Sr. Director, Health & Safety

NextDecade•Houston, TX

About The Position

NextDecade is seeking a full-time Director of Health and Safety to develop and implement a robust Health and Safety program supporting NextDecade and the Rio Grande LNG Facility in Brownsville, Texas. The role is responsible for fostering teamwork and professionalism among RGLNG employees and ensuring the HSSE organization adopts LNG industry best practices. The position reports directly to the VP HSSE, under the leadership of the NextDecade COO, and works alongside senior leaders in engineering, planning, maintenance, operations, and training. The role oversees corporate and site health and safety programs for construction, operations, and maintenance. It coordinates safety plans, systems, training, audits, emergency preparedness, incident investigation, contractor oversight, risk mitigation, budgets, and performance improvement. It also oversees occupational health programs and supports employee case management and DOT drug and alcohol compliance. The position operates in a complex construction environment, with indoor and outdoor exposure to changing weather, mechanical parts, electrical circuits, and distracting noise. The job requires use of PPE and standard office and field communications equipment. Physical duties include moving throughout the facility, traveling to muster points, and potentially entering confined spaces or working at heights. The employee must be able to perform the described physical demands with or without reasonable accommodations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience with an engineering discipline, or equivalent HSSE LNG operations management experience.
15+ years of experience in senior safety leadership roles in plant operations.
Experience managing health and safety programs for LNG construction and operations.
5+ years of experience in Oil & Gas plant operations.
Demonstrated experience developing an HSSE Operations Management System.
Knowledge and understanding of applicable U.S. codes and standards.
Experience leading and motivating a large multidisciplinary team, with the ability to guide, mentor, and inspire team members to achieve outcomes.
Deep experience in the professional discipline, including solving complex to abstract problems and supervising or providing technical guidance to junior employees.
Experience across the project life cycle and ability to manage interfaces and work closely with project and operations teams during FEED, detailed design, and construction.
Ability to wear all necessary PPE to perform job functions.
Ability to drive to other company work locations as required.
Ability to move throughout the facility and travel to a designated muster point during emergencies.
Ability to stand and/or sit continuously and perform job functions for a full shift.
Full mechanical motion and use of all extremities.
Ability to walk, stand, bend, stoop, kneel, reach, twist, lift, push, pull, climb, balance, crouch, and handle and lift items weighing up to 20 pounds without assistance.
Visual acuity, corrected as needed, to perform job functions, including close, distance, color, peripheral, and depth vision and focus adjustment.
Ability to communicate clearly by radio, phone, and verbally.
May be required to enter confined spaces.
May be required to work at elevated heights and access elevated structures without assistance.
Must meet applicable DOT drug and alcohol testing standards for the position.
Must verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

Nice To Haves

Understanding of APCI liquefaction and Heavies Removal Units.
SAP end-user experience.

Responsibilities

Establish and oversee corporate health and safety programs that train and motivate personnel to minimize occupational accidents, injuries, and hazards.
Coordinate development and implementation of plans, documents, and systems, including emergency response, incident investigation, HSSE business continuity, HSSE standards, energy-based safety, human performance, and internal audit programs for company assets.
Support and advise RGLNG site safety managers on health and safety programs, procedures, and guidelines for construction, operations, and maintenance; oversee terminal safety training and recommend improvements.
Monitor development and execution of on-site safety training programs for employees and contract personnel.
Partner with RGLNG site safety teams to implement emergency response plans, training, and drills to safeguard personnel and terminal resources.
Coordinate with EPC contractor leads and communicate safety trends to corporate management; provide contractors with observations, suggestions, and feedback.
Audit EPC contractors’ implementation of their HSE Management Systems on projects.
Participate in prioritizing risk-assessment mitigation actions and incorporating them into monitoring plans.
Participate in developing the annual Corporate and O&M budget and cost-control process for health, safety, and training costs.
Manage budgets for workforce PPE inventory and accounts, and for fire brigade supplies and PPE.
Assist managers, supervisors, leads, and safety advisors with incident investigations, root-cause determination, and corrective actions; report findings, recommendations, and lessons learned.
Review HSSE KPIs, assess safety performance, evaluate trends, and collaborate with construction and operations safety teams on continuous improvement.
Participate in the Construction Team, Safety Committee, and other engagements as required.
Develop the annual Site HSSE Continuous Improvement Plan for Operations, using prior-period HSSE data and corporate initiatives.
Develop an annual contractor-audit schedule and ensure audit reports, recommendations, prioritization, and remediation are addressed.
Develop and maintain an annual HSSE Calendar of Events covering meetings, audits, visits, inspections, and training.
Oversee occupational health programs, including Fit-for-Duty, occupational health testing and screening, and industrial hygiene monitoring, to promote employee well-being and regulatory compliance.
Support the Human Resources Department through employee case management.
Oversee the PHMSA Drug and Alcohol Compliance Program.