Vice President Health & Safety

Lead the Strategy. Develop Leaders. Protect Our People.

Are you a proven health and safety executive who knows how to turn strategy into consistent execution across complex, multi-site operations? As the Vice President, Health & Safety at Coastal Waste & Recycling, you will lead our enterprise-wide safety organization, strengthen regulatory compliance, develop high-performing leaders, and partner with Operations to ensure safety remains foundational to everything we do.

At Coastal, safety is not owned by one department. It is a shared responsibility and a core part of how we operate. We are looking for an executive leader who can build strong partnerships, influence operational decisions, and create practical programs that protect our employees while supporting long-term business growth.

Your Role

As the Vice President, Health & Safety, you will lead the execution of Coastal’s health, safety, transportation safety, and regulatory compliance strategy across our collection, post-collection, maintenance, transportation, and corporate operations.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President, EHS & Engineering, you will provide strategic leadership to the Safety organization, develop leaders, oversee performance and compliance, and ensure consistent execution across multiple states and operating divisions.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the execution of Coastal’s enterprise-wide Health & Safety strategy across all operating divisions.
• Develop, coach, and mentor Corporate Directors, Corporate Managers, Safety Trainers, and other Safety professionals.
• Build a high-performing Safety organization with clear goals, accountability, succession planning, and professional development.
• Partner with Regional and Operations leadership to strengthen safety performance and ensure compliance with OSHA, DOT, FMCSA, MSHA, and applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve company-wide safety and compliance programs.
• Establish consistent standards for incident investigations, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous improvement.
• Lead safety audits, compliance reviews, operational assessments, and corrective action follow-up.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators, including TRIR, DART, DOT compliance, preventable accidents, and corrective action completion.
• Partner with Operations to identify risks and implement practical solutions that improve performance without losing sight of operational realities.
• Ensure consistency across driver safety, fleet safety, heavy equipment safety, facility safety, and contractor safety programs.
• Oversee safety training, onboarding, leadership development, continuing education, and regulatory compliance programs.
• Promote a culture where every leader understands and owns their responsibility for safety.
• Support acquisitions through safety due diligence and integration of newly acquired operations into Coastal’s Safety programs.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with OSHA, DOT, state regulatory agencies, insurance carriers, consultants, and third-party auditors.
• Oversee workers’ compensation trends, serious incident reviews, regulatory reporting, litigation support, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Develop and manage departmental budgets, vendor relationships, safety equipment, consulting services, and compliance expenditures.
• Collaborate with Operations, Fleet Maintenance, People Experience, Risk Management, Legal, Finance, Customer Experience, and Regional Leadership.
• Present safety, compliance, and risk performance to executive leadership and recommend strategies for improvement.
• Lead emergency response planning, crisis management, and business continuity initiatives.
• Ensure all Safety programs support Coastal’s mission, operational objectives, and long-term strategic growth.
• At Coastal, we win as a team. The Vice President, Health & Safety develops exceptional leaders, protects our employees, strengthens regulatory compliance, and ensures safety remains foundational to everything we do.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Risk Management, or a related field.
• Ten or more years of progressive leadership experience in health and safety, transportation safety, industrial safety, manufacturing, construction, utilities, waste and recycling, or another field-based operational environment.
• Seven or more years leading multi-site Safety programs and developing leaders.
• Five or more years supporting transportation or logistics operations.
• Extensive knowledge of OSHA, DOT, FMCSA, MSHA, and regulatory compliance.
• Demonstrated success developing and implementing enterprise-wide safety programs.
• Experience leading complex incident investigations, root cause analysis, corrective action programs, and organizational change.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing departmental budgets, vendors, capital planning, and operational performance.
• Proven ability to influence senior operational leaders and drive accountability.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, presentation, coaching, and executive relationship-building skills.
• Ability to travel extensively throughout Coastal’s operating footprint.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Occupational Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Risk Management, or a related field.
• Certified Safety Professional.
• Certified Industrial Hygienist.
• Certified Hazardous Materials Manager.
• OSHA Outreach Trainer certification.
• Experience in waste and recycling, transportation, environmental services, construction, or another heavy industrial environment.
• Experience leading acquisitions, integrations, and enterprise-wide operational change.
• Experience with EHS software, learning management systems, telematics, and safety management platforms.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish or English and Creole.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

• Executive leadership opportunity within a rapidly growing organization
• Competitive executive compensation
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off and company holidays
• Professional development and leadership growth opportunities
• Direct partnership with executive and operational leadership
• Opportunity to shape enterprise-wide safety strategy and performance
• Opportunity to build and develop the next generation of Safety leaders
• Meaningful work that directly protects employees and strengthens the business

This is an opportunity for a hands-on executive who is equally comfortable in the field, in the boardroom, and coaching leaders through complex operational challenges. The right person will bring strong technical expertise, sound judgment, and the ability to make safety practical, visible, and sustainable across the organization.

Coastal Waste & Recycling is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.