Corporate Environmental, Health & Safety Director

The Corporate Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) Director is the senior leader responsible for driving environmental, health, and safety performance across the organization. This is a highly hands-on leadership role with significant field presence in manufacturing facilities. The role partners with plant leadership, conducts audits and inspections, leads incident investigations, coaches teams, and implements practical solutions that reduce risk, improve compliance, and strengthen the safety culture. This role is fully on-site based out of the HQ Corporate office located at 8550 Bryn Mawr Ave, Chicago,IL 60631.Role Overview Reports to: VP & General Counsel Department: Environment, Health & Safety Work Location: Corporate / multi-site manufacturing support with frequent travel to facilities Primary Focus: Leadership in the field, operational engagement, risk reduction, compliance, and culture improvement Summary The Corporate EHS Director is responsible for establishing and executing the company-wide EHS strategy, but does so through direct, visible engagement in the field. The position spends substantial time in plants, warehouses, and operational environments coaching leaders, auditing work practices, identifying hazards, and implementing corrective actions. This role serves as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and plant teams while ensuring EHS programs are practical, effective, and aligned with business objectives. Essential Functions Maintains a strong on-site presence and spends the majority of work time in manufacturing facilities supporting operations, audits, investigations, training, and leadership coaching. Leads by example by living the company values and promoting a culture of accountability, employee engagement, and continuous improvement. Develops, implements, and continuously improves corporate EHS programs, policies, standards, and performance expectations across all sites. Partners directly with plant managers, operations leaders, maintenance teams, and front-line employees to identify hazards and drive corrective action. Conducts routine facility walks, EHS inspections, safety observations, and compliance audits; follows through to completion on action items. Leads or directly participates in investigations of serious injuries, near misses, environmental events, high-potential incidents, and regulatory matters. Uses data, metrics, trends, and root cause analysis to identify systemic risks and prioritize practical improvement actions. Drives the implementation of machine guarding, lockout/tagout, ergonomics, contractor safety, industrial hygiene, emergency preparedness, and environmental compliance programs. Provides hands-on coaching and training to facility leadership teams, supervisors, and employees on safety leadership, hazard recognition, and incident prevention. Supports and audits workers’ compensation programs, return-to-work processes, and injury reduction efforts in partnership with HR and claims resources. Ensures compliance with applicable local, state, federal, and customer EHS requirements, including OSHA, EPA, USDA, FDA, HACCP, and other applicable standards. Leads corporate, customer, and government audits and supports facilities during inspections, follow-up actions, and verification of corrective measures. Partners with engineering, maintenance, and operations on capital projects, new equipment installations, and process changes to ensure EHS requirements are built in early. Evaluates emerging regulations, industry best practices, and technical guidance to strengthen company programs and operational controls. Develops strong working relationships with plant leadership and acts as a mentor, coach, and technical resource to EHS staff across the organization. Performs other duties and special projects as assigned. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Science, Industrial Hygiene, Engineering, or a related field required; Master’s degree preferred. Minimum of 10 years of progressive EHS experience, including significant leadership experience in manufacturing and multi-site environments. Demonstrated experience leading EHS through active field engagement, not solely through administrative or office-based oversight. Working knowledge of OSHA, EPA, USDA, FDA, HACCP, BRC, and other applicable regulations and standards preferred. Strong incident investigation, audit, coaching, and corrective action management experience required. Excellent leadership, communication, facilitation, organizational, and interpersonal skills. Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office and relevant EHS systems. Ability to influence operations leaders and drive accountability through collaboration and presence in the field. Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed, with substantial time spent in manufacturing facilities. Preferred Certifications CSP (Certified Safety Professional) CIH (Certified Industrial Hygienist) CHMM (Certified Hazardous Materials Manager) CSHM (Certified Safety and Health Manager) ASP (Associate Safety Professional) ISO 45001 Lead Auditor ISO 14001 Lead Auditor HACCP, PCQI, or other food manufacturing safety and compliance credentials Salary Range - $150,000 - $200,000