EHS Manager

Sustana is a leading manufacturer of premium recycled fiber and paper products, transforming post-consumer materials into sustainable, high-quality solutions with a reduced environmental footprint. At our De Pere, Wisconsin fiber mill, we produce recycled fiber daily, supplying the essential materials used in products such as coffee cups, food packaging, and printing papers. The Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Manager will lead safety and environmental programs for the facility, ensuring regulatory compliance while driving continuous improvement. This role will play a critical part in strengthening our safety culture and supporting Sustana's commitment to sustainability and operational excellence.

Position Summary

The Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Manager leads environmental compliance, workplace safety, and regulatory programs for our pulp and paper manufacturing facility. Partnering closely with plant leadership, this role drives a culture of safety, environmental stewardship, and continuous improvement while ensuring compliance with OSHA, EPA, DNR, and other applicable regulations. The EHS Manager oversees environmental programs, wastewater treatment, permitting, safety training, incident investigations, and risk mitigation efforts. Reporting to the Plant Manager, this position plays a key role in strengthening the safety culture and supporting operational excellence at our De Pere facility.

Key Responsibilities

Environmental Compliance & Sustainability

• Lead all environmental compliance activities, ensuring adherence to federal, state, and local regulations, including Wisconsin DNR requirements and environmental best practices.
• Oversee wastewater treatment operations and manage environmental permits, reporting, inspections, agency communications, and regulatory audits.
• Develop and implement waste reduction, recycling, and by-product management strategies while maintaining accurate environmental records and timely regulatory submissions.
• Serve as the facility's primary contact for environmental compliance matters, audits, and regulatory inspections.

Health & Safety Leadership

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve site-specific health and safety programs, policies, and procedures to ensure OSHA compliance and support company objectives.
• Partner with plant leadership to foster a proactive safety culture through employee engagement, accountability, and leadership development.
• Conduct safety audits, inspections, and risk assessments; identify hazards and implement corrective and preventive actions to minimize workplace risks.
• Oversee contractor safety programs and ensure compliance with facility safety requirements.

Incident Prevention & Continuous Improvement

• Lead investigations of workplace injuries, near misses, environmental incidents, and property damage events.
• Track, analyze, and report safety and environmental performance metrics, developing action plans to improve key performance indicators and operational performance.
• Monitor industry trends, regulatory developments, and best practices to drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Training & Employee Development

• Design, deliver, and coordinate safety and environmental training programs, including compliance training, emergency response drills, and new employee orientation.
• Coach leaders and employees on safety responsibilities, regulatory requirements, incident prevention strategies, and environmental stewardship.
• Promote employee involvement through safety committees, observations, and engagement initiatives.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Collaborate with operations, maintenance, and leadership teams to integrate EHS principles into daily operations, strategic planning, and capital projects.
• Provide regular updates to senior management on environmental compliance, safety performance, key metrics, and improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Industrial Hygiene, Engineering, or a related field required.
• Minimum of 5-7 years Environmental, Health & Safety experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Experience within the pulp and paper, converting or chemical processing manufacturing environments preferred.
• Experience managing wastewater treatment systems, environmental permits, and regulatory reporting including OSHA and Wisconsin DNR reporting.

Preferred Certifications

• Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Occupational Health and Safety Technologist (OHST), or Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH)

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to identify and mitigate risk through investigations, risk assessments, root cause analysis, and corrective actions in a manufacturing environment.
• Effective leader with strong communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills, capable of driving continuous improvement and building partnerships across all levels of the organization.

Physical Requirements And Working Environment

• Manufacturing environment, including production, maintenance, and wastewater treatment areas.
• Ability to walk production floors, climb stairs, wear required PPE, and work in varying environmental conditions.
• Occasional off-hours support for emergency response, regulatory matters, or incident investigations.

Sustana Fiber provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.