What are the responsibilities and job description for the Environmental, Health & Safety Manager position at The Gowan Co.?
Position Summary:
The Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Manager is accountable for leading, governing, and continuously improving all environmental, health, and safety programs at a chemical manufacturing facility. This role ensures regulatory compliance, oversees implementation of corporate EHS strategies, and drives alignment with global standards and KPIs.
The EHS Manager functions as a key member of the site leadership team and partners closely with Global EHS, Quality, Operations, and Plant leadership to reduce risk and embed a strong safety and environmental stewardship culture. The role is transformation-oriented, focusing on proactive risk reduction, compliance excellence, and continuous improvement across all EHS systems, processes, and initiatives.
Job Status:
- Full-Time / Onsite-Gowan Milling Plant, Yuma, AZ
- Salaried
- Exempt
- Reports to: Plant Manager
Role Responsibilities:
1. EHS Governance & Authority
- Regular interaction with Global EHS, Global Quality, Operations Leadership, and Plant Managers
- Acts as site owner of EHS governance, compliance programs, and performance standards
- Define and maintain site-level EHS governance aligned with global standards
- Establish and enforce environmental, health, and safety policies and procedures
- Ensure EHS risks are integrated into site and enterprise risk management
- Serve as primary authority on regulatory compliance and EHS standards
2. Environmental Compliance & Sustainability
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local environmental regulations
- Oversee air permits, hazardous waste management, stormwater programs, spill prevention, and reporting
- Coordinate regulatory inspections, audits, and agency interactions
- Drive environmental performance improvements and sustainability initiatives
3. Health & Safety Management
- Develop and continuously improve site safety management systems
- Ensure compliance with OSHA and internal safety standards
- Lead risk assessments, contractor safety programs, and permit-to-work systems
- Oversee workers’ compensation, injury management, and return-to-work programs
4. Process Safety & Industrial Hygiene
- Lead Process Risk Assessments (PRA), Management of Change (MOC), and pre-startup safety reviews
- Ensure safe introduction of new processes and materials
- Oversee industrial hygiene programs and exposure monitoring
- Maintain hazard communication programs and SDS compliance
5. Incident Investigation & Risk Reduction
- Lead incident investigations using root cause analysis methodologies
- Develop and implement corrective and preventive actions
- Analyze trends to drive proactive risk reduction strategies
6. Performance, Systems & Continuous Improvement
- Develop and track leading and lagging EHS KPIs
- Conduct management reviews and report performance to leadership
- Lead internal and external audits and ensure continuous improvement
- Maintain compliance documentation, records, and reporting systems
7. Budget, Projects & Resource Management
- Develop and manage EHS operating and capital budgets
- Identify and implement capital projects to improve safety and environmental compliance
- Partner with engineering and operations on facility and process improvements
- Ensure appropriate staffing, training, and capability development
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Health & Safety, Engineering, Environmental Science, Chemistry, or related field
- 7 years of EHS experience in manufacturing (chemical industry preferred)
- 5 years of leadership experience
- Preferred: Professional certifications such as CSP, ASP, CHMM, or CIH
Experience / Skills / Abilities:
- Strong knowledge of OSHA, NFPA, RCRA, and environmental regulations
- Proven experience managing EHS compliance programs and audits
- Demonstrated leadership in incident investigation and risk mitigation
- Ability to influence across all levels of the organization
- Strong analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills
- Experience with sustainability platforms (e.g., Greenly, EcoVadis) preferred
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred
What Success Looks Like:
- Consistent engineering standards globally
- Disciplined CAPEX delivery
- Improved reliability and safety
- Reduced variability
- Engineering as core enabler
Job Expectations / Working Conditions:
- Regular presence in manufacturing/plant environment
- Ability to respond to emergencies or incidents as needed
- Occasional travel (regional/corporate)
- Exposure to industrial conditions requiring adherence to PPE and safety protocols