Distribution Safety Manager
About The Position
Join a team that nourishes life from farm to table! Upstate Niagara Cooperative, proudly owned by 200+ local family farms, is one of America’s largest and most stable dairy cooperatives. Guided by farmer- and employee-led values, we process and market high-quality milk, yogurt, dips, sour cream, cottage cheese, and more under our trusted brands: Upstate Farms®, Bison®, Milk for Life®, and Intense Milk®. Here, you’ll support sustainable farming, strong communities, and the mission to deliver fresh, local dairy to families every day. Job Summary: The Distribution Safety Manager is responsible for leading and executing safety strategies across a large-scale distribution network supporting professional drivers. This role ensures regulatory compliance, proactively reduces risk, and supports a strong safety culture through hands-on leadership. The position requires regular travel to operational sites and active management of inward-facing camera systems to monitor and coach driver behavior and enhance fleet safety.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health and Safety, Transportation, Logistics, or related field preferred (or equivalent experience).
- 5+ years of experience in safety management within transportation, logistics, or distribution environments.
- Strong knowledge of DOT, OSHA, and FMCSA regulations.
- Experience managing large-scale driver safety programs, including use of inward facing camera system technology.
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP) or similar certification is preferred.
- Proven ability to build rapport with frontline teams and lead a safety-first culture.
- Willingness and ability to travel frequently (up to 50%) to operational sites.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, Teams.
Nice To Haves
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP) or similar certification is preferred.
Responsibilities
- Oversee the safety performance and compliance of approximately 250 commercial drivers, using data-driven insights to proactively identify trends, high-risk behaviors, and systemic issues.
- Lead the development and execution of comprehensive risk and injury reduction strategies across distribution and fleet operations, with a focus on measurable outcomes (e.g., reducing DOT-recordable incidents, preventable accidents, and lost-time injuries).
- Analyze inward-facing camera system data to detect unsafe driving behaviors (e.g., distraction, fatigue, following distance), and implement targeted coaching and corrective action plans to reduce repeat events.
- Conduct ongoing risk assessments and safety audits across facilities and transportation operations; translate findings into actionable mitigation plans.
- Partner with Operations and Distribution leadership to design and implement preventive safety programs, including driver scorecards, behavior-based safety initiatives, and incentive programs that reinforce safe performance.
- Travel regularly to distribution centers and field locations to observe operations firsthand, validate safety practices, and ensure consistent implementation of safety standards.
- Lead thorough root cause investigations for accidents, injuries, and near-misses; identify contributing factors and implement sustainable corrective and preventive actions.
- Develop and implement targeted safety training programs focused on high-risk activities, and defensive driving techniques to reduce injury frequency and severity.
- Monitor and report on key safety metrics and KPIs (e.g., OIR, DART rate, Samsara safety scores), using trends to continuously refine safety strategies and prioritize interventions.
- Ensure full compliance with DOT, OSHA, FMCSA, and applicable state regulations, while also driving initiatives that go beyond compliance to achieve best-in-class safety performance.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with HR, Operations, and Maintenance to address injury trends, return-to-work programs, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Develop, implement, and enforce safety protocols tailored to distribution operations.
- Implement the Quarterly Tire Blitz, Monthly Garage Audits, and other initiatives.
- Oversee implementation of the weekly Toolbox Talk process.
- Recommend and evaluate safety-related technologies, PPE, and best practices to continuously improve safety performance.
Benefits
- group health and/or dental insurance
- retirement plan
- wellness program
- paid time away from work
- paid holidays
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
