Director, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) – North America

About Us

BW Packaging is driving performance at the intersection of people, technology, and customer care. As part of the privately held Barry-Wehmiller family, we unite a global team of packaging experts with a clear purpose: People Who Care, Building Solutions that Perform. We take on our customers’ toughest challenges as our own — delivering both innovative and enduring solutions that set the standard for value and performance. Our strength comes from our people and the power of our brands — trusted names in packaging that are known worldwide for engineering excellence, application expertise, and lifetime commitment to customer success.

Truly Human Leadership guides our belief that exceptional business results and profound respect for people together provide the foundation of enduring success. We are committed to forging lasting partnerships with our customers, earning their trust through integrity, expertise, and execution. With our full range of packaging solutions and long-term partnership and service, we help customers achieve operational excellence today while building the future of packaging together.

Barry-Wehmiller is a diversified global supplier of engineering consulting and manufacturing technology for the packaging, corrugating, sheeting, and paper-converting industries. By blending people-centric leadership with disciplined operational strategies and purpose-driven growth, Barry-Wehmiller has become a $3 billion organization with nearly 12,000 team members united by a common belief: to use the power of business to build a better world.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
  • Develop, implement, execute, and continuously improve the EHS strategy aligned with business goals and culture expectations.
  • Establish and standardize EHS governance models, policies, procedures, and best practices across all global sites and ensure consistent application.
  • Advise executive leadership on EHS risks, trends, and regulatory impacts.
• Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management
  • Ensure compliance with global regulatory bodies including local manufacturing safety regulations.
  • Conduct global EHS audits, inspections, and risk assessments to verify adherence to standards and identify improvement opportunities.
  • Monitor emerging regulatory requirements affecting manufacturing and implement proactive readiness plans.
  • Oversee incident investigation report outs and ensure root cause corrective actions (RCCA) are completed and implemented.
• Safety Program Management
  • Partner with BW Corporate safety & BW Packaging EMEA safety, aligning with corporate-driven policies and initiatives and representing BW Packaging on Corporate safety calls.
  • Develop, implement, maintain, and continuously improve safety programs (e.g., LOTO, arc flash protection, safe lifting & rigging, machine safety, fall protection, emergency response).
  • Lead deployment and sustained execution of behavior-based safety, near miss reporting, and safety Gemba program.
  • Develop and maintain a centralized repository for safety-related documentation including policies, regulations, SOPs, best practices, investigation findings & RCCAs, metrics, and global safety meeting agendas & actions.
  • Ensure consistent adoption and execution of safety programs across sites, holding leaders accountable for implementation and follow-through.
  • Drive reduction of workplace injuries, incidents, and occupational health risks.
  • Monitor safety performance metrics and ensure transparency in reporting.
• Environmental Program Management
  • Drive compliance with environmental regulations relevant to manufacturing (air emissions, water hazardous waste/waste management, wastewater discharge, chemical storage, stormwater, spill response).
  • Oversee environmental permitting, reporting, and audits ensuring reporting is completed accurately and on time.
• Workers Compensation Management (US)
  • Effective claims management from start to finish including reporting, documentation, investigations, coordination with insurance carriers and legal, and communication with all parties.
  • Return-to-work support including coordinating with leaders, team members, and the people team to develop modified duty or transitional work plans to bring team members back safely and quickly.
  • Ensure all state and federal reporting timelines and state-specific regulations are met.
  • Manage costs and risks by reviewing claims for accuracy, fraud concerns, or unnecessary costs working with carriers to negotiate reserves.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact between the team member, insurer, legal, and providers while always maintaining confidentiality and handling sensitive information professionally.
  • Track and report costs and claim updates to executive leaders, including reserve increases.
• Training & Culture Building
  • Develop and deliver EHS training programs for team members, leaders, and contractors.
  • Oversee vendor agreements for safety consultants and/or training providers.
  • Ensure competency in required technical areas (hazardous materials, PPE, ergonomics, emergency response).
  • Coach and mentor team members, operational and field service leaders, safety partners, and the people team in applicable EHS expectations.
  • Build a strong safety culture of safety ownership and proactive risk identification in daily operations emphasizing shared responsibility and preventive behaviors.
  • Develop, lead, and sustain engagement activities such as the monthly global safety meeting, site safety committees, recognition programs, and behavior-based safety initiatives.
  • Influence leaders and team members at all levels to model safety behaviors that foster a strong safety culture.
• Performance Management & Reporting
  • Ensure compliance with all government agency reporting requirements (e.g., OSHA record keeping, local health and safety authority or labor inspector reporting).
  • Establish EHS KPIs and dashboards aligned to manufacturing metrics (e.g., TRIR, DART, near miss KPIs, environmental impact metrics, audit closure rates).
  • Present EHS performance reports and strategic recommendations to executive leadership.
  • Develop and maintain centralized reporting systems to ensure visibility and consistency across all facilities.
• Leadership
  • Embody BW’s Leadership & Team Member Expectations.
  • Foster and model a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and customer focus.
  • Partner and collaborate with cross-functional leaders across BW Packaging.
  • Train, coach, and develop team members to foster a culture of People and Performance in harmony.
  • Ensure all policies and procedures are adhered to by team members.
  • Review and approve time-off requests, balancing employee needs with operational requirements.
  • Conduct regular performance reviews, provide feedback, set goals, support team member development, and manage job performance.
  • Partner with the People team on team member development, performance documentation, and overall employee relations issues.
• Operational Excellence
  • Exceed Customers Expectations and deliver on the Trust they’ve given us through their order.
  • Embody Barry-Wehmiller’s Team Member Expectations & Team Member Goals.
  • Recommend and implement process improvements to increase workflow optimization, efficiency, and waste reduction.
  • Adhere to standard processes and practices.
  • Follow all safety guidelines, including wearing required PPE, and maintain a clean, organized work area.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required in safety, operations, engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive EHS leadership experience, preferably in manufacturing or industrial environments.
• Professional certifications, e.g., Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM), NEBOSH International General Certificate (IGC) or NEBOSH Diploma, strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success developing EHS programs and influencing safety culture across multiple sites.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and implement standardized EHS systems in complex operational environments.
• Deep understanding of manufacturing safety standards and environmental regulations.
• Significant experience with Workers’ Compensation.
• Strong leadership and communication skills; ability to influence across diverse functions, levels, and cultures.
• Ability to balance strategic vision with hands-on engagement.

