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QHSSE & Sustainability Manager

Ali & Sons Holding LLC • United Arab Emirates • Added on Sep 7, 2026
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This role centers on leading the QHSSE and sustainability framework for a massive, diversified holding company. You will take ownership of the entire Group-wide lifecycle for quality, health, safety, and environmental standards, moving beyond traditional safety to embed ESG and operational excellence into every business unit. From auditing automotive dealerships to setting benchmarks for oil and gas operations, you will be the primary architect of a unified, high-performance culture across the Middle East.

The impact here is significant due to the sheer scale of the portfolio. By integrating sustainability into sectors like heavy manufacturing and marine engineering, you are driving a tangible industrial transition in the UAE. Your work directly ensures that global brands and local icons operate under a responsible governance model that balances commercial success with rigorous environmental and social performance metrics.

This suits someone who is a process-driven expert with a strategic mindset and a passion for operational excellence. You should be comfortable navigating diverse industrial environments and influencing executive-level decisions with data-backed ESG insights.

Job FAQs

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The primary mission is to unify and elevate the Group’s standards across a highly diverse portfolio. You will lead the development of QHSE, ESG, and Operational Excellence frameworks, ensuring they are not just theoretical policies but active, effective systems that drive performance. This involves setting the strategic direction for sustainability while maintaining rigorous compliance with international standards like ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001. You will also be responsible for the annual audit program, assessing performance across various subsidiaries and identifying areas for corrective action. Beyond monitoring, you are tasked with building a culture of accountability, meaning you will develop and deliver training programs to ensure team members at all levels understand their role in the company's sustainable growth.

Key learning opportunities for this job

Working within a diversified holding company offers a rare chance to gain expertise across multiple high-impact industries, including Oil & Gas, Marine Engineering, and Automotive retail. You will learn how to adapt sustainability frameworks to vastly different operational contexts, which is a highly sought-after skill in the Middle East’s evolving regulatory landscape. Furthermore, the integration of Six Sigma methodologies with ESG goals provides a unique technical learning curve. You will refine your ability to use data-driven process improvements to achieve environmental targets, effectively bridging the gap between traditional industrial engineering and modern corporate responsibility.

How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?

The ideal candidate brings at least five years of managerial experience in a technical field like HSE or Quality, backed by NEBOSH or IOSH certifications. Because this role involves high-level process management, a Six Sigma Green or Black Belt is essential to demonstrate your ability to drive efficiency alongside safety and sustainability. Soft skills are just as critical; you need the analytical depth to dissect complex operational data and the interpersonal influence to lead change across different departments. A Master's degree is highly valued as it indicates the strategic thinking required to handle Group-level responsibilities.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

To stand out, demonstrate your ability to manage complexity and diversity. Rather than just listing safety certifications, provide examples of how you have integrated ESG metrics into traditional industrial operations or how you have successfully navigated a multi-sector audit process. Given Ali & Sons' portfolio includes global brands like Porsche and Audi, highlight any experience you have with international corporate standards. Showing that you understand how to align local operations with global brand expectations for sustainability and quality will give you a significant edge.

What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?

The sustainability focus in this role is heavily weighted toward governance and operational efficiency. You will likely work on decarbonizing industrial processes in the manufacturing and marine segments while overseeing the environmental footprint of the retail automotive divisions. There is also a strong emphasis on ESG reporting and transparency. You will represent the group to external auditors and government bodies, ensuring that the company's sustainability claims are backed by rigorous data and consistent internal auditing across all UAE-based operations.

What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?

The most significant challenge will be standardizing QHSSE culture across very different business units. Implementing a single framework that works for both a luxury jewelry brand and an oil & gas contracting firm requires high levels of adaptability and persistence. You may also face challenges related to stakeholder buy-in. Transitioning from traditional HSE to a broader ESG and Operational Excellence model often requires changing long-standing behaviors and convincing managers that sustainability leads to better long-term commercial outcomes.

How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?

A typical day might begin with reviewing QHSE performance data from the industrial segment, followed by a meeting with senior management to discuss the Group's Balanced Scorecard. You could spend the afternoon on-site at a facility for an internal audit, verifying that safety and environmental protocols are being followed on the ground. Collaboration is a constant; you will frequently interact with the QHSE team to build their capabilities or coordinate with external government bodies regarding new regulations. Your time is balanced between high-level strategic planning and the granular work of incident investigation and corrective action planning.

What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?

This role is a gateway to Executive-level sustainability leadership. By managing a Group-wide portfolio, you position yourself for future Chief Sustainability Officer or Chief Operating Officer roles within large conglomerates. The exposure to high-level strategic performance management and global brand partnerships offers a path to becoming a specialized consultant or a leader in regional industrial transformation, especially as the UAE continues to strengthen its ESG reporting requirements.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

You will interact extensively with internal business unit leaders to ensure operational alignment, as well as the executive team to report on performance against the Balanced Scorecard. You also serve as the primary link to the QHSE team, acting as their mentor and director. Externally, your main contacts will be regulatory government bodies in the UAE and third-party auditors. You will also represent the Group to NGOs and international brand partners, ensuring that Ali & Sons maintains its reputation for quality and responsibility in the eyes of its global collaborators.

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