Corporate Safety Director, Industrial Construction

We are seeking a Corporate Safety Director to lead and shape a best-in-class safety program while driving a company-wide culture that prioritizes people, accountability, and operational excellence. In this high-impact leadership role, you will combine strategic program management with hands-on field engagement, guiding site-specific safety initiatives across multiple heavy industrial construction sites, while also mentoring a team of safety supervisors and specialists.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a privately held, debt-free company with strong growth potential, a stellar industry reputation, and values rooted in teamwork, integrity, and giving back to the community. Our client provides engineering, construction, maintenance, and rebuild services for air pollution control equipment and electrostatic precipitators, serving industrial customers in Pulp and Paper, Chemical, Petrochemical, Steel, and Power Generation industries.

Compensation includes a competitive base salary, annual bonus incentives, company vehicle, matching 401-K, and a comprehensive benefits package, including 100% of premiums for family health insurance fully covered by the company. Generous relocation assistance to Central AL will be provided, if needed.

Essential Job Functions:

• Lead the company’s corporate Safety & EHS program across all industrial construction sites, including Pulp and Paper mills, Power plants, Steel mills, and other heavy industrial facilities.
• Develop, implement, and enforce safety policies, procedures, and training programs, including OSHA compliance and site-specific protocols (e.g., confined space, fall protection, lock-out/tag-out).
• Provide leadership, mentorship, and oversight for a team of Safety Supervisors and Field Specialists.
• Ensure safe and timely execution of projects during plant shutdowns, outages, and turnarounds, managing safety priorities under tight timelines without compromising quality or compliance standards.
• Conduct safety audits, incident investigations, and root cause analyses to prevent recurrence of safety events and improve program effectiveness.
• Collaborate with Project Managers, Superintendents, and Field Craft personnel to ensure safe execution of maintenance, repair, and new construction projects.
• Monitor and report on safety performance metrics, including OSHA recordables, lost-time incidents, and near-miss events.
• Build strong relationships with field crews to promote personal ownership of safety culture through education, onsite toolbox meetings, and open communication.
• Ensure all personnel, including contractors, are trained and compliant with site-specific safety requirements and company standards.
• Travel up to 50% to project sites primarily located in Southeast and South Central US.

Qualifications & Experience Required:

• BS/BA in Construction Management, Engineering, Occupational Safety, or a related technical field. Advanced degrees preferred.
• Advanced Safety certifications (CSP, CHST) are a plus, but not required.
• 10–15 years of Safety Program leadership in Heavy Industrial, Construction Management, Mechanical Contracting, or Industrial Cleaning, with hands-on experience planning and executing maintenance/repair projects during plant shutdowns, outages, and turnarounds.
• Experience in Pulp and Paper mills or similar industrial settings is strongly preferred.
• Proven track record of leading Safety programs, building Safety cultures, and achieving measurable Safety improvements.
• Strong knowledge of OSHA standards, safety regulations, and industrial construction practices.
• Experience managing and developing Safety teams, including field-based personnel and contractors.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build rapport with field crews, supervisors, and corporate leadership.
• Comfortable using online training portals (e.g., ISN, TappiSafe, Cognabox) and managing digital compliance tracking.
• Willingness to travel 50% overnight and reside in/near Central AL corporate HQ.

Our client is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).