EVP of EHS

Job Description

Job Description

About Circular Services:
Circular Services is a leading developer and operator of circular economy infrastructure and services and the largest private recycling company in the U.S. with operations across the country. We help businesses and municipalities reduce and divert waste, lowering disposal costs and fueling local supply chains by ensuring materials are recovered, recycled, and reused.

About the Role:

The Vice President of Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) is responsible for leading and scaling a comprehensive strategy across 40+ recycling, composting and reuse facilities and offices nationwide. This executive role provides strategic, collaborative and innovative direction and oversight to ensure the safety of employees, regulatory compliance, environmental protection and operational excellence across all locations.

The VP of EHS will build and lead a high-performing safety organization, standardize programs and policies, and partner closely with operations, maintenance, HR and executive leadership to drive a proactive, safety-first culture of operational and EHS excellence throughout the organization. This role requires a balance of strategic leadership and operational engagement to reduce risk, ensure compliance, motivate and inspire employees, and continuously improve safety performance across a fast-paced, industrial, diverse and growing footprint.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
• Company-paid Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• 401k with company match
• Paid Parental Leave
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Tuition Reimbursement Program

Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership and Organizational Development

• Develop and execute a national EHS maturity strategy aligned with company goals, mission, values and organic and M&A growth.
• Establish and embed standardized leading and lagging EHS KPIs, policies, procedures, and systems with all employees across all facilities.
• Serve as a key advisor to executive leadership on risk management, compliance, safety best practices, and environmental impact.
• Build EHS dashboard reporting for executive leadership and external stakeholders.
• Mentor a team of regional EHS managers, leaders and specialists.
• Cross-collaborate with HR, legal, engineering, sustainability, finance, IT and operations.
• Establish clear accountability, performance expectations, and succession planning within the function.
• Keep informed of and benchmark EHS best practices, strategy and KPIs against industry best practices and changes to regulations.
• Manage the EHS department budget.

Safety Culture & Performance

• Champion a company-wide safety-first culture focused on prevention, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Establish and track key performance indicators (e.g., TRIR, LTIR, near-miss reporting, audit scores).
• Drive initiatives to reduce incidents, improve engagement, and strengthen safety ownership at all levels.
• Mature the safety program across all current and acquired locations to be proactive and integrated.

Environmental Program Oversight

• Lead and standardize environmental compliance programs across all facilities, including:
  • Stormwater management and SWPPP programs
  • SPCC plans and spill prevention systems
  • Air quality, dust control, and odor management
  • Waste handling, recycling residuals, and contamination management
  • Hazardous chemicals/materials management
  • Fire planning and mitigation, including thermal imaging detection
  • Litter and housekeeping controls
  • Composting operations, including leachate control, temperature monitoring, and regulatory compliance
• Ensure all environmental permits are obtained, maintained, and compliant with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Oversee and implement automation for environmental monitoring, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements.
• Partner with operations to proactively manage environmental risks.

Field Operations & Execution

• Oversee and support regional and site-level safety leaders and ensure consistent execution of EHS programs.
• Drive alignment between corporate EHS strategy, KPIs and SOPs, and facility implementation.
• Conduct site visits and audits to assess performance, identify risks, and reinforce expectations.
• Support startup and commissioning of new facilities and operations.
• Manage transportation and in/on-vehicle safety and compliance technology and programs.
• Implement site security SOPs.
• Provide EHS M&A due diligence, gap assessments, integration plans and resourcing planning.

Compliance & Regulatory Oversight

• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state and local regulations including those propounded by OSHA, EPA, and DOT.
• Ensure proper implementation of programs and policies such as confined space, HAZWOPER, CDL, MSDSs, safety signage, job hazard analysis, ergonomics and other regulatory and policy requirements.
• Maintain readiness for audits, inspections, and regulatory reporting.
• Represent the organization before external stakeholders, community groups and regulatory agencies.

Incident Management & Risk Mitigation

• Refine and oversee the incident investigation and reporting process, including root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Analyze trends and data to proactively identify and mitigate risks.
• Oversee emergency action plans and lead any EHS crisis management and response efforts.
• Work with legal and operations to perform risk assessments, mitigation and audits.

Training & Development

• Develop, enhance and implement documented, enterprise-wide, EHS training programs and systems.
• Ensure consistent onboarding and ongoing safety education, accountability and ownership across all roles and locations.
• Build leadership capability within regional and site-level safety and operations teams.

Minimum Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Environmental Health & Safety, Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, or related field (experience can substitute).
• 10–15+ years of progressive leadership experience in health, safety, and environmental roles within industrial, manufacturing, waste management, recycling, or related industries.
• Proven experience leading EHS programs across multiple sites or regions.
• Deep knowledge of EHS regulatory frameworks, including OSHA, EPA, and DOT and state equivalents.
• Demonstrated success in building and scaling optimized EHS culture and programs.
• Strong and effective leadership, communication, interpersonal, and influencing skills at all organizational levels, with the ability to build strong relationships with internal stakeholders.
• Strategic thinker with a passion for creating alignment between EHS initiatives and business objectives, and driving and improving organizational processes.
• Exceptional problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
• Extremely high level of integrity & professionalism.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Experience developing and managing teams and driving cross-functional initiatives.
• Willingness to regularly travel nationally (up to 50%).

Preferred Job Qualifications:

• Professional certifications such as CSP (Certified Safety Professional), CIH (Certified Industrial Hygienist), or CHMM (Certified Hazardous Materials Manager).
• Bilingual in English and Spanish.

EEOC: Circular Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment of Any Kind: Circular Services is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Circular Services are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Circular Services will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.