Regional HSE & Compliance Manager – Iberia & Italy | Orla

Location: Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Salary: €60,000 per annum

Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent

About Orla

Orla is a pan-European operator of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and residential properties and forms part of the Homes for Students group. With its European headquarters in Dublin, Orla operates across multiple European markets, combining Group expertise with local knowledge across PBSA, flex-living, build-to-rent (BTR) and other residential assets. As we continue to expand, we are looking for a dedicated Regional HSE & Compliance Manager to join our team and play a pivotal role in ensuring health, safety, and regulatory compliance across our operations in Iberia and Italy.

The Role

Reporting directly to the Senior Management, you will oversee and manage all Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) and compliance activities across our facilities in Spain, Portugal, and Italy.
The role will ensure Group HSE standards are effectively implemented while recognising and complying with the distinct legislation, statutory responsibilities and competent-person arrangements applicable within each jurisdiction.

Key Responsibilities

Regional HSE Governance & Compliance

- Support implementation of Group HSE strategy, policies and minimum standards across Spain, Portugal and Italy.
- Interpret applicable HSE legislation and regulatory requirements and translate these into practical operational guidance.
- Provide regional oversight and assurance of compliance with statutory and Group requirements, identifying significant gaps and escalating where standards are not achieved.
- Monitor legislative and regulatory developments and advise on implications for policy, procedures, training and operations.
- Obtain specialist legal, technical or competent-person advice where matters fall outside the role’s professional competence or authority.

Statutory Prevention & Competent Professional Coordination





- Act as the principal day-to-day HSE liaison with statutory prevention and competent professional resources across the region.
- Coordinate with the Servicio de Prevención in Spain under Law 31/1995 (LPRL) and Royal Decree 39/1997; appropriate occupational safety and prevention professionals in Portugal; and appointed RSPP(s) in Italy under D.Lgs. 81/08.
- Maintain oversight of statutory appointments, responsibilities, documentation, required training and service delivery, escalating identified gaps.
- Coordinate and provide assurance over these arrangements without substituting appointments or statutory duties legally assigned to the relevant local employer or competent professional.

Fire Safety, Building & Asset Compliance

- Provide regional oversight and assurance of applicable Fire Safety and building-level compliance requirements, including Spain’s CTE/CTE DB-SI, CAE and Royal Decree 3/2023; Portugal’s RJSCIE and associated technical requirements; and Italy’s D.Lgs. 81/08, DPR 151/2011, Codice di Prevenzione Incendi, SCIA antincendio/CPI and DUVRI requirements.
- Ensure appropriate fire risk assessment, fire prevention, emergency-planning and statutory documentation is maintained in accordance with local requirements.
- Monitor statutory, certification, assessment and review dates to prevent lapses and ensure actions are risk-ranked, assigned, tracked and evidenced through to closure.
- Support emergency planning, staff instruction and evacuation exercises, escalating material Fire Safety or building compliance risks.

Qualifications & Experience





- Degree-level education and/or an equivalent recognised professional qualification in Health & Safety, Occupational Safety, Fire Safety, Risk Management or a related discipline.
- Recognised professional H&S; qualification such as the NEBOSH Diploma/International Diploma, NVQ Level 6 Occupational Health & Safety or equivalent recognised European qualification.
- Significant HSE experience within a multi-site operational environment, including HSE compliance, auditing, risk management and incident investigation.
- Strong knowledge of Spanish occupational H&S; requirements and the Servicio de Prevención framework.
- Working knowledge of the Italian H&S; framework, including D.Lgs. 81/08 and the role of the RSPP.
- Understanding of Fire Safety and building compliance requirements applicable to Spain and Italy, with the ability to develop equivalent knowledge of Portuguese requirements.
- Demonstrable ability to interpret legislation and translate requirements into practical operational controls.
- Fluent professional English and Spanish, written and spoken.
- Full driving licence and willingness to travel regularly across Spain, Portugal and Italy.

Highly Desirable

- Professional working proficiency in Italian.
- Experience working with Italian RSPP and/or fire-prevention arrangements.
- Experience within PBSA, BTR, residential property, hospitality, facilities management or a comparable multi-site environment.

Skills & Competencies

- Strong technical HSE and risk-management capability with sound professional judgement and proportionate risk-based decision-making.
- Ability to interpret legislation and apply it within complex operational environments, with a clear understanding of Group HSE governance versus locally held statutory duties.
- Strong communication, influencing and stakeholder-management skills, including confidence to professionally challenge unsafe or materially non-compliant practices.

#J-18808-Ljbffr

📌 Regional HSE & Compliance Manager – Iberia & Italy (Madrid)
🏢 Orla Europe
📍 Madrid