Director, Environmental Health & Safety

1. Job Summary

   The Director, Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) serves as the strategic leader and head of the enterprise-wide EHS organization. This role is responsible for setting the vision, strategy, and governance framework for environmental, health, and safety programs across the company.

   The Director will:

• Enhance and protect the company’s brand reputation and create a favorable business environment in all areas of responsibility.

• Ensure robust Environmental and EHS compliance with all applicable regulatory bodies and internal standards, while driving continuous improvement in environmental performance and workplace safety.

This position is a key advisor to senior leadership and serves as the primary point of contact for enterprise EHS matters.

1. Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Governance

• Serve as the Head of the EHS organization, responsible for the development and execution of the enterprise EHS strategy.

• Establish EHS governance structures, policies, standards, and metrics to ensure consistency and compliance across all sites and operations.

• Provide regular briefings to executive leadership and the Board (as appropriate) on EHS performance, emerging risks, regulatory changes, and strategic initiatives.

• Champion a culture of environmental stewardship, safety, and corporate responsibility throughout the organization.

Environmental Compliance & Performance

• Assume ultimate responsibility for environmental compliance across the enterprise, ensuring alignment with Local, State, and Federal Environmental Protection regulations.

• Develop, implement, and oversee auditing of environmental programs to ensure adherence to regulatory and corporate requirements.

• Continually evaluate the company’s environmental footprint and develop strategies, initiatives, and targets to reduce or eliminate negative environmental impact.

• Determine, obtain, and maintain all necessary environmental permits and approvals for existing and new operations.

• Lead investigations of environmental releases or incidents, ensuring root cause analysis, determination of reportable events, and implementation of preventive measures.

• Ensure accurate and timely completion and submission of required reports to the EPA and other relevant regulatory agencies.

• Oversee environmental audits (internal and third-party) and ensure effective corrective and preventive action plans are established and implemented.

• Develop, implement, and monitor corrective actions for environmental exposure and risk reduction.

Health & Safety (If desired as part of EHS scope – optional to keep/expand)

• Provide strategic oversight for workplace health and safety programs, ensuring alignment with OSHA and other applicable safety regulations.

• Oversee the development and deployment of safety standards, procedures, and training across the enterprise.

• Ensure incident reporting, investigation, root cause analysis, and corrective actions are managed consistently and effectively across locations.

• Partner with Operations and HR to drive injury and incident reduction initiatives and promote a strong safety culture.

• Serve as liaison with our insurance partners, participating in plant visits and answering pertinent questions they have. Follows up on recommendations and helps plants prioritize projects to address any issues found.

• Oversees workers compensation program and works with legal to manage claims.

Training, Communication & Stakeholder Engagement

• Develop, implement, and oversee enterprise EHS training programs to ensure awareness, competency, and compliance among employees and leadership.

• Communicate EHS expectations, performance, and initiatives clearly and consistently across all levels of the organization.

• Work effectively with local municipalities and community stakeholders to maintain positive relationships and address environmental and safety-related concerns.

• Collaborate with the Sustainability Director to integrate environmental responsibility and sustainability into business strategies, operations, and communications.

• Partner with Public Relations and Corporate Communications to support external messaging on EHS and sustainability topics.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Continuous Improvement

• Lead cross-functional teams (Operations, Engineering, HR, Legal, Supply Chain, Quality, etc.) to identify and deliver EHS improvements and risk-mitigation strategies.

• Identify emerging regulations, industry trends, and best practices, and proactively adjust company programs to stay ahead of requirements.

• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to EHS performance and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

• Manage EHS budgets, resources, and external consultants as necessary to achieve strategic goals.

1. Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree (BS) in Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, Occupational Health & Safety, Chemical Engineering, or related field required;
  Master’s degree in a related field or Business Administration (MBA) preferred.

• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in environmental compliance and/or EHS management, preferably within manufacturing, food production, or a related industry.

• Demonstrated experience leading EHS teams and programs at a multi-site or enterprise level.

• Excellent communication skills with a proven track record in written and verbal communication, including executive-level presentations.

• Strong knowledge of corporate responsibility, ESG frameworks, environmental compliance, and (if included) health & safety regulations.

• Proven leadership, networking, and influencing skills, with a track record of successfully working across different business functions and with subject matter experts and senior leaders.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and EHS-related systems or platforms.

• Ability to work professionally with flexibility in handling multiple priorities and competing demands.

• Strong organizational, program management, and change management skills

1. Additional Responsibilities

• Represent the company in industry forums, regulatory meetings, and professional associations related to EHS and sustainability, as appropriate.

• Support due diligence for new facilities, acquisitions, major projects, and changes in operations from an EHS perspective.

• Develop succession plans and talent development programs for the EHS organization.

• Lead crisis management aspects related to environmental and safety incidents and participate in broader enterprise risk management efforts.

• Perform other duties as assigned by executive leadership aligned with the company’s EHS and sustainability objectives.

1. Language Skills

• Exceptionally strong written and verbal communication skills required.
• Ability to prepare clear, concise, and compelling reports, policies, training materials, and executive briefings.
• Ability to communicate complex regulatory and technical information in an accessible manner to diverse audiences.

1. Mathematical Skills

• Exceptionally strong analytical and quantitative skills required.
• Ability to analyze and interpret environmental and safety data, performance metrics, and trends to support decision-making.
• Competence in using data to forecast impacts, model scenarios, and justify investments in EHS improvements.

1. Reasoning Ability

• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to establish facts, conduct root cause analysis, and draw valid, actionable conclusions.
• Ability to balance regulatory requirements, business needs, risk, and stakeholder expectations in decision-making.
• Capability to manage complex issues across multiple sites and functions with sound judgment.

1. Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations

• Professional Engineering (PE) Certification or ability to obtain is a plus.
• Relevant EHS certifications (e.g., CSP – Certified Safety Professional, CHMM – Certified Hazardous Materials Manager, CIH – Certified Industrial Hygienist) preferred.
• Additional sustainability/ESG or environmental management certifications (e.g., ISO 14001 Lead Auditor) a plus.

1. Physical Demands

• Must be able to travel to company facilities, offices, and external stakeholder locations as needed.

• Ability to conduct on-site assessments, including walking, standing, climbing stairs, and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as required by facility conditions.

• Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Work Environment

• Primarily office-based work environment with frequent interaction with manufacturing, distribution, and operational facilities.

• Regular exposure to plant environments, which may include noise, temperature variations, and use of industrial equipment and materials.

• Work may occasionally involve extended hours to address critical incidents, audits, or regulatory deadlines.

• Position requires travel to our six manufacturing sites, 4 DC’s and the Sarasota office. Travel varies as needed; can be up to 70% based on business needs.