EHS Manager

Smithfield Foods•Denison, IA

About The Position

The Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Manager leads the location’s efforts to protect worker health and safety and support environmental stewardship. The position oversees regulatory requirements related to worker safety, environmental compliance, Process Safety Management (PSM), Risk Management Program (RMP), security, waste and wastewater operations, and medical management. The manager implements EHS programs, communicates initiatives related to Smithfield’s Injury Prevention System (SIPS) and Environmental Management System (EMS), and provides direction on compliance, training, and EHS practices throughout the location. The role manages comprehensive environmental, health, and safety programs, including regulatory and company-standard compliance, program reviews, audits, ISO certification efforts, ammonia refrigeration process safety and risk management, and site security planning. It also supports incident and healthcare management, employee training, environmental permitting, compliance monitoring, performance indicators, and employee development. The work takes place in indoor and outdoor plant environments and may involve alternate shifts, long hours, weekends, and on-call coverage as needed. Occasional travel is involved.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university in an environmental, health, and safety field and 5+ years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least 2 years of demonstrated experience in team management/development or project leadership.
Ability to make strategic decisions in stressful situations, including while leading emergency response efforts.
Comfort working long hours at times, on weekends, and on-call when required; ability to adjust work schedules for evening/night-shift training or troubleshooting as determined by Plant Management.
Ability to travel occasionally to collaborate with others.
Strong oral and written communication skills, including drafting reports, business correspondence, and procedures in English.
Effective presentation skills and ability to respond to questions from a diverse audience.
Detail-oriented, self-motivated, and results-oriented, with a focus on meeting deadlines.
Ability to work with computers and company programs and files, learn Windows-based database systems, navigate Excel worksheets, use word-processing and HR electronic systems, and work with internet and manufacturing software.
Math skills to calculate efficiencies, percentage reductions, air emissions on a rolling 12-month basis, and KPIs.
Ability to deliver information to diverse audiences and collaborate in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Ability to embody respect, approachability, and a team-oriented demeanor to foster working relationships and a positive work environment.
Ability to perform the physical demands of the role, including occasionally lifting or moving up to 50 pounds; standing, walking, using stairs, occasional ladder climbing, reaching, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, and talking or hearing.
Specific vision abilities including close, distance, and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Nice To Haves

Thorough knowledge of OSHA regulations, including Process Safety Management requirements for ammonia refrigeration.
Air, water, and waste permitting experience in an industrial plant setting.
Thorough knowledge of workers’ compensation processes and injury investigation requirements.
Experience with SAP (preferred).

Responsibilities

Oversee implementation and management of EHS programs to ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, and company standards.
Conduct annual program reviews, maintain EMS and SIPS, and address audit findings promptly.
Lead ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certification efforts.
Manage Process Safety and Risk Management Programs for ammonia refrigeration.
Coordinate site security plans with management.
Ensure effective healthcare and incident handling to reduce workers’ compensation costs, absenteeism, and turnover.
Review and monitor incident investigation reports, participate in claim reviews and mediations, and address EHS incident trends with actionable plans.
Train production employees and management on OSHA and environmental regulations, SOPs, and emergency response protocols.
Ensure timely completion of employee exposure surveys and oversee environmental permit applications.
Monitor and enforce compliance with safety programs, environmental permits, and plans; report non-compliance and facilitate corrections or retraining according to company policies.
Ensure required training is conducted under regulatory requirements and Smithfield EHS systems.
Maintain compliance with KPIs and communicate action plans to the team based on results.
Lead employee development and coaching to support a positive employee experience.
Lead emergency response efforts and adjust work schedules to cover training or troubleshoot concerns when determined by Plant Management.
Perform other duties as assigned.