Corporate Safety Director

FDRsafety is seeking a Corporate Safety Director to lead and scale enterprise-wide safety strategy across multiple manufacturing facilities in North America. This role is responsible for driving a proactive, data-driven safety culture, ensuring regulatory compliance, and implementing best-in-class safety programs across high-risk industrial environments.

This is a highly visible leadership role partnering with executive leadership, plant operations, and engineering teams to integrate safety into all aspects of the business.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Governance

• Develop and execute a North America-wide safety strategy aligned with operational goals and risk profile.
• Establish standardized safety policies and management systems across all facilities.
• Serve as the corporate authority on safety governance, escalation, and decision-making.
• Lead the transformation from compliance-driven to proactive, prevention-focused safety culture.

Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with OSHA and applicable safety regulations across all operating regions.
• Lead regulatory audits, inspections, and corrective action initiatives.
• Conduct enterprise-level risk assessments across high-hazard manufacturing activities.
• Monitor and anticipate regulatory changes impacting operations.

Manufacturing Safety Programs

• Oversee implementation of critical safety programs, including:
  • Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)
  • Machine guarding & automation safety
  • Electrical safety & arc flash
  • Confined space & hot work
  • Material handling & lifting systems
  • Contractor and visitor safety
• Partner with engineering and operations to embed safety into equipment design and capital projects.
• Develop and implement enterprise-level safety training programs.

Incident Prevention & Performance

• Establish and monitor leading and lagging safety KPIs.
• Lead incident investigations and root cause analysis.
• Drive enterprise-wide corrective actions and knowledge sharing.
• Champion near-miss reporting and hazard identification programs.

Leadership & Culture

• Lead and develop regional safety teams across multiple sites.
• Influence plant leadership to take ownership of safety performance.
• Drive leadership engagement through site visits, audits, and accountability systems.
• Support union and labor environments as applicable.

Data & Continuous Improvement

• Implement and optimize safety management systems and reporting tools.
• Use analytics to prioritize risk reduction and resource allocation.
• Integrate safety into Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Benchmark safety performance against industry best practices.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Operations, Engineering, HR, Legal, and Risk Management teams.
• Support safety integration in acquisitions, expansions, and new site startups.
• Collaborate with HR on training and workforce development initiatives.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Safety, Engineering, Environmental Health, or related field required
• Master’s degree preferred

Experience

• 10 years of progressive EHS leadership experience in heavy manufacturing or industrial environments
• Proven success leading safety programs across multiple facilities
• Experience in high-risk operations such as fabrication, automation, welding, or heavy equipment

Certifications (Preferred)

• CSP, CIH, CHST or equivalent
• Lean / Six Sigma certification a plus

Key Competencies

• Executive-level leadership and influence
• Strong technical knowledge of industrial safety systems
• Data-driven decision making
• Change management and culture transformation
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement

Work Environment

• Frequent travel to manufacturing facilities (40–60%)
• Exposure to industrial production environments
• Occasional off-hours support for incidents or compliance matters