What are the responsibilities and job description for the HSE Specialist position at Ohly?
Ohly is the third largest yeast extract producer in the world with sites in Germany and the USA. We develop, produce and deliver high-quality yeast-based flavours and specialty powders. Ohly is part of the $17.6bn turnover Associated British Food (ABF) Group. ABF is a broad portfolio of businesses which includes Primark, Ovaltine, Twinings, AB Enzymes, and is the world’s second largest producer of both sugar and baker’s yeast.
ABF takes a long-term perspective on investment and performance, and stimulates entrepreneurship by giving high degrees of autonomy to operational businesses. This means that decisions are taken as close as possible to their point of impact allowing teams the freedom to act, in order to be successfully flexible and fast. ABF invests a great deal in selecting and developing the right people for Ohly and the broader ABF group of companies.
We are seeking a proactive and hands-on HSE Specialist to build, implement, and lead Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) and Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) programs during the development of our new site to join our team in Boyceville Wisconsin USA.
Reporting directly to the HSE Manager with a dotted line to the Aurora (project: development of our new site in Eau Claure, WI) Operations Leader. This role is critical in shaping the foundation of safety, compliance, and sustainability at a new operational site.
This is an exciting opportunity for a “roll-up-your-sleeves” professional who thrives in a lean, fast-paced environment—someone who can both develop strategy and execute tactically. You’ll collaborate across all business functions to ensure compliance, drive engagement, and foster a strong culture of safety and accountability from the ground up.
Key Responsibilities
Edication & Experience
ABF takes a long-term perspective on investment and performance, and stimulates entrepreneurship by giving high degrees of autonomy to operational businesses. This means that decisions are taken as close as possible to their point of impact allowing teams the freedom to act, in order to be successfully flexible and fast. ABF invests a great deal in selecting and developing the right people for Ohly and the broader ABF group of companies.
We are seeking a proactive and hands-on HSE Specialist to build, implement, and lead Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) and Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) programs during the development of our new site to join our team in Boyceville Wisconsin USA.
Reporting directly to the HSE Manager with a dotted line to the Aurora (project: development of our new site in Eau Claure, WI) Operations Leader. This role is critical in shaping the foundation of safety, compliance, and sustainability at a new operational site.
This is an exciting opportunity for a “roll-up-your-sleeves” professional who thrives in a lean, fast-paced environment—someone who can both develop strategy and execute tactically. You’ll collaborate across all business functions to ensure compliance, drive engagement, and foster a strong culture of safety and accountability from the ground up.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and implement HSE and environmental policies and procedures for a new facility
- Establish Lockout/Tagout (LO/TO) standard isolation documentation
- Support and deliver new hire HSE orientation programs
- Ensure environmental permits are implemented, monitored, and documented
- Build and maintain inspection and audit cadences
- Design and deliver monthly safety training programs
- Develop standardized documentation systems (checklists, forms, procedures)
- Establish site security protocols and construction safety guidelines
- Create Job Safety Analyses (JSAs) across all operations
- Conduct PPE needs assessments and implement supplier/keep-fill systems
- Research and implement safety management systems
- Partner with Workers’ Compensation providers on ergonomic assessments
- Collaborate with Aurora FFE Leader to prepare the site for production readiness
- Ensure compliance with all Federal, State, County, City, and ABF requirements
- Develop emergency preparedness and response programs
- Manage contractor onboarding and compliance via Gatefeed
- Implement root cause analysis systems to drive continuous improvement
- Take on additional responsibilities as required to support site success
Edication & Experience
- Associate’s degree in Environmental Health & Safety, Engineering, or related field preferred
- 7 years of EHS experience in manufacturing, distribution, or industrial environments
- Proven experience building or significantly enhancing EHS programs
- Strong understanding of:
- OSHA regulations, recordkeeping, and reporting
- Environmental compliance (EPA and Wisconsin DNR requirements)
- Workers’ compensation processes
- ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 standards
- Experience with ESG reporting, sustainability initiatives, or customer ESG expectations is a plus
- OSHA 30 certification (or equivalent) preferred
- Strong leadership with a hands-on, solution-oriented mindset
- Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
- Strong organizational and project management capabilities
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, lean environment
- Skilled in incident investigations and driving corrective actions to closure
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and EHS management systems