Director of EHS

Lakeside HR Group has been engaged by our client to recruit a Director of EHS to join their team. Our client is a well-established, multi-site manufacturing organization with operations across North America where safety, operational excellence, and continuous improvement are foundational to their culture. The company is experiencing significant operational activity, including large capital projects and facility investments, creating an exciting opportunity for a proactive EHS leader to make a measurable impact. This highly visible position will provide environmental, health, and safety leadership across multiple manufacturing facilities, partnering closely with plant leaders, operations teams, and executive leadership. The ideal candidate will combine strong technical EHS expertise with a leadership mindset, helping strengthen safety culture, drive consistency across locations, and reduce operational risk while supporting future organizational growth. Key Responsibilities: Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of environmental, health, and safety programs across all facilities. Identify areas of safety and environmental risk and implement effective corrective and preventive actions. Conduct facility audits, inspections, and assessments to ensure compliance with OSHA, environmental, and corporate standards. Partner with plant leadership teams to improve safety performance and drive accountability throughout the organization. Investigate incidents, near misses, and injuries to determine root causes and implement sustainable corrective actions. Monitor and report EHS metrics, trends, and performance indicators to leadership. Develop and administer EHS training programs utilizing Learning Management Systems and other training tools. Support Process Safety Management (PSM), Risk Management Planning (RMP), and other applicable regulatory programs. Assist Operations and Engineering teams during project reviews, facility expansions, shutdowns, contractor management, and capital projects. Serve as the primary corporate contact for safety, environmental, and regulatory compliance matters. Support workers' compensation, claims management, and return-to-work initiatives in partnership with Human Resources. Lead, mentor, and develop EHS team members while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability. Travel regularly to manufacturing facilities, provide hands-on coaching and support to local leadership teams. Required Skills: Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health, Safety, Environmental Sciences, or a related discipline. 10+ years of progressive EHS leadership experience within a manufacturing environment. Strong knowledge of OSHA regulations and environmental compliance requirements. Demonstrated ability to influence operations and plant leadership through collaboration rather than direct authority. Experience leading audits, investigations, root‑cause analyses, and corrective action programs. Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively across all levels of an organization. Experience developing and delivering EHS training programs. Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Learning Management Systems (LMS), and EHS reporting systems. Strong project management and organizational capabilities. Ability to travel approximately 40% throughout the facility network. Preferred Qualifications: Experience within grain processing, milling, food manufacturing, agricultural processing, or other high-hazard manufacturing environments. Experience supporting PSM programs and combustible dust environments. Certified Safety Professional (CSP) certification or Associate Safety Professional (ASP) actively pursuing CSP. Experience supporting large capital projects, plant expansions, or facility shutdowns. Proven ability to coach plant managers and operations leaders to improve safety culture and accountability. Benefits: Annual variable incentive opportunity Medical, dental, and vision coverage Flexible spending accounts Disability and life insurance coverage Paid time off and additional employee benefit programs Hybrid work environment Significant opportunity for long-term career growth into senior leadership positions #J-18808-Ljbffr