Safety Specialist - Facilities Management (Jeddah)

About the role

The Safety Specialist supports the Safety Lead in implementing and maintaining occupational health and safety programs across KAUST facilities, operations, maintenance, construction works and projects. The role focuses on field inspections, audits, risk assessments, incident investigations, safety documentation, contractor engagement, training, corrective action tracking and compliance with ISO 45001, HSE policies and regulatory requirements. It calls for a strong, field-oriented HSE professional working with facility owners, project teams, contractors and service providers.

Key responsibilities

• Support the Safety Lead in implementing and improving risk-based safety programs across facilities, operations, maintenance, construction and projects.
• Conduct risk-based site inspections, safety audits, compliance evaluations and field verifications.
• Perform hazard identification and risk assessments and verify that control measures are effective.
• Review HSE documents such as risk assessments, method statements, safety plans, permits-to-work, lifting and excavation plans, confined-space controls, electrical work procedures and MOC documentation.
• Investigate or support investigations of accidents, injuries, incidents and near misses, identify root causes and recommend corrective and preventive actions.
• Monitor corrective and preventive actions and ensure timely closure and escalation of overdue actions.
• Develop and deliver safety training, toolbox talks, workshops, permit-to-work training and awareness programs.
• Provide practical HSE guidance to facility owners, project teams, contractors and service providers.
• Collect and analyse HSE data, KPIs, inspection findings, audit results and incident trends, and report to management.
• Promote a strong safety culture, intervene in unsafe activities, share lessons learned and maintain accurate HSE records.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Engineering, Science or a related safety discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in occupational safety, facilities safety, construction safety, contractor management, projects, auditing, compliance or related HSE functions.
• Strong experience in hazard identification, risk assessment, risk control and risk-based safety programs.
• Practical knowledge of controls for work at height, lifting, excavation, confined spaces, hot work, electrical work and permit-to-work systems.
• Excellent English communication skills and the ability to write professional HSE reports, inspection records, investigation reports and presentations.

Required skills

• ISO 45001 Lead Auditor certification (required).
• Certification or formal training in Incident Root Cause Analysis (required).
• Working knowledge of ISO 45001, safety management systems, auditing, inspections, incident investigation and corrective action management; ISO 19011 and ISO 31000 knowledge is an advantage.
• Additional HSE qualifications such as CSP, CHST, NEBOSH Certificate/Diploma, IOSH or equivalent are preferred; train-the-trainer certification is also an advantage.