Safety Director

Alpha Baking Company•Chicago, IL

17h

About The Position

Essential Duties and Responsibilities Develop, implement, and maintain comprehensive safety strategies, trainings, policies, and procedures tailored to a high-volume bakery manufacturing environment (e.g., addressing conveyor safety, heat stress, combustible dust, and ergonomics). Develop and maintain comprehensive Emergency Response Plans for all facilities. Provide direct leadership and development to a team of Regional Safety Managers / Coordinators and one Injury Counselor. Foster a culture of safety accountability by partnering with Operations leadership to integrate safety into daily production goals. Oversee the cadence of Plant Manager safety meetings and safety walkthrough audits and other internal and external audits to ensure 100% compliance with internal schedules. Ensure timely and regular completion of scheduled trainings and drills ensuring completion and 100% compliance with internal schedules. Review audit findings and partner with Plant Managers to develop corrective action plans. Track all action items resulting from meetings and walkthroughs, ensuring they are closed out in a timely fashion and verifying the effectiveness of the abatement. Analyze safety metrics and leading indicators to identify trends and proactively address areas of concern before incidents occur. Serve as the primary liaison for all federal, state, and local regulatory agencies, specifically OSHA. Manage all OSHA recordkeeping responsibilities, including the maintenance of OSHA 300 logs and annual reporting. Lead the response to any regulatory inspections or inquiries, negotiating on behalf of the company and overseeing the follow-through on all abatement requirements. Direct the Injury Counselor in the management of workers' compensation claims, return-to-work programs, and medical case management. Develop and implement loss control strategies to reduce the frequency and severity of injuries, directly impacting insurance premiums and operational costs. Lead root cause analysis (RCA) investigations for significant incidents and near misses. Design and standardize safety training curriculums across all locations. Ensure consistency in safety onboarding for new hires and temporary laborers. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, or a related field required. Minimum of 7–10 years of progressive safety leadership experience in a manufacturing environment. Experience in Food Manufacturing or Industrial Baking is highly preferred. Minimum of 3–5 years of experience managing direct reports and remote teams. CSP (Certified Safety Professional) designation is highly preferred. OSHA 30/500 Trainer authorization is a plus. Deep understanding of OSHA General Industry standards (29 CFR 1910), specifically Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), Machine Guarding, and HazCom. Ability to bridge the gap between safety requirements and production efficiency. Strong ability to influence Plant Managers and executive leadership without relying solely on authority. Ability to write clear, concise policy and regulatory responses.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, or a related field required.
Minimum of 7–10 years of progressive safety leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.
Minimum of 3–5 years of experience managing direct reports and remote teams.
Deep understanding of OSHA General Industry standards (29 CFR 1910), specifically Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), Machine Guarding, and HazCom.
Ability to bridge the gap between safety requirements and production efficiency.
Strong ability to influence Plant Managers and executive leadership without relying solely on authority.
Ability to write clear, concise policy and regulatory responses.

Nice To Haves

Experience in Food Manufacturing or Industrial Baking is highly preferred.
CSP (Certified Safety Professional) designation is highly preferred.
OSHA 30/500 Trainer authorization is a plus.

Responsibilities

Develop, implement, and maintain comprehensive safety strategies, trainings, policies, and procedures tailored to a high-volume bakery manufacturing environment (e.g., addressing conveyor safety, heat stress, combustible dust, and ergonomics).
Develop and maintain comprehensive Emergency Response Plans for all facilities.
Provide direct leadership and development to a team of Regional Safety Managers / Coordinators and one Injury Counselor.
Foster a culture of safety accountability by partnering with Operations leadership to integrate safety into daily production goals.
Oversee the cadence of Plant Manager safety meetings and safety walkthrough audits and other internal and external audits to ensure 100% compliance with internal schedules.
Ensure timely and regular completion of scheduled trainings and drills ensuring completion and 100% compliance with internal schedules.
Review audit findings and partner with Plant Managers to develop corrective action plans.
Track all action items resulting from meetings and walkthroughs, ensuring they are closed out in a timely fashion and verifying the effectiveness of the abatement.
Analyze safety metrics and leading indicators to identify trends and proactively address areas of concern before incidents occur.
Serve as the primary liaison for all federal, state, and local regulatory agencies, specifically OSHA.
Manage all OSHA recordkeeping responsibilities, including the maintenance of OSHA 300 logs and annual reporting.
Lead the response to any regulatory inspections or inquiries, negotiating on behalf of the company and overseeing the follow-through on all abatement requirements.
Direct the Injury Counselor in the management of workers' compensation claims, return-to-work programs, and medical case management.
Develop and implement loss control strategies to reduce the frequency and severity of injuries, directly impacting insurance premiums and operational costs.
Lead root cause analysis (RCA) investigations for significant incidents and near misses.
Design and standardize safety training curriculums across all locations.
Ensure consistency in safety onboarding for new hires and temporary laborers.