Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Manager

EHS Manager (Safety Focus)

Location: Austin, TX

Department: Environment, Health & Safety

Direct Reports: 2 (Safety Specialist, Environmental Coordinator)
Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced and proactive EHS Manager to lead the safety and environmental programs at our high-volume, 1,200-employee manufacturing facility. While overseeing all aspects of environmental and occupational health compliance, the primary focus of this role is driving a strong safety culture, proactive risk mitigation, and zero-incident workplace strategies across complex, multi-shift operations.

You will manage two direct reports, partner closely with plant leadership, and serve as the subject matter expert on machine safeguarding, ergonomics, OSHA compliance, and employee safety engagement.
Key Responsibilities
Safety Leadership & Operations (Primary Focus)

• Culture & Engagement: Lead the development and continuous improvement of a proactive safety culture across a multi-shift, 1,500-person plant.
• Incident Investigation & Root Cause Analysis: Direct investigations for all safety incidents, near-misses, and occupational illnesses using root-cause analysis (5-Whys, Fishbone) to implement effective corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Risk Assessment & Hazard Mitigation: Oversee Job Safety Analyses (JSAs), PPE assessments, machine safeguarding audits, Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) protocols, electrical safety (NFPA 70E), and ergonomic evaluations.
• Training & Onboarding: Design, deliver, and track comprehensive safety training programs for new hires, plant supervisors, and contractors.
• Safety Committees & Audits: Lead the site Joint Safety Committee and conduct regular shop-floor audits, behavioral safety observations, and site inspections.

Regulatory Compliance & Environmental Management

• OSHA & Regulatory Oversight: Ensure full compliance with all federal, state, and local safety standards (OSHA 1910) and act as the primary liaison during regulatory inspections.
• Environmental Oversight: Direct the Environmental Coordinator (direct report) to maintain compliance with air permits, wastewater discharge, hazardous waste management (RCRA), and ISO 14001 standards.
• Industrial Hygiene: Oversee air monitoring, noise exposure assessments, and respiratory protection programs to safeguard worker health.

Team Leadership & Administrative

• People Management: Supervise, mentor, and set clear goals for two direct reports (Safety Specialist and Environmental Coordinator).
• Metrics & Reporting: Establish, track, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs), including TRIR, DART, leading indicator completion rates, and safety training compliance.
• Emergency Preparedness: Maintain and update the plant Emergency Action Plan (EAP), leading fire drills, spill response training, and first-responder team coordination.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience: 7+ years of progressive EHS experience in a high-volume manufacturing or industrial environment, with at least 2-3 years in a management or leadership role.
• Team Management: Demonstrated experience supervising direct reports and leading cross-functional safety committees.
• Technical Knowledge: Strong working knowledge of OSHA general industry standards (29 CFR 1910), LOTO, Machine Guarding, Powered Industrial Trucks (PIT), Chemical/HazCom, and Industrial Hygiene.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certification: Certified Safety Professional ( CSP ) strongly preferred.
• Plant Scale: Experience in large manufacturing environments (1,000+ employees) across multiple shifts.
• Continuous Improvement: Knowledge of Lean/5S concepts, Behavioral-Based Safety (BBS), or ISO 45001/14001 management systems.

Core Competencies

• Strong leadership, communication, and influence across all levels of the organization (from shop-floor technicians to executive leadership).
• Analytical mindset with a data-driven approach to tracking safety leading/lagging indicators.
• High level of urgency and decisiveness during emergency response and incident mitigation.