Safety Manager

Job Overview

The Safety Manager role serves the company through strong leadership of safety strategy across warehouse, shop, retail, transportation, and office environments. Reporting to the VP of Human Resources, this role leads the safety team while ensuring compliance to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and local regulations across 30 nationwide locations. This role is accountable for safety performance metrics, regulatory compliance integrity, and risk exposure reduction across all locations.

Responsibilities and Duties

Safety Strategy and Business Results

• Set strategic direction for safety programs aligning with corporate strategic planning and leadership vision.
• Lead short- and long-range strategic planning for proactive safety initiatives.
• Align safety initiatives with company strategic plan and financial objectives.
• Accountable for ensuring all safety activities effectively drive business results related to injury reduction, accident prevention, regulatory compliance, liability control and productivity protection.
• Drive safety culture maturity across diverse areas of the business ranging from high-volume distribution to skilled technician environments.
• Serve as a change agent supporting business growth, new locations, and operational expansion while maintaining strong safety controls.
• Ensure safety practices support risk reduction while not introducing unnecessary operational challenges.
• Stay informed on evolving safety regulations and industry best practices, applying them to the team’s strategic plan and company operations.

Operational Excellence and Accountability

• Drive disciplined execution of the team’s strategic plan across distribution centers, service shops, retail counters, corporate offices and fleet operations.
• Design and institutionalize sustainable, measurable, and effective safety processes and programs that manage risk while supporting operational productivity.
• Develop, publish, and enforce safety policies and procedures that support operational performance while maintaining compliance.
• Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) including Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR), Days Away, Restricted or Transferred (DART), preventable vehicle accidents, Compliance, Safety and Accountability (CSA) scores, and workers’ compensation trends, with regular reporting.
• Ensure data-centered decision-making by building structured reporting and analytics that identify trends and drive corrective actions.
• Ensure safety record keeping and data integrity to provide Operations with accurate reporting and metrics to support business safety initiatives.
• Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Finance, and Human Resources to integrate safety outcomes into business decision-making.
• Partner with Human Resources to develop and implement corrective and preventative action plans.
• Oversee workers’ compensation strategy to reduce claim frequency, severity, and total cost of risk.
• Oversee the administration of a Safety Management System (SMS) that supports the team in identifying hazards, manage risks, prevents incidents.
• Oversees the relationship with the company’s claims management service.
• Oversees the relationship with the company’s fleet management and safety platform in collaboration with Transportation leadership.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensure full compliance with local and OSHA General Industry standards across warehouse, service, retail, and office environments.
• Oversee DOT and FMCSA compliance for local delivery drivers, switchers, and over-the-road (OTR) drivers.
• Develop and oversee implementation of an emergency response plan.
• Serve as subject matter expert during regulatory inspections, audits, and external agency interactions.
• Ensure proper management of OSHA logs, driver qualification files, drug and alcohol testing programs, electronic logging device (ELD) compliance, and required regulatory reporting.
• Ensure compliance with required certifications and training renewals.
• Proactively identify and mitigate emerging safety risks across facilities and fleet operations.
• Provide high-level support for escalated injury investigations and serious vehicle accidents.
• Partner with Learning and Development to ensure policies and procedures (including policy updates and regulatory changes) are properly communicated and trained.

Team Leadership and Development

• Consistently exhibits the company’s core values and leadership style.
• Oversee the employee life cycle of Safety team members which includes hiring, development, engagement, retention and separation.
• Directs employee’s work through technical and managerial expertise.
• Communicates, advises on and reinforces organizational needs, vision, and change efforts with team.
• Sets and communicates vision for their team to achieve high performance and positive business results, which includes overall and daily goals. Provides clarity on goals as necessary.
• Supports the team by equipping them to solve complex problems, learn new and necessary skills, and effectively collaborate as a center of excellence across the organization.
• Responsible for handling team grievances, incidents, conflict management and emergency situations.
• Holds team members accountable to follow all company policies (ex. handbook, travel, etc.).
• Responsible for managing and approving employee leaves and time cards, as well as reinforcing timekeeping and attendance requirements.
• Participate in defining roles within the team to support the company’s strategic plan and track KPIs for each role for regular review.
• Strategize career paths within the function and prepares a succession plan for each role, support employee career progression within the company.
• Lead teams to develop documented, reliable processes and procedures that produce results.

Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in safety, occupational health, business, or related field OR 7–10 years of progressive safety leadership experience strongly preferred.
• Experience leading both OSHA and DOT compliance programs in transportation, distribution, or industrial environments strongly preferred.
• Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Associate Safety Professional (ASP), or similar certification preferred.
• Experience in heavy-duty transportation, fleet operations, or multi-site distribution business strongly preferred.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office software, with ability and enthusiasm to learn other software.
• Knowledge of safety standards, regulatory complaince and risk mitigation strategies.
• Knowledge of project management, continuous improvement and change management methodologies.
• Strong regulatory research skills and application capability.
• Ability to analyze safety and fleet data, draw conclusions, and provide actionable insights.
• Ability to communicate complex regulatory concepts clearly to diverse operational audiences.
• Ability to organize teams around clear goals and drive measurable safety performance improvements.
• Ability to influence others to build a culture that respects and executes on safety standards.
• Ability to effectively collaborate with multiple areas to solve a common goal.
• Strong emotional intelligence and ability to influence leaders at all levels.
• Strong faciliation and presentation skills to a wide range of audiences.
• Commitment to integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Commitment to accountability and ownership.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to lift/carry 5 lbs frequently.
• Must be able to lift/carry 25 lbs occasionally.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Ability to travel to field locations including warehouses, shops, and yard environments as needed.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) 5% Match
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid jury duty
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Referral program
• Vision insurance

Location:

• Grand Rapids, MI 49508 (Preferred)

Ability to Relocate:

• Grand Rapids, MI 49508: Relocate with an employer provided relocation package (Preferred)

Work Location: In person