Data Centre Health & Safety Manager

Job Title: Health and Safety Manager

Location: Helsinki

About us:

We’re reinventing how the world uses data centres. Think flexible, optimised colocation services tailored for your requirements – all with the very best customer support you can imagine. And because our data centres are powered by sustainable energy, it doesn’t cost the Earth either. It’s the perfect environment where everyone thrives – you and the planet.

Verne has been recently acquired by Ardian and is currently investing massively into new data centre capacity and needs additional people to support this growth. We need self-driven, experienced, motivated and focused new team members, and offer a dynamic, growth-oriented environment for people to shine and learn.

Job Summary: The Data Center Health & Safety Manager is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining comprehensive environmental, health, and safety (EHS) programs to ensure a safe, compliant, and incident-free data center environment. This role partners closely with operations, facilities, engineering, contractors, and leadership to manage risk, meet regulatory requirements, and promote a strong safety culture across all data center activities.

Key Responsibilities:

Health & Safety Program Management

Develop, implement, and continuously improve site-specific health and safety programs aligned with corporate and regulatory requirements

Establish safety policies, procedures, and standard operating practices for data center operations

Lead hazard identification, risk assessments, and job safety analyses for critical activities

Regulatory Compliance

Ensure compliance with all applicable local, state, federal, and international EHS regulations (e.g., OSHA, NFPA, EPA, local fire codes)

Maintain required permits, licenses, and documentation

Serve as the primary site contact for regulatory agencies and inspections

Incident Management & Prevention

Lead incident investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action plans

Track and analyze safety metrics, trends, and leading indicators

Drive proactive safety initiatives to reduce incidents and near-misses

Training & Safety Culture

Develop and deliver health and safety training for employees, contractors, and visitors

Conduct toolbox talks, safety briefings, and emergency drills

Promote a culture of safety accountability and continuous improvement

Contractor & Vendor Safety

Review and approve contractor safety plans, risk assessments, and permits to work

Monitor contractor compliance with site safety requirements

Conduct audits and inspections of contractor activities

Emergency Preparedness

Develop and maintain emergency response and business continuity plans

Coordinate fire safety, evacuation drills, and emergency response exercises

Collaborate with facilities, security, and local emergency services

Audits & Reporting

Conduct regular safety inspections and audits of data center facilities

Prepare reports for leadership on safety performance, compliance, and risks

Support internal and external audits

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience)

5+ years of health and safety experience in data centers, critical facilities, construction, manufacturing, or industrial environments

Strong knowledge of OSHA regulations, NFPA standards, and data center safety practices

Experience managing contractor safety and permit-to-work systems

Preferred Qualifications

Professional certifications such as CSP, CIH, NEBOSH, or equivalent

Experience supporting large-scale or hyperscale data center or Critical environments

Familiarity with electrical safety, confined spaces, LOTO, and fire suppression systems

Skills & Competencies

Strong leadership and influencing skills

Excellent communication and training abilities

Analytical and problem-solving mindset

Ability to work in high-availability, mission-critical environments

Strong organizational and documentation skills

Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.

What We Offer:

Opportunity to be part of a fast-growing, private equity-backed company.

A dynamic, innovative, and inclusive working environment.

Competitive compensation and benefits package.

The chance to work with a talented and ambitious international team.