Skills

• High ethical standards.
• Models and supports organization’s goals and values; adapts to changing conditions; demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles.
• Excellent communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills with the ability to convey information and ideas in a variety of media.
• Action-oriented and full of energy; enjoys challenges; drives for results.
• Solid analytical skills and solution-driven thinking; collects and researches data; uses intuition and experience to complement data.
• Makes good decisions based upon a mixture of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment.
• Agility and personal adaptability with the ability to successfully manage multiple priorities with a high sense of urgency in a rapidly changing environment.
• Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; develops alternative solutions; works well in group problem-solving situations.
• Displays original thinking and creativity; meets challenges with resourcefulness; generates suggestions for improving work.
• Flexibility to take on evolving responsibilities in response to strategic priorities and business needs.

Physical Demands

• Ability to sit or stand and work at a desk or workstation for extended periods.
• Ability to use a computer, keyboard, mouse, and phone for prolonged periods of time.
• Ability to read information on screens, documents, and presentations and to communicate verbally and in writing.
• Ability to lift or transfer materials weighing up to 50 pounds, occasionally.
• Ability to climb stairs or ladders to access equipment.
• Ability to work in a variety of environments, including office settings and manufacturing plants.

Schedule

Travel: Up to 50%. Ability to travel by air, car, or train.

Pay

The approximate pay range for this position is $130K - $140K base salary + competitive incentive structure which may vary based on performance. Final compensation may vary based on factors including but not limited to background, knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as geographic location of the position.