Assistant Safety Director

Novak Construction Company•Chicago, IL

5d•$130,000 - $170,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant Safety Director will help lead and oversee Novak Construction Company’s nationwide safety program, ensuring consistent compliance, proactive risk management, and a strong safety culture across all projects. The role provides strategic leadership, manages regional safety staff, develops company-wide safety policies, and partners with operations teams to identify hazards and implement corrective actions. The position is based in the Chicago office and requires regular national travel to project sites and client meetings, including frequent travel of 3–5 days per week. Onsite presence in the Chicago office is required as needed. The role requires the ability and willingness to travel throughout the United States and, when reasonable alternative transportation is unavailable, to operate a personal or rental vehicle. A valid driver's license and ability to drive are required. The anticipated base salary range is $130,000–$170,000 per year. Final compensation depends on experience, skills, qualifications, project assignment, geographic location, market conditions, internal equity, and business needs. Employees may be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus and benefits including insurance, retirement matching, paid time off, allowances, and travel per diem.

Requirements

At least 15 years of progressive safety experience in commercial construction, including senior-level leadership.
Frequent national travel of 3–5 days per week and onsite presence in the Chicago office as needed.
Proven ability to manage multi-state safety operations.
Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence and build a safety culture across large teams.
Skill in incident investigation, documentation, and root cause analysis.
Deep knowledge of OSHA regulations, hazard prevention strategies, and construction safety systems.
OSHA 30 certification.
Valid driver's license and ability to drive.

Responsibilities

Lead and oversee Novak’s national safety program across all projects.
Establish and enforce company-wide safety policies in compliance with OSHA and other regulatory standards.
Mentor and manage the Safety Team.
Conduct audits, inspections, and risk assessments to ensure proactive hazard control.
Oversee safety training, incident investigations, and corrective actions.
Partner with operations and leadership to integrate safety into all project phases.
Manage OSHA, DOT, and environmental regulatory compliance and serve as an agency liaison.
Track and report safety performance metrics and drive continuous improvement.
Lead emergency response planning and crisis management.