Senior Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Supervisor - Food Manufacturing

Position Overview

The Senior EHS Supervisor is responsible for supporting and strengthening a comprehensive environmental, health, and safety program across multiple operational sites within a food manufacturing and distribution environment. This role ensures regulatory compliance, reduces workplace risk, and promotes a proactive, prevention-focused safety culture.

The position is highly visible on the production floor and works closely with operations, maintenance, and site leadership teams to identify hazards, improve safe work practices, and drive continuous improvement in safety performance. The role also serves as a key contributor to building long-term behavioral safety habits across the organization.

Core Responsibilities

Safety Program Leadership & Compliance

• Oversee day-to-day execution of site safety programs to ensure alignment with OSHA requirements as well as applicable local, state, and federal regulations.
• Maintain and strengthen compliance systems supporting a safe and legally compliant work environment.
• Support consistent application of corporate and site-level safety standards.

Hazard Identification & Risk Reduction

• Proactively identify unsafe conditions, behaviors, and operational risks across production, warehouse, and support areas.
• Evaluate risk exposures and collaborate with stakeholders to implement corrective measures and long-term prevention strategies.
• Develop and refine procedures aimed at reducing recurrence of safety-related issues.

Incident Management & Investigation

• Lead or support investigations of workplace incidents, near misses, and unsafe conditions.
• Perform root cause analysis to determine contributing factors and system gaps.
• Ensure corrective and preventive actions are documented, tracked, and fully closed out.

Auditing, Inspection & Continuous Improvement

• Conduct routine safety walkthroughs, audits, and formal inspections of facilities and operations.
• Track trends in findings, identify recurring themes, and recommend systemic improvements.
• Maintain follow-through on corrective actions to ensure timely resolution.

Reporting & Performance Tracking

• Monitor and analyze safety performance indicators, trends, and key risk metrics.
• Prepare and present findings during operational meetings and leadership reviews.
• Communicate safety performance updates clearly to stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

Policy, Procedure & Documentation Management

• Review, revise, and update safety policies, job hazard analyses (JHAs), standard operating procedures (SOPs), and emergency response plans.
• Ensure documentation remains current, practical, and aligned with operational realities.

Training & Safety Culture Development

• Design, coordinate, and deliver safety training programs to reinforce compliance and safe behaviors.
• Support onboarding and ongoing development of employees in safety expectations and procedures.
• Actively participate in safety committee meetings and continuous improvement initiatives.

Injury Management & Workers' Compensation Support

• Partner with HR and operations to support injury management, modified duty programs, and return-to-work processes.
• Assist in managing workers' compensation activities, including coordination with medical providers, insurers, and internal stakeholders to ensure timely and accurate handling of cases.

Regulatory Interaction & External Coordination

• Serve as a site-level contact during regulatory visits, inspections, and audits, in coordination with EHS leadership.
• Support documentation and response preparation for external compliance reviews.

Equipment & Resource Management

• Monitor use and allocation of personal protective equipment (PPE) and related safety supplies.
• Support budget awareness and efficient use of safety resources.

Safety Leadership Participation

• Actively contribute as a member of site safety committees and continuous improvement teams focused on operational excellence.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health, Industrial Hygiene, or a related discipline preferred; equivalent hands-on experience may be considered in place of formal education.

Experience

• 3-5+ years of progressive experience in safety, preferably in food manufacturing, industrial operations, warehousing, logistics, or construction environments.
• Prior experience in a lead, coordinator, or supervisory safety role.
• Demonstrated experience conducting incident investigations and applying root cause methodologies.
• Working knowledge of OSHA standards and general safety management systems.
• Professional certifications such as CSP, ASP, CHST, OHST, or similar are advantageous.

Competencies & Skills

Technical Knowledge

• Practical understanding of workplace safety principles and hazard control methods.
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks governing occupational safety and health.
• Basic understanding of HR-related safety interfaces such as workers' compensation processes.
• Awareness of training development and adult learning principles.
• Proficiency with standard office tools for reporting and documentation.

Behavioral & Leadership Skills

• Strong ability to influence safe behaviors across all levels of the organization.
• Confident communicator capable of engaging frontline employees and leadership teams.
• Analytical mindset with strong attention to detail and structured problem-solving capability.
• Ability to work independently while effectively collaborating across departments.
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and integrity in handling sensitive information.
• Strong organizational and documentation skills with a focus on accuracy and follow-through.

Communication & Influence

• Ability to clearly communicate safety expectations, risks, and corrective actions verbally and in writing.
• Skilled in delivering training and presenting safety information in group settings.
• Capable of building trust and credibility across diverse operational teams.

Performance Expectations

• Maintenance and improvement of workplace safety performance indicators.
• Effective and timely resolution of incidents, investigations, and corrective actions.
• Consistent compliance with safety regulations and internal standards.
• Active participation in return-to-work and injury reduction initiatives.
• Engagement and collaboration across departments to strengthen safety culture.
• Completion of audits, inspections, and documentation with accuracy and timeliness.
• Contribution to facility-wide safety improvement initiatives and operational excellence goals.