R-2334 Global EHS Director

VantageSpecialtyChemicals•Deerfield, IL

3d•$180,000 - $200,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Global EH&S Director establishes, implements, and audits Vantage’s global environmental, health, and safety strategy, systems, and standards. Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, the role works with site leadership and corporate functions to support regulatory compliance, manage high-hazard chemical manufacturing risks, and improve safety and environmental performance. A central focus is advancing a proactive, prevention-focused safety culture through behavior-based safety programs and leadership and employee ownership of safety. The position is based in Deerfield and requires regular travel to manufacturing locations. The Director advises the COO and senior leaders on safety, environmental, regulatory, and operational risks; sets global policies and performance expectations; and oversees process safety, occupational safety, environmental compliance, incident investigations, audits, regulatory engagement, and corrective actions across manufacturing locations. The role also develops site EH&S capabilities, integrates EH&S into business decisions, monitors regulatory changes, and maintains EH&S information systems and reporting support. The position requires a relevant bachelor’s degree and at least 12 years of progressive EH&S experience, including substantial experience in chemical manufacturing or another high-hazard process industry. The estimated base pay is $180,000–$200,000 annually, and the position is eligible for a short-term incentive program.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Safety Engineering, Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Science, Chemistry, or a related technical discipline.
At least 12 years of progressive EH&S experience, including substantial experience in chemical manufacturing or another high-hazard process industry.
Leadership experience across multiple manufacturing locations, including leading and developing EH&S teams and managing budgets.
Strong practical experience with OSHA regulations and process safety management, including OSHA PSM and EPA RMP, and a strong understanding of chemical manufacturing hazards.
Strong working knowledge and practical experience with EPA environmental regulations affecting chemical manufacturing operations, including Title V air permitting.
Demonstrated experience implementing or significantly improving a behavior-based safety program within an industrial organization, ideally across multiple facilities with measurable results.
Experience leading significant incident investigations and root-cause analyses.
Experience interacting directly with OSHA, EPA, state environmental agencies, or equivalent regulatory authorities.
Experience establishing EH&S metrics, management systems, auditing programs, and corrective-action processes.
Ability to communicate complex regulatory and technical issues clearly to senior executives and operating personnel.
Ability and willingness to travel regularly to manufacturing locations.

Nice To Haves

Professional certifications such as CSP, CIH, CHMM, or CCPSC, or a Professional Engineer (PE) license.
Experience operating within a global specialty chemical organization.
Experience with emissions-control and other environmental capital projects within the chemical industry.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement a global EH&S strategy aligned with operational and business objectives, including EH&S review of capital projects, design standards, and acquisitions.
Establish global EH&S policies, standards, management systems, metrics, and expectations aligned with recognized frameworks such as Responsible Care/RC14001 and ISO 14001/45001, and support their execution at sites.
Advise the COO and senior leadership on significant safety, environmental, regulatory, and operational risks.
Establish accountability and decision rights for EH&S performance throughout the organization.
Develop leading and lagging EH&S indicators and report performance, significant risks, compliance gaps, overdue corrective actions, and emerging regulatory issues to executive leadership.
Lead the development and implementation of a behavior-based safety program across manufacturing locations and promote employee hazard identification, near-miss reporting, intervention, and participation in safety improvements.
Define leadership expectations for visible safety leadership and implement safety observation and feedback processes.
Use BBS data, near-miss information, incident trends, and leading indicators to identify systemic risks and improvement opportunities while ensuring behavioral safety complements engineering controls and process safety systems.
Provide corporate leadership and technical expertise on OSHA regulations, including PSM and injury and illness recordkeeping and reporting requirements.
Ensure effective programs for life-critical procedures and core occupational safety requirements.
Lead process safety management across chemical manufacturing operations, including OSHA PSM and EPA RMP compliance.
Ensure implementation of PSM and RMP program elements, including employee participation, process safety information, hazard analyses, procedures, training, contractor management, pre-startup reviews, mechanical integrity, hot work permits, management of change, investigations, emergency planning, and audits.
Drive use of HAZOP, What-If analysis, LOPA, and other appropriate process hazard assessment methods, including facility siting, safety instrumented systems, and reactive chemistry hazard evaluation where applicable.
Manage fire, explosion, and combustible dust hazards, including hazardous area classification and applicable NFPA standards.
Provide leadership and technical oversight of environmental compliance programs and applicable EPA and state requirements.
Oversee environmental permitting, compliance reporting, emissions management, waste management, wastewater, and environmental monitoring.
Establish standards for reporting and investigating injuries, environmental incidents, process safety events, spills, releases, and high-potential near misses.
Ensure significant incidents receive root-cause analysis that examines systemic causes; provide executive visibility and corrective action for major events; and communicate lessons learned across relevant facilities.
Develop and manage a risk-based global EH&S audit program and conduct or oversee periodic audits of manufacturing locations.
Track corrective actions from audits, incidents, inspections, and regulatory findings through verified completion, escalating overdue items.
Lead preparation for and response to OSHA, EPA, and state agency inspections, investigations, and enforcement matters, coordinating with Legal.
Develop plant EH&S leaders and professionals through training, coaching, technical support, and clear performance expectations; establish minimum competency standards for site EH&S personnel.
Integrate EH&S into everyday business decisions in collaboration with Operations, Engineering, Manufacturing Excellence, Supply Chain, Human Resources, Legal, and other functions.
Build relationships with regulatory agencies, consultants, insurers, industry organizations, and other external stakeholders.
Monitor proposed and emerging federal and state EH&S regulations, assess operational impacts, and advocate for company interests through industry organizations where appropriate.
Implement and maintain EH&S information systems for incident, audit, management-of-change, and corrective-action management; provide data and support for sustainability reporting, customer audits, and customer questionnaires.