Safety Manager

The Safety Manager is one of the designated safety authorities responsible for day-to-day administration overseeing and coordinating Whitsons’ workplace safety programs across two Culinary Centers, two Distribution locations, Corporate Offices and over 1300 kitchens and/or cafeterias where we provide food services on-site at client locations (On-Site Locations). This role serves as an operational safety authority for assigned locations, ensuring compliance with OSHA and company standards while driving a proactive, prevention-focused safety culture. This position also plays a critical employee-facing role, providing outreach and support to injured team members, ensuring appropriate care, clear communication, and timely return-to-work whenever possible. The Safety Manager functions as a highly autonomous, field-facing leader who conducts inspections, investigates incidents, and manages safety initiatives. While this role has no direct reports, it exercises significant influence and leadership across all On-site services, Culinary services and Corporate operations. This role will also serve as a back-up to the Workers Compensation Specialist, whose role serves as the primary liaison between the company and our Third-Party Administrator (TPA) in overseeing workers’ compensation claims and administration. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES: Safety Program Oversight Oversee the implementation, execution, and continuous improvement of Whitsons’ safety programs across Culinary Centers, Distribution Depots, On-Site Locations, and Corporate Offices. Drive consistent adoption of safety policies, procedures, and best practices across all supported sites. Monitor safety performance metrics and identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement. Manage and support all Safety Programs across the organization. Provide guidance, communication, training support, and accountability to safety representatives. Serve as the escalation point for safety issues, compliance gaps, and high-risk incidents. Serve as the primary liaison for the Nurse Triage Program and ReEmployability Program. Inspections, Audits & Compliance Conduct routine and ad-hoc safety inspections and compliance audits at Culinary Centers, Distribution Depots, On-Site Locations, and other company locations. Identify hazards, document deficiencies, write site-visit report with safety-improvement recommendations, and work with site leadership to implement timely corrective actions. Partner with Fleet Management to review driver logs, pre-trip and post-trip inspections, and fleet safety compliance. Incident Investigation & Root Cause Analysis Respond to workplace injuries, accidents, and near-miss events in a timely and professional manner. Lead incident investigations to determine root causes and contributing factors. Prepare formal written investigation reports and submit them to the Director of Safety and relevant leadership. Partner with site leadership to develop, implement, and track corrective and preventive actions. Training & Safety Engagement Manage and coordinate safety training, and toolbox talks across facilities and On-Site Locations. Facilitate Safety Committee meetings and safety engagement activities. Ensure all required safety postings, emergency information, and regulatory notices are current and properly displayed. Reporting, Documentation & Data Management Maintain accurate OSHA logs, injury records, training documentation, and audit reports. Track incident trends, corrective action status, and training completion. Prepare safety summaries, metrics, and reports for leadership and regulatory needs. Continuous Improvement & Risk Reduction Proactively identify opportunities to reduce injuries, fleet incidents, and operational risk. Stay current on OSHA regulations, foodservice and logistics safety standards, and industry best practices. Support special projects, audits, and company-wide safety initiatives as assigned. Claims Management & Administration Serve as back-up to the Workers Compensation Specialist who is the primary point of contact with the Third-Party Administrator (TPA) for workers’ compensation claims and administration. Special Projects Adapt to evolving organizational priorities by taking on special assignments and interim responsibilities as requested. Participate in system upgrades or reporting enhancements related to safety, workers’ compensation, and risk management. Perform other related duties as assigned. This role offers a salary range of $90,000– $110,000 annually, based on skills, experience, and location. Employees also receive a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, 401(k) with company match, generous PTO, and paid holidays. Requirements REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: Education Associate degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health, or a related field required, bachelor’s degree preferred. OSHA 10-Hour or 30-Hour General Industry certification required (or ability to obtain within 6 months). EXPERIENCE, OTHER QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES Experience Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in workplace safety, risk management, or EHS. Experience supporting multiple locations or field-based operations required. Demonstrated experience conducting inspections, investigations, and safety training. Familiarity with OSHA, fleet safety, workers’ compensation, and food production/distribution environments. Other Qualifications Strong communication and influencing skills across operational and field environments. Ability to work independently, manage priorities, and operate in a fast-paced, geographically dispersed organization. Strong analytical, documentation, and follow-up discipline. Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate compassionately with injured employees. Ability to manage sensitive, confidential information with professionalism and discretion. Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 and safety reporting systems. Ability to travel regularly between facilities and On-Site Locations (approximately 30%). REQUIRED COMPETENCIES Safety & Risk Management Regulatory Compliance Operational Partnership Training & Coaching Data-Driven Decision Making Accountability & Follow-Through Communication & Influence Computer Skills Proficient in Microsoft Office 365 (Excel, Word, Outlook). Experience with claims management systems and reporting platforms preferred. Work Schedule Monday through Friday Salary Target $90,000-$110,000 #J-18808-Ljbffr