[Hiring] Director, EHS @Novolex

Role Description

The Director of Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) is a strategic and operational leader responsible for driving environmental, health, and safety excellence across the manufacturing operations for one of Novolex’s Business Units. This position provides leadership, direction, and oversight to ensure regulatory compliance, reduce workplace risks, prevent injuries, and establish a proactive, sustainable culture of safety and environmental responsibility.

The Director will partner closely with Operations leadership, Plant Managers, Engineering, Human Resources, and site EHS professionals to integrate EHS expectations into daily manufacturing activities and business decisions. The role is accountable for developing and executing EHS strategies that deliver measurable improvements in employee safety, environmental performance, operational discipline, and organizational capability.

Success requires a hands-on leader who can translate corporate EHS objectives into practical, sustainable improvements on the manufacturing floor while holding leaders accountable for results.

Key Responsibilities

• EHS Strategy & Leadership:
  • Establish BU specific plans with clear priorities, measurable objectives, and accountability.
  • Drive standardization of EHS processes, procedures, and performance expectations across assigned manufacturing facilities.
  • Serve as a strategic advisor to Operations leadership regarding EHS risks, performance, regulatory requirements, and improvement opportunities.
  • Lead initiatives that advance Novolex toward world-class EHS performance.
  • Ensure EHS considerations are integrated into operational planning, capital investments, equipment installations, and organizational changes.
• Safety Culture & Operational Accountability:
  • Partner with Plant Managers and operational leaders to establish clear accountability for EHS performance at every organizational level.
  • Promote visible leadership engagement through routine plant-floor observations, safety discussions, and operational reviews.
  • Strengthen employee involvement in hazard identification, near-miss reporting, corrective actions, and continuous improvement.
  • Establish consistent expectations for safe work practices, including machine guarding, lockout/tagout, powered industrial trucks, ergonomics, and other high-risk manufacturing activities.
  • Reinforce the principle that safe execution of work is a fundamental operational responsibility.
• Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management:
  • Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local environmental, health, and safety regulations, including OSHA and EPA requirements.
  • Oversee risk assessments, regulatory inspections, compliance audits, and corrective action programs.
  • Ensure appropriate investigation and reporting of workplace injuries, serious incidents, near misses, and environmental events.
  • Lead comprehensive root cause analysis processes that identify systemic contributors and prevent recurrence.
  • Establish effective risk mitigation strategies for high-risk manufacturing processes and activities.
  • Partner with Legal and other stakeholders on regulatory matters, inspections, and enforcement actions.
• Environmental Stewardship & Compliance:
  • Provide leadership and oversight for environmental compliance programs, including air emissions, wastewater, stormwater, waste management, and hazardous materials.
  • Partner with Operations and Engineering to implement sustainable environmental improvements.
  • Support initiatives focused on waste reduction, resource efficiency, pollution prevention, and environmental performance.
  • Ensure timely resolution of environmental incidents, audit findings, and regulatory deficiencies.
• EHS Performance Management & Continuous Improvement:
  • Manage key EHS performance indicators, including both leading and lagging measures.
  • Analyze injury trends, incident severity, near-miss activity, audit findings, and environmental performance to identify opportunities for improvement.
  • Lead structured EHS performance reviews with manufacturing and functional leadership.
  • Apply continuous improvement principles to reduce risk, improve operational discipline, and eliminate recurring EHS issues.
  • Benchmark performance against industry standards and identify best practices that can be replicated across facilities.
• Leadership Development & Organizational Capability:
  • Provide leadership, coaching, and professional development to regional and plant-level EHS professionals.
  • Establish clear expectations, responsibilities, and performance standards for the EHS organization.
  • Build organizational capability in incident investigation, hazard recognition, risk assessment, and corrective action management.
  • Promote collaboration, knowledge sharing, and consistent execution across manufacturing facilities.
• Operational Partnership & Business Integration:
  • Participate in operational performance reviews and provide actionable recommendations for improving EHS results.
  • Partner with Engineering on equipment safety, capital projects, automation, and new manufacturing processes.
  • Ensure EHS risks are appropriately evaluated during operational changes, facility expansions, and equipment modifications.
  • Balance regulatory requirements, employee protection, operational effectiveness, and business priorities without compromising safety or compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Occupational Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Engineering, or a related technical discipline required.
• Master's degree in a related discipline or Business Administration preferred.
• Professional certifications such as Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), or Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) preferred.
• Minimum 8 years of progressive EHS experience, including significant leadership responsibility in manufacturing or industrial environments.
• At least 5 years of experience leading EHS programs across multiple manufacturing facilities or a similarly complex industrial organization preferred.
• Demonstrated success improving EHS performance, strengthening regulatory compliance, and reducing workplace injuries.
• Experience managing and developing EHS professionals across geographically dispersed locations.
• Strong working knowledge of OSHA regulations, EPA requirements, environmental permitting, and industrial risk management.
• Experience implementing standardized EHS management systems, audit programs, and performance measurement processes.
• Background in high-volume manufacturing, packaging, plastics, paper, converting, or related industries strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience influencing senior Operations leaders and driving organizational change.

Requirements

• Strategic Leadership: Translates business objectives and operational risks into actionable EHS strategies that produce measurable results.
• Operational Excellence: Understands manufacturing processes and integrates EHS requirements into daily operations without creating unnecessary complexity.
• Change Leadership: Challenges established practices, builds organizational commitment, and drives sustainable behavioral and process improvements.
• Influence & Accountability: Effectively influences leaders across multiple levels of the organization and establishes clear ownership for EHS performance.
• Problem Solving: Uses data, structured analysis, and root cause methodologies to identify systemic issues and implement lasting solutions.
• Talent Development: Builds strong EHS teams while developing safety leadership capabilities throughout the Operations organization.
• Business Acumen: Understands the relationship between safety, regulatory compliance, operational reliability, cost, employee engagement, and business performance.
• Executive Communication: Communicates complex risks, performance trends, and recommendations clearly and persuasively to senior leadership.

Benefits

• 401(k) plan with company match.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Flexible spending and health savings accounts.
• Paid vacation and sick days.
• Paid parental leave.
• Paid holidays and wellness program.