Assistant Manager: Safety

Responsibilities & Key Deliverables

The Deputy Manager - Safety at Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd's Automotive Division is entrusted with a critical leadership role in elevating our Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) frameworks. This position demands an experienced professional to champion the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of safety management systems, ensuring alignment with internationally recognised standards such as OHSAS 18001 and ISO 14001.

Key responsibilities include strategic oversight and operational execution of HSE policies across multiple manufacturing locations, proactively identifying and mitigating workplace hazards, and ensuring holistic compliance with statutory safety legislation and client-specific requirements. The role requires conducting comprehensive safety inspections, risk assessments, and audits while managing incident investigations with robust root cause analysis methodologies to drive corrective and preventive actions.

Embedded within the role is the responsibility to cultivate and sustain a pervasive safety culture through delivering targeted training programmes, facilitating worker engagement in safety reporting, and promoting adherence to safety protocols on the shop floor. Collaboration is essential, working alongside cross-functional teams to meet ambitious sustainability targets addressing energy conservation, water usage optimisation, and waste minimisation.

The incumbent will also oversee the permit to work (PTW) system, ensuring strict controls are maintained around maintenance and production activities, and liaise extensively with both internal stakeholders and external regulatory agencies to ensure ongoing compliance and continuous HSE performance enhancement. This role requires excellent data analysis skills to interpret safety trends, leading to the development and deployment of proactive safety initiatives.

• Maintain expert oversight of statutory compliance and build effective partnerships with factory departments and environmental regulatory bodies.
• Advise and implement best practices in machine safety, electrical safety, confined space entry, work at heights, and lockout-tagout (LoTo) procedures, ensuring cutting-edge safety standards.
• Drive coordination with central safety committees, championing the adoption of innovative safety programs and interventions.
• Lead fire safety management including planning, prevention strategies, and emergency preparedness training.
• Manage environment and safety audits rigorously to uphold ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certifications, preparing and guiding teams for internal and external audits.
• Ensure meticulous documentation and reporting processes for all safety operations, including the creation and maintenance of comprehensive safety operating procedures (SOPs).
• Steer safety ratification processes in partnership with state government authorities to ensure statutory approvals and recognition.

Preferred Industries

Education Qualification

Qualifications essential for the Deputy Manager - Safety role include a bachelor's degree in Occupational Health and Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, or a closely related discipline. Candidates possessing additional certifications such as NEBOSH, IOSH Managing Safely, or ISO auditor credentials will be highly regarded.

A robust academic foundation coupled with specialised HSE training equips the candidate to handle the technical and regulatory demands of this position effectively. Furthermore, continuous professional development in the latest safety standards, sustainability practices, and risk management techniques is encouraged to stay abreast of evolving industry requirements.

Preferred educational qualifications include:

• Degree or Diploma in Safety Management, Environmental Engineering, or Occupational Health.
• Professional certifications such as NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent internationally recognised safety qualifications.
• Training in ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) and ISO 45001 / OHSAS 18001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems).
• Advanced knowledge of risk assessment, accident investigation methodologies, and emergency response planning.

We value candidates who demonstrate commitment to lifelong learning, adaptability, and a proactive approach to integrating educational advances into workplace safety and sustainability initiatives.

General Experience

The ideal candidate for the Deputy Manager - Safety position brings substantial experience within manufacturing or automotive industries, ideally spanning 4 to 5 years in roles focused on health, safety, and environment management.

This experience should encompass a proven track record of implementing and managing safety systems aligned with OHSAS 18001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 standards, conducting workplace risk assessments, and driving compliance with occupational safety legislation.

Experience working in multi-site manufacturing environments with exposure to complex operational challenges will be essential. Candidates should be adept at leading safety audits, facilitating training sessions, and coordinating with regulatory bodies.

Key experience criteria include:

• Hands-on involvement with safety system implementation and continuous improvement in an automotive or similar manufacturing setting.
• Demonstrated success in managing cross-functional safety initiatives and fostering safety culture among diverse employee groups.
• Proficiency with incident investigation techniques, including root cause analysis and corrective action development.
• Experience in preparing documentation and reports that support compliance and continuous safety performance improvement.
• Competence in using safety data analytics tools to identify risk trends and inform strategic decision-making.

Additionally, candidates should possess excellent interpersonal skills to engage effectively with teams, regulators, and leadership to advocate for and sustain best-in-class HSE standards.

Critical Experience

Critical experience for this position includes specialised knowledge and practice related to safety management systems (SMS) within the automotive manufacturing sector. Demonstrated expertise in aligning operational safety practices with international standards such as ISO 45001 / OHSAS 18001 and ISO 14001 is imperative.

Applicants must have hands-on experience in conducting comprehensive safety audits, performing detailed risk assessments, and managing the permit to work (PTW) processes to safeguard maintenance and production activities.

Proven capability in incident investigation is crucial, with a focus on root cause analysis to develop and oversee corrective measures that prevent recurrence of hazards and incidents.

Experience in developing and delivering targeted HSE training programs and campaigns to enhance worker awareness and adherence to safety protocols on the shop floor is essential.

Strong collaboration experience with external government authorities such as pollution control boards and factory inspectorates to maintain statutory compliance and facilitate safety certification processes is also required.

Additional critical experience elements include:

• Expertise in machine safety, electrical safety, confined space entry, working at heights, and lockout-tagout best practices.
• Management of fire safety systems, emergency preparedness exercises, and related safety infrastructure within a manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency in analysing safety performance metrics and translating findings into actionable improvements.
• Capability in maintaining and preparing safety documentation, including SOPs, compliance reports, and audit readiness materials.

This critical experience ensures the Deputy Manager - Safety can not only comply with but also lead efforts to exceed HSE standards, fostering a safety-first culture that protects people, assets, and the environment.

System Generated Core Skills

System Generated Secondary Skills