Health Safety & Environmental Manager (HSE Manager)

International Paper•Henderson, KY

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Mill HSE Manager is the leader of the Environmental, Health, and Safety programs, policies, and procedures at the Henderson Mill. The HSE Manager is responsible for all facets of day-to-day operations for the environment, health, and safety department. This includes responsibility for safety, environmental compliance, employee engagement, process productivity, efficiency, area financial performance, and quality for the HSE department. Furthermore, the HSE manager interfaces directly with community leaders and regulatory agencies to represent the mill within the community. This position reports directly to the Mill Manager and is a member of the mill’s lead team.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Safety or Industrial Engineering, Industrial Hygiene, related engineering discipline or equivalent experience.
5 years construction supervision or project management or 5 years heavy industrial contractor management (Pulp & Paper, Power, Refining, Steel or Chemical Industry).

Nice To Haves

5-10 years Safety experience at a paper mill and/or related business experience w/ experience managing heavy industrial contractors and suppliers.
Strong Technical understanding of Federal and State Safety and Health regulations.
Completion of The OSHA 500 Trainer Course in Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry
Rigging, Scaffolding/Trenching, NFPA 70E, (PSM) Process Safety Management, HAZMAT
OHSA 30 Construction or completion of the OSHA 500 Trainer Course in Occupational Safety & Health Standards for the Construction Industry.
Work closely with local community leaders to present the mill as a good corporate citizen for safety and environmental stewardship
Instill safety as a core value within the mill team and effectively communicate a shared vision for safety
Develop thorough knowledge of mill equipment and systems quickly
Utilize excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate to groups and individuals at all levels
Ability to relate well to peer group and influence and support mill lead team to deliver on multiple obligations including those in the HSE area
Approach positional responsibilities in an inclusive manner by engaging all team members in area, department, and mill
Exhibit the characteristics of the IP leadership model (Character, Capability, Catalyst)
Utilize strong organizational skills to handle multiple tasks effectively

Responsibilities

Lead and continuously improve site Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) systems by engaging employees, contractors, and suppliers; reinforcing safe behaviors; ensuring compliance with company standards, OSHA regulations, and the IP Safety Excellence culture.
Develop, implement, and maintain safety programs, policies, procedures, and manuals in alignment with International Paper standards and all applicable local, state, and federal regulations, including regulatory reporting and permitting.
Build strong partnerships with employees and business partners to promote a culture of Safety Excellence that prioritizes both physical and psychological safety.
Conduct field observations, job audits, field verification of critical controls, and safety inspections (routine and formal) to ensure proper hazard controls are in place and that approved plans, permits, and procedures are followed. Track corrective actions through completion.
Actively intervene and promote a strong stop-work culture to prevent unsafe conditions, behaviors, injuries, environmental impacts, or property damage.
Lead incident investigations (injuries, near misses, and occupational illnesses), ensuring root cause identification, documentation, and effective corrective action implementation and verification.
Lead and manage the Workers’ Compensation program, including claims oversight, return-to-work coordination, and trend analysis to drive injury reduction and cost control.
Recommend and support engineering, process, and product improvements to reduce risk related to chemical, physical, and ergonomic hazards.
Oversee industrial hygiene programs, including coordination of contracted services and testing (air quality, noise, temperature, chemical exposure).
Develop and deliver safety training programs for employees and contractors, including onboarding, regulatory training, hands-on evaluations, toolbox talks, and pre-job safety planning.
Review and approve safety requirements for new equipment, process changes, facility modifications, and contractor work scopes to ensure risks are identified and mitigated prior to execution.
Serve as the primary HSE resource for employees, contractors and business partners, ensuring adherence to safety standards, professional expectations, and company values.
Track, analyze, and report safety performance trends; address repeated non-compliance, and drive continuous improvement in safety in the mill.
Partner with operations and maintenance teams to sustain Safety Excellence and maintain a strong, visible leadership presence in the field.
Support capital projects, outage coordination, and cross-functional HSE initiatives to optimize mill performance.
Drive continuous improvement through sustainable HSE management systems, process innovation, and performance optimization, including contributing to budgeting efforts and year-over-year cost savings.