Director of Environmental Health and Safety

Purpose : The Director of Environmental, Health and Safety is responsible for developing, leading, and continuously improving the company’s environmental, health, and safety strategy across all locations. This role provides enterprise-wide leadership to ensure regulatory compliance, reduce operational risk, protect employees and communities, and promote a strong culture of safety, environmental stewardship, accountability, and continuous improvement.

The Director will partner with senior leadership, plant management, operations, human resources, engineering, maintenance, and external stakeholders to establish practical EHS systems, standards, policies, procedures, training, auditing, incident management, and performance metrics that support safe, compliant, and sustainable business operations.

Areas of Responsibility / Tasks

Performance must reflect appropriate level of expertise and achievement of the desired results for the items listed below.   

1. Essential Functions

• Develop, implement, and maintain corporate EHS policies, programs, procedures, and standards that support compliance with applicable federal, state, local, and company requirements.
• Travel to the Ravago America’s locations to provide on-site strategic leadership and technical guidance to site leaders and EHS personnel across manufacturing, distribution, warehousing, laboratory, office, and other business operations.
• Travel to the Ravago America’s locations to establish and drive a proactive safety culture focused on employee engagement, hazard recognition, risk reduction, environmental responsibility, and operational discipline.
• Travel to the Ravago America’s locations to develop, mentor, and support site-level EHS professionals and operational leaders to build organizational capability and accountability.
• Travel to the Ravago America’s locations to monitor regulatory requirements and industry best practices, including OSHA, EPA, DOT, state environmental agencies, workers’ compensation requirements, and other applicable standards.
• Lead the development and execution of EHS objectives, annual plans, key performance indicators, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Travel to the Ravago America’s locations to develop and oversee a comprehensive EHS audit program which drives continuous improvement and engagement at the site level.
• Oversee the incident investigation processes, root cause analysis, corrective action tracking, and lessons-learned communication for injuries, near misses, environmental releases, property damage, and regulatory events.
• Partner with operations and engineering teams to integrate EHS requirements into capital projects, process changes, equipment installations, facility expansions, and contractor activities.
• Oversee environmental compliance programs, including air, water, stormwater, wastewater, waste management, hazardous materials, chemical reporting, spill prevention, and permit compliance.
• Develop and support emergency preparedness and response programs, including crisis management, evacuation planning, spill response, fire prevention, severe weather response, and business continuity coordination.
• Lead corporate EHS training strategy and ensure employees, supervisors, managers, contractors, and visitors receive appropriate safety and environmental training.
• Manage regulatory agency interactions, inspections, audits, reports, permits, correspondence, and corrective action commitments.
• Prepare and present EHS performance reports, compliance updates, risk assessments, and improvement plans to executive leadership and site management.
• Support workers’ compensation, return-to-work, industrial hygiene, occupational health, ergonomics, and employee wellness initiatives as appropriate.
• Manage external consultants, vendors, contractors, laboratories, and service providers supporting EHS programs.
• Promote sustainability initiatives related to waste reduction, recycling, energy efficiency, emissions reduction, resource conservation, and responsible manufacturing practices

Competencies; Knowledge, Skills, Abilities (KSA)

To perform this role successfully, an individual must have experience achieving desired result(s) in their areas of responsibility. The requirements listed below are representative of observable behaviors and essential knowledge, skill, and abilities required of a successful incumbent within our culture

1. Strategic leadership and business partnership
2. Regulatory compliance expertise
3. Risk identification, assessment, and mitigation
4. Incident investigation and root cause analysis
5. Continuous improvement mindset
6. Strong coaching, mentoring, and team development skills
7. Ability to communicate effectively with executives, site leaders, employees, regulators, and community stakeholders
8. High integrity, sound judgment, and commitment to employee safety and environmental responsibility

Minimum Qualifications/ Education / Experience / Certifications

1. Education: Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Occupational Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Engineering, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred.
2. Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive EHS experience, including leadership responsibility in a manufacturing, industrial, chemical, plastics, distribution, or related operating environment.
• Minimum of 5 years of people leadership, multi-site EHS leadership, or corporate-level program management experience preferred.
• Experience developing and implementing safety management systems, environmental management systems, risk assessment processes, audit programs, training programs, and corrective action systems.

1. Knowledge : Strong working knowledge of OSHA, EPA, DOT, hazardous materials, industrial safety, environmental permitting, waste management, and related regulatory requirements.
2. Licenses / Certifications: Professional certification such as Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM), Professional Engineer (PE), or similar credential preferred.
3. Language: English

Work Environment / Conditions

The work environment/conditions described herein are representative of those that an incumbent may experience, and therefore

This position operates in both office and industrial work environments.  The position will entail responding to EHS matters outside normal business hours.  Travel to company facilities, conferences, and regulatory meetings will be required.