations, and safety culture transformation.
- Strong leadership, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.
Functional & Leadership Skills
- Deep hands-on expertise in ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and other applicable management systems including design, implementation, certification, and surveillance audits.
- Strong working knowledge of Indian statutory and regulatory frameworks such as Factory Act, Electricity Act & Rules, Environment Protection Act, E-waste Management Rules, and state pollution control norms.
- Proven experience in conducting and reviewing risk assessments including HIRA, JSA, AIA, and defining practical risk mitigation controls.
- Strong capability in incident investigation methodologies such as RCA, 5-Why, Fishbone, and development of robust CAPA.
- Strong people leadership skills with the ability to build, integrate, and lead cross-functional EHS teams under a unified vision.
- Demonstrated capability to influence senior leadership and drive EHS ownership across business functions.
- High level of accountability and decision-making ability in complex and high-risk environments.
- Excellent communication and training skills with the ability to simplify complex EHS concepts for diverse audiences.
- Change leadership mindset with the ability to drive cultural transformation in fast-growing and dynamic organizations.
Why Kimbal?
At Kimbal, safety, sustainability, and responsibility are not compliance activities—they are core to how we build the future of energy. As an HSE Leader, you will have the opportunity to shape enterprise-wide HSE strategy in a fast-growing energy-tech organization that is modernizing India's power infrastructure.
Kimbal offers a high-trust, high-ownership culture where leaders are empowered to build systems from the ground up, influence senior stakeholders, and drive meaningful change at scale. This role provides the platform to move beyond transactional safety management and create a lasting Zero Harm culture while balancing regulatory excellence, business agility, and people-centric leadership.
