Environment, Health and Safety Manager

Job Description:

The Manager of Health, Safety, and Environmental provides strategic leadership and oversight for all health, safety, and environmental programs at Treatt’s Lakeland facility, ensuring a safe, sustainable, and compliant operation within a dynamic food manufacturing environment. This role serves as the principal advisor to senior management on all EHS matters, developing and implementing policies that protect people, assets, and the environment while supporting Treatt’s values and operational excellence goals.

This position is responsible for establishing long-term safety strategies, leading a proactive safety culture, ensuring adherence to local, state, and federal regulations (including OSHA, EPA, FDA, and FSMA), and embedding environmental stewardship and sustainability initiatives across the business. The Director will lead continuous improvement programs that minimize risk, enhance employee engagement, and reinforce Treatt’s commitment to safety as a core business value.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute the site’s HSE strategic plan aligned with corporate and global objectives, ensuring integration with business operations and sustainability goals.
• Partner with senior leadership to foster a world-class safety culture emphasizing accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement.
• Serve as a member of the Plant Leadership Team, influencing decisions that impact safety, environmental performance, and regulatory compliance.
• Lead HSE risk management initiatives, identifying emerging risks and developing mitigation strategies.

Health & Safety Management

• Direct the design, implementation, and improvement of comprehensive HSE management systems in accordance with ISO, OSHA, and corporate standards.
• Oversee the development and delivery of training programs, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and promoting proactive safety awareness among employees and contractors.
• Establish performance metrics, dashboards, and KPIs to monitor safety performance and drive continuous improvement.
• Oversee the initiation, documentation, and tracking of all workers’ compensation claims, ensuring timely and accurate submission of required reports, coordination with Human Resources, and compliance with state and federal regulations.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for workers’ compensation inquiries, maintaining communication between employees, HR, insurance carriers, and medical providers to facilitate case management and return-to-work programs.
• Lead and review all incident investigations, ensuring root-cause analysis and implementation of corrective and preventive actions.
• Oversee safety audits, behavioral-based safety programs, and near-miss reporting to ensure sustainable compliance and cultural adoption.
• Chair the Site Safety Committee and mentor Safety Champions to strengthen ownership and engagement at all levels.

Environmental & Sustainability Leadership

• Oversee environmental compliance programs, including waste management, air and water permitting, chemical handling, and pollution prevention.
• Ensure proper preparation and submission of environmental reports (SPCC, Tier II, TRI, stormwater, hazardous waste).
• Partner with corporate sustainability teams to integrate resource-efficiency initiatives (energy, water, waste reduction) into plant operations.
• Ensure the facility remains compliant with EPA, DEP, and local environmental regulations, anticipating changes and adapting policies accordingly.

Emergency Preparedness & Regulatory Relations

• Lead emergency response planning, crisis management, and business continuity efforts.
• Serve as the primary liaison with regulatory agencies during inspections, audits, and reporting activities.
• Coordinate responses to external audits, insurance reviews, and corporate assessments, ensuring action plans are executed effectively.

Leadership & People Development

• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing HSE team, promoting technical growth and leadership capability.
• Partner with HR and department heads to integrate HSE considerations into onboarding, performance management, and leadership development.
• Champion cross-functional collaboration with Quality, Engineering, and Operations to embed safety and environmental excellence into plant design and daily activities.
• Collaborate closely with HR to align workers’ compensation procedures, injury reporting, and employee recovery processes with overall safety and wellness initiatives.

Continuous Improvement & Innovation

• Evaluate new technologies, systems, and methods to improve HSE performance.
• Leverage data analytics and digital tools to enhance reporting, predictive risk identification, and performance transparency.
• Benchmark against industry best practices and participate in professional HSE networks to maintain leading-edge expertise.

Education & Training:

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Occupational Health & Safety, Industrial Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 10 years of progressive HSE experience in food, beverage, or ingredient manufacturing, including at least 5 years in a leadership capacity.
• Proven success in developing and implementing HSE management systems in alignment with OSHA, EPA, FDA, and GFSI/FSMA regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead cultural transformation in a manufacturing setting.
• Experience with sustainability and ESG initiatives highly desirable.
• Professional certifications preferred: CSP, CIH, CHMM, or equivalent.

Knowledge & Experience:

• Strategic thinking and the ability to translate vision into actionable plans.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence across levels and functions.
• Excellent understanding of U.S. regulatory frameworks and international standards.
• Data-driven decision making and strong analytical skills.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Continuous improvement mindset with strong problem-solving capabilities.
• Proven ability to build engagement and accountability across diverse teams.