Safety Program Manager, Principal

Requisition ID # 173896 

Job Category: Project / Program Management 

Job Level: Manager/Principal

Business Unit: Energy Delivery

Work Type: Hybrid

Job Location: Oakland

Department Overview

The Enterprise Service Delivery (ESD) Business Operations team delivers a broad range of expertise and services to drive integrated, cross-organizational solutions for ESD. By providing strategic counsel and program governance, the team helps the organization balance operational strategy, risk, compliance, and continuous improvement. We aspire to build leading programs that enable ESD and PG&E to thrive in their operations.

Job Summary

The Principal Safety Program Manager serves as the organization's senior strategic leader responsible for shaping, governing, and advancing enterprise-wide safety programs and culture. This role provides thought leadership, develops long-term safety strategies, and drives transformational initiatives that reduce risk, improve operational performance, and strengthen organizational resilience.

As a recognized subject matter expert, the Principal Safety Program Manager partners with executive leadership, business leaders, and cross-functional stakeholders to establish safety governance, influence enterprise decision-making, and ensure alignment between safety performance, regulatory compliance, and business objectives.

The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in safety management systems, governance, risk management, organizational change, operational excellence, and executive stakeholder engagement

Required Skills & Competencies

• Strategic Leadership & Executive Influence
• Safety Governance, Risk & Compliance Management
• Incident Investigation, Root Cause Analysis
• Program/Portfolio Management & Performance Analytics
• Lean Six Sigma, Change Management & Continuous Improvement
• Stakeholder Engagement, Communication & Collaboration
• Leadership Development, Coaching & Culture Transformation
• Safety Culture Transformation

This person will travel up to 30% within the PG&E service territory.

PG&E is providing the full salary/pay range for this position.  The actual amount paid to an individual will be based on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, internal equity, specific skills, education, licenses or certifications, experience, market value, and geographic location.   The range to reasonably expect will be around the minimum and the midpoint <$136,000 - $184,000 of the range> . The final decision will be made on a case-by-case basis related to the factors above. This job is also eligible to participate in PG&E’s discretionary incentive compensation programs.  

Bay Area Min: $ 136,000

Bay Area Mid: $ 184,000

Bay Area Max: $ 232,000

Responsibilities:

Enterprise Safety Strategy & Leadership

• Lead enterprise safety strategy, culture, and transformation initiatives.
• Advise executives on safety performance, risks, and emerging trends.
• Align safety programs with business objectives and risk priorities.

Safety Governance & Executive Oversight

• Establish safety governance, councils, and review forums.
• Monitor performance, manage risk escalation, and drive accountability.
• Provide executive reporting and strategic recommendations.

Risk Management & Compliance

• Lead enterprise risk assessment and mitigation efforts.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and audit readiness.
• Oversee corrective action and compliance programs.

Serious Incident & Learning Management

• Oversee serious incident investigations and executive reviews.
• Drive root cause analysis, organizational learning, and corrective actions.
• Monitor trends and systemic risks to prevent recurrence.

Program Portfolio Leadership

• Lead enterprise safety programs and strategic initiatives.
• Establish governance, metrics, and performance measures.
• Manage resources and ensure measurable outcomes.

Data Analytics & Performance Reporting

• Define safety KPIs, metrics, and benchmarking standards.
• Leverage analytics to identify risks and improvement opportunities.
• Deliver executive dashboards and performance insights.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead Lean, Six Sigma, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Standardize best practices and governance processes.
• Drive sustainable safety and operational improvements.

Stakeholder Management & Influence

• Partner with executives, regulators, labor, and business leaders.
• Influence strategic decisions and drive cross-functional alignment.
• Represent the organization in industry forums and benchmarking activities.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction to safety teams and stakeholders.
• Build organizational capability in safety, governance, and risk management.
• Develop talent and foster a high-performance culture.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health, Engineering, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, Public Administration, or related field.

• 10+ years of progressive experience in safety, risk management, operational excellence, compliance, or program management.
• 4+ years leading enterprise-level safety programs, governance frameworks, or transformational initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience influencing executive leadership and organizational strategy.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams within complex, highly regulated environments.Proven success building enterprise governance structures and driving measurable safety improvements.

Desired Qualifications

• Master's degree preferred
• Proficiency with Excel and Power BI
• 8+ years leading enterprise-level safety programs, governance frameworks, or transformational initiatives.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in safety, risk management, operational excellence, compliance, or program management.

Preferred Certifications

• Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
• Associate Safety Professional (ASP)
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
• Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM)