Director, Safety

AES US•Indianapolis, IN

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Safety leads health & safety strategy and execution for AES Indiana and AES Ohio across Generation, Transmission & Distribution (T&D), operational/field sites, and all Construction - including Growth projects and programmatic capital programs. This leader is accountable for building and sustaining a strong safety culture, ensuring safety compliance, strengthening serious incident prevention, and improving health & safety performance through standardized systems, disciplined governance, and field-focused leadership. This role partners closely with Operations leaders, T&D, Generation, Program/Project teams, Central Operations, HR, Legal, Supply Chain, Finance, and the enterprise EHS Center of Expertise (CoE) to ensure AES’s safety management system is implemented consistently while enabling local execution excellence and risk reduction across both company and contractor workforces. The scope includes two regulated electric utilities with diverse operational risk profiles, covering power generation facilities, T&D field operations, fleet, warehouses, service centers, storm response operations, and contractor/vendor workforces. It also encompasses all safety oversight for Construction, including growth projects, programmatic programs, and major contractor mobilizations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in safety, Engineering, Industrial Hygiene, or related field (Master’s preferred).
10+ years progressive safety leadership experience in utilities, power generation, T&D, heavy industrial, or similar high-risk operations, including multi-site accountability.
Demonstrated success improving serious incident prevention and operational safety performance.
Strong working knowledge of OSHA regulatory frameworks; experience managing audits and regulatory interactions.
Experience leading incident investigations and implementing sustainable corrective actions.
Proven ability to influence senior leaders and drive cross-functional change at scale.

Nice To Haves

Professional certification(s): CSP, CIH, CHMM, CPEA, or equivalent.
Experience in regulated utility environments and union/contractor-heavy workforces.
Experience deploying safety management systems and digital EHS tools (incident management, audits, action tracking, analytics).

Responsibilities

Lead a “safety-first” culture across Generation, T&D, and Construction, reinforcing visible field leadership and consistent expectations.
Coach operational and project leaders on safety leadership behaviors, accountability, and decision-making under risk.
Establish and sustain effective engagement routines: site visits, safety stand-downs, leadership briefings, and field verification of critical controls.
Own and drive serious injury/fatality prevention strategy and execution, including critical risk control verification.
Ensure high-risk work is planned and executed with effective controls (energized work and switching, confined space, working at heights, lifting/rigging, excavation, traffic control, contractor work).
Strengthen permit-to-work and work authorization processes where applicable.
Implement and continuously improve the safety management system locally in alignment with enterprise standards and the EHS CoE.
Lead audit/assessment programs, management reviews, and corrective action governance with strong follow-through and transparency.
Establish data-driven performance management (dashboards, trend analysis, leading/lagging indicator reviews).
Ensure timely reporting, classification, investigation, and closeout of incidents and near-misses.
Lead/oversee investigations for serious events using established methodologies; ensure high-quality root cause analysis and actionable corrective actions.
Translate lessons learned into updated procedures, training, and field communications across both utilities and the construction portfolio.
Own and lead health & safety governance for all construction and capital delivery work across AES Indiana and AES Ohio, including growth and programmatic portfolios.
Partner with Program Management, Engineering, T&D Construction, Generation project teams, Supply Chain, and contractors to embed health & safety requirements into project planning, design reviews, contracting, mobilization, and execution.
Ensure consistent application of construction health & safety controls (pre-task planning/JHAs, permits, work zones/traffic control, lifting/rigging plans, energized work boundaries, excavation controls, subcontractor management).
Establish field verification routines for large projects/programs (site walks, audits, leading indicator reviews, stop-work reinforcement) and ensure corrective actions are closed with discipline.
Lead serious event readiness for projects: escalation protocols, incident response, investigation standards, and lessons-learned deployment across the portfolio.
Strengthen contractor qualification, onboarding, and performance management, including clear expectations, KPIs, and consequences for non-compliance.
Build and enforce contractor health & safety requirements, including onboarding, qualification, field oversight, and performance management.
Include construction contractors and project/program vendors in the contractor governance model, with clear onboarding, field oversight, and performance routines.
Partner with Supply Chain and project leaders to embed health & safety requirements into contracting, mobilization, and project execution.
Drive consistent application of job hazard analysis (JHA), pre-job briefs, stop-work authority, and field verification across O&M and construction.
Ensure health & safety training, competency frameworks, and qualification processes are in place for employees and contractors.
Partner with Operations, Construction leadership, and HR to strengthen onboarding, refresher training, leadership development, and compliance training completion.
Support emergency preparedness and drill programs (including storm response readiness and construction incident readiness).
Serve as the primary health & safety interface with regulators as needed (OSHA, state agencies), including inspections, inquiries, and corrective action plans.
Partner with Legal and Communications on regulatory matters, reporting, and external stakeholder engagement.
Participate in industry and peer utility forums as appropriate.
Lead, develop, and align the safety organization across both utilities; build bench strength and succession plans.
Create clear role expectations, operating rhythm, and performance management for safety team members.
Build strong cross-functional relationships and influence without authority to drive consistent execution.
Manage the safety budget for AES Indiana and AES Ohio, ensuring effective resource allocation and prioritization.
Build business cases for critical risk reduction investments (process, training, technology, equipment).