Director, Health and Safety

NextDecade • Houston, TX

2d

About The Position

NextDecade is seeking a full-time Director of Health and Safety to develop and implement a robust Health and Safety program supporting NextDecade and the Rio Grande LNG Facility in Brownsville, Texas. The role is responsible for promoting teamwork and professionalism among RGLNG employees and ensuring the HSSE organization adopts LNG industry best practices. The Director reports directly to the VP HSSE, under the leadership of the NextDecade COO.

The position oversees corporate and site health and safety programs, training, emergency preparedness, contractor auditing, incident investigation, risk mitigation, and continuous improvement. It also supports occupational health and employee case management, oversees the PHMSA Drug and Alcohol Compliance Program, and manages budgets for workforce PPE and fire brigade supplies and PPE.

The role operates in a complex construction environment, with exposure to indoor and outdoor weather conditions, mechanical parts, electrical circuits, and distracting noise. The job requires wearing necessary PPE and may involve confined spaces and elevated structures. Physical duties include moving throughout the facility, traveling to muster points, and performing varied movements and lifting items up to 20 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodations.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience in an engineering discipline, or equivalent management experience in HSSE LNG operations.
• 15 or more years of experience in senior safety leadership roles in plant operations.
• Experience managing health and safety programs for LNG construction and operations.
• Five or more years of experience in oil and gas plant operations.
• Demonstrated experience developing an HSSE Operations Management System.
• Knowledge and understanding of applicable U.S. codes and standards.
• Ability to think innovatively and offer practical solutions while achieving the targeted risk profile.
• Experience leading and motivating a large multidisciplinary team, with the ability to guide, mentor, and inspire team members to achieve outcomes.
• Deep experience in a professional discipline, including the ability to solve complex or abstract problems and supervise or provide technical guidance to junior employees.
• Experience across the project life cycle and ability to manage interfaces and work closely with project and operations teams during FEED, detailed design, and construction.
• Ability to wear all necessary PPE to perform job functions.
• Ability to drive to other company work locations as required.
• Ability to move throughout all facility areas, including traveling to a designated muster point during emergencies.
• Ability to stand and/or sit continuously and perform job functions for a full shift.
• Full mechanical motion and use of all extremities.
• Ability to walk, stand, bend, stoop, kneel, reach, twist, lift, push, pull, climb, balance, crouch, and handle and lift items weighing up to 20 pounds without assistance.
• Visual acuity, corrected as needed, to perform job functions, including close, distance, color, peripheral, and depth vision and the ability to adjust focus.
• Ability to communicate clearly by radio, phone, and verbal methods.
• May be required to enter confined spaces and work at elevated heights or access elevated structures without assistance.
• Must meet applicable DOT drug and alcohol testing standards for the position.

Nice To Haves

• Understanding of APCI liquefaction and Heavies Removal Units.
• SAP end-user experience.

Responsibilities

• Establish and oversee corporate health and safety programs that train and motivate personnel to minimize occupational accidents, injuries, and hazards.
• Coordinate the development and implementation of plans, documents, and systems, including emergency response, incident investigation, HSSE business continuity, HSSE standards, energy-based safety and human performance programs, and internal audit programs for company assets.
• Support and advise RGLNG site safety managers in implementing health and safety programs, procedures, and guidelines for construction, operations, and maintenance.
• Oversee safety training for terminal personnel through all phases of the health and safety program and make recommendations as needed.
• Monitor on-site safety training programs for employees and contract personnel.
• Partner with RGLNG site safety teams to implement the emergency response philosophy, plans, training, and drills to safeguard personnel and resources at the LNG terminal.
• Coordinate with EPC contractor leads and communicate safety trends to corporate management; provide contractors with observations, suggestions, and feedback for improvement.
• Audit EPC contractors' implementation of their HSE Management Systems on projects.
• Help prioritize mitigation actions arising from risk assessments and incorporate them into monitoring plans.
• Participate in annual Corporate and O&M budget development and cost control, particularly for health, safety, and training costs.
• Manage budgets for workforce PPE inventory and accounts, and for fire brigade supplies and PPE.
• Assist managers, supervisors, leads, and safety advisors with incident investigations, root-cause analysis, and corrective actions; report findings with recommendations and lessons learned.
• Review HSSE KPIs, assess company safety performance, evaluate trends, and collaborate with construction and operations safety teams on continuous improvement.
• Participate in Construction Team, Safety Committee, and other engagements as required.
• Develop the annual Site HSSE Continuous Improvement Plan for Operations using prior-period HSSE data and NextDecade corporate initiatives.
• Develop an annual contractor auditing schedule and ensure audits are reported and recommendations are reviewed, ranked, and addressed as appropriate.
• Develop and maintain an annual HSSE Calendar of Events covering meetings, audits, visits, inspections, and training.
• Oversee occupational health programs that promote employee well-being and regulatory compliance, including Fit-for-Duty, occupational health testing and screening, and industrial hygiene monitoring.
• Support the Human Resources Department with employee case management.
• Oversee the PHMSA Drug and Alcohol Compliance Program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director