Safety Compliance Supervisor

State of Montana•Helena, MT

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

Help shape the future of workplace safety in Montana. As the Safety Compliance Manager, you will lead a high-impact team that partners with employers, public agencies, and industry stakeholders to strengthen safety practices, support compliance, and protect workers across the state. This is a dynamic leadership opportunity for candidates from government, private industry, military, or other mission-driven environments who bring strong judgment, people leadership, and a passion for building safer, more resilient organizations. MISSION STATEMENT: Empowering all Montanans through work and opportunity. It's about the people and the impact we make in our communities every day. We are proud of our open, team-based, supportive, and collaborative work environments. Learn more about DLI here. POSITION OVERVIEW: The Safety Compliance Section is part of the Compliance Bureau, which works with businesses and public entities across Montana to help them understand and meet labor law and safety obligations. This position leads a team of safety and mine inspectors who provide education, outreach, consultation, and inspection services in support of safe workplaces across all 56 counties. The Safety Compliance Manager plays a central role in translating strategic priorities into daily operations, strengthening Montana’s safety culture, and advancing a practical, service-oriented approach to compliance. Experience from military, public, or private sector safety environments can be highly relevant in safety leadership roles, especially where program oversight, regulatory application, and workforce engagement are core responsibilities.

Requirements

Demonstrated experience leading teams, projects, or programs in environments where safety, compliance, accountability, customer service, or operational excellence are central expectations.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience explaining complex expectations, influencing others, and building productive working relationships with diverse stakeholders.
Experience using databases, reporting tools, dashboards, or other systems to track work, monitor performance, and support informed decision making.
Demonstrated ability to identify problems, improve processes, and implement practical solutions in dynamic or service-oriented environments.
Leadership and people management: Lead and develop staff by setting clear expectations, building accountability, coaching performance, supporting professional growth, and creating a culture of trust, service, and continuous improvement.
Safety and regulatory application: The ability to interpret and apply safety standards in complex environments, including OSHA-related requirements and other applicable laws, rules, policies, or technical guidance relevant to workplace safety and compliance.
Strategic and operational leadership: Translate goals into action by planning work, setting priorities, balancing resources, and keeping statewide operations aligned with bureau and department objectives.
Customer-focused communication: Communicate clearly and effectively with varied audiences, including executives, public officials, employers, staff, and community partners, using plain language and sound judgment.
Problem solving and decision making: Analyze complex situations and make well-supported decisions that balance risk, compliance, service expectations, and practical business or operational needs.
Data-informed leadership: Use data and performance measures to monitor trends, identify opportunities, improve processes, and guide decisions that strengthen safety outcomes and team effectiveness.
Program and grant oversight: Manage public programs responsibly by aligning work with grant requirements, tracking deliverables, maintaining accurate documentation, and supporting accountability in program operations.
Operational planning and oversight: Manage inspection schedules that cover the entire state, ensure inspections are completed and follow up on corrective actions.
Regulatory knowledge and application: Interpret and apply safety best practices, policies and relevant regulations in complex or sensitive situations.
Visual Communication: Skilled in developing professional presentation materials that convey complex information in an accessible and visually compelling manner, ensuring audience understanding and engagement.
Presentation Expertise: Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in public settings by delivering clear, engaging, and informative presentations tailored to diverse audiences, including staff, leadership, and external stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Experience in occupational safety, compliance, risk management, inspections, workforce training, or a closely related field is preferred but not required, and broad safety program experience, regulatory knowledge, and strong communication skills are valued in both public and private sector organizations.
Experience interpreting and applying laws, regulations, policies, standards, or technical requirements and integrating them into day-to-day decision making.
Have OSHA Authorization Card to teach the Construction or General Industry OSHA 10-hour class, OR experience required to get an OSHA Authorization Card preferred but not required.
Have MSHA blue card OR experience required to get a blue card is preferred but not required.
Help staff adjust to new laws, system changes, or updated procedures while maintaining service levels and consistent application of requirements.
Monitors dashboards, Accela database reports, and inspection scheduling and workflows to identify technology improvements to create efficiencies.
A bachelor’s degree in occupational health and safety or related field, may supplement relevant professional experience but is not a substitute for demonstrated skills and competencies in the areas noted above. Equivalent combinations of education and directly related experience will be considered.

Responsibilities

Supervises, coaches, develops, and evaluates safety and mine inspection staff to support high performance, accountability, consistency, and professional growth.
Plans and oversees inspection and outreach activities across Montana, aligning staff capacity, travel, priorities, and follow-up work to meet program goals.
Helps staff and stakeholders interpret and apply safety requirements, including MSHA and OSHA-related standards and other applicable state and federal provisions, through a balanced approach that emphasizes education, prevention, and accountability.
Develops strong working relationships with employers, public agencies, mine operators, labor representatives, and other partners to support collaborative problem solving and practical safety improvements.
Reviews sensitive, high-impact, or unusual safety matters and provides sound, consistent guidance grounded in policy, risk awareness, and operational judgment.
Monitors reports, trends, inspection activity, and performance measures to identify issues, improve workflows, and strengthen service delivery.
Contributes to the development and implementation of bureau and department safety priorities, initiatives, and long-range plans.
Oversees presentations, educational materials, and communication strategies that make complex safety concepts clear and actionable for diverse audiences.

Benefits

Work/life balance with hybrid schedules or partial telework may be available within the state of Montana.
38 paid days off a year including vacation, sick leave and holidays.
Military leave: You’ll get up to 15 days of military leave with full pay.
Longevity raises with continuous service, as well as any negotiated market increases and state statutory raises.
Health, dental, vision, life insurance coverage, flexible spending accounts, EAP
Free telehealth and access to free employee medical clinics through our medical plan
Choice between two retirement plans with an employer contribution between 8.73%25 - 9.07%25 of your annual salary. A third optional 457(b) deferred compensation plan is also available.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness- Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive loan forgiveness
Career progression, training opportunities and room for professional growth.
State employee discounts at various businesses across the state.
This position may be covered by a Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA)