EHS Manager

AFL provides industry-leading fiber optic products and services across the globe. Founded in 1984, AFL now manufactures more than 2,000 products, employs over 5,000 associates, and generates annual revenues exceeding $2 billion.

About the role

The EHS Manager – Broadband Operations leads environmental, health, safety, and security (EHSS) performance across AFL’s Broadband construction, installation, and operational field activities. This role protects employees, contractors, customers, and the public while enabling safe, efficient, and predictable project execution in fast-paced telecommunications environments. The EHSS Manager serves as the primary EHSS liaison between AFL Broadband leadership, customers, municipalities, utilities, contractors, and field operations teams. Success is measured by proactive risk identification, effective hazard control implementation, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement. This role reports to the EHS Director and has the authority to escalate safety concerns and stop work when critical controls are absent or conditions present imminent risk.

Scope of Responsibility

• Construction & Deployment: Full EHSS oversight of broadband construction and deployment activities, including fiber optic installation, aerial and underground construction, directional drilling and trenching, utility make-ready activities, pole attachment work, and network expansion/upgrade projects.
• Operations: EHSS support for broadband maintenance, repair, service activation, network restoration, warehousing, and other field operations.
• Coverage: Supports multiple concurrent projects, customers, and geographic markets. Position is highly field-oriented with significant travel to active project sites.

Responsibilities

• Leadership, Authority & Safety Culture:
  • Lead and sustain a proactive, risk-based safety culture throughout Broadband Operations.
  • Promote safety through effective risk identification and control verification.
  • Maintain a strong field presence to coach leaders, supervisors, field technicians, and contractors.
  • Partner with operational leaders to integrate EHSS controls into project planning and execution.
  • Exercise stop-work authority when critical controls are missing or ineffective.
  • Support leadership accountability for EHSS performance across all levels.
• Customer, Contractor & Stakeholder Interface:
  • Serve as the primary EHSS liaison between AFL Broadband leadership, customer EHSS representatives, municipalities, utilities, contractors, and specialty subcontractors.
  • Translate customer-specific EHSS requirements into practical field execution standards.
  • Support customer audits, site visits, inspections, and compliance reviews.
  • Promote consistent EHSS expectations across multi-employer work environments.
• Risk Management & Field Execution:
  • Lead hazard identification, risk mitigation, and control verification for activities such as utility construction, aerial fiber construction, pole climbing, bucket truck operations, excavