Director of Environmental, Health and Safety

Who We Want:

This position has primary responsibility for designing, implementing, and maintaining the Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) processes for all Challenge Manufacturing facilities. Promotes EHS awareness with the emphasis on preventing incidents and protecting the environment. Responsible for recognizing and assessing hazards in the workplace and implementing corrective measures. Works with manufacturing leadership leads the EHS team to ensure compliance with applicable regulations (OSHA, EPA, etc.) and implementation of best practices. Manages internal EHS systems and ensures the required reports and notifications are completed. Acts as a coach and partner to train the leadership team on how to lead for safety. 

What You'll Do:

• Establish and drive a world class EHS Culture throughout all levels of the organization, ensuring our #1 value of Safety is lived out accordingly.


• Establish efficient and effective processes for EHS reporting and escalation


• Develop and maintain a variety of safety and environmental programs, policies and procedures that will ensure compliance with local, state, and federal rules and regulations, including OSHA and EPA standards


• Correct working conditions, using knowledge of industrial processes, mechanics, psychology, and safety standards, develops loss control programs, and devises methods to evaluate safety progress


• Assess, share, and leverage EHS best practices across sites


• Serve as the interface between local, state, and federal regulatory agencies, and insurance carrier representatives in order to ensure compliance and coordination.


• Ensure all locations are prepared for regulatory inspections and audits.


• Complete tracking and reporting of EHS A3 metrics, including Lost Time Incident Rate (LTIR), Total Case Incident Rate (TCIR), and other leading indicators.


• Partner with plant and corporate levels to develop Standard Operating Procedures.


• Coordinate emergency action plans and response


• Ensure complete investigation into all incidents, and act as lead investigator for severe injuries and high potential first aid and near misses


• Organize and drive EHS audits


• Have an in-depth knowledge of ISO 14001 and be able to maintain current certificates and implement future scopes of the management system


• Ensure investigation of accidents and lead preventative initiatives.


• Establish processes and actions to ensure ergonomic issues are addressed.


• Ensure healthy and safe work conditions are provided for employees, as well for running processes in an environmentally sustainable way.


• Advise managers on EHS matters and ensure implementation of recommendations.

When and Where:
This position located at our Corporate Office in Grand Rapids, MI. 
Occasionally, this may require you to arrive early, stay late, or work on weekends, outside of our regular hours, to ensure we successfully meet customer needs, deadlines, or urgent requests.

What You Need to Have:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Safety and Health, Environmental Engineering and /or Safety Engineering and Management or closely related science/engineering field is required. Advance Degree or EHS related Professional Certification (CHMM, CIH or CSP) preferred, but not required


• CSP, CSD, or CIH preferred but not required


• 10+ years’ experience as an EHS leader in a manufacturing environment, Automotive manufacturing preferred


• Must have ability to work without direct day-to-day supervision


• Thorough working knowledge and understanding of EHS compliance (local, state and national) regulations that are applicable to the operations


• Ability to research, interpret and apply EHS regulations to operations. Must be capable of managing and leading all EHS functional activities


• Thorough knowledge in relation to develop processes and practices related to the following key areas: HSE Management System implementation; Behavior Based Safety; Ergonomics (including office); Risk Assessment and Reduction; Industrial Hygiene; Accident/incident investigation; and core Safety.


• Ability to lead a remote team of 6+ site based EHS professionals


• Has high standards of performance for self.


• Takes responsibility for actions, results, and mistakes.


• Is thorough, accurate, and reliable when performing and completing job tasks; demonstrates honesty and integrity in all aspects of work.


• Takes positive action to objectively resolve conflict by listening, staying focused on issue to find resolution, and monitoring progress.


• Maintains positive relationships by constructively resolving conflicts.


• Uses feedback from others to continuously improve performance and work relationships.


• Moves within own and/or other work areas (flexes) to support plant flow.


• Works with sense of urgency to meet needs of customers.


• Has necessary experience, skills, and knowledge to perform all aspects of job; rotates through all job responsibilities.


• Maintains knowledge and skills to perform job effectively.


• Has ability to focus on benefits of change and see it as positive; approaches change or newness in constructive/objective manner; views change as learning opportunity.


• Looks for good in others; works collaboratively with others; shares information and knowledge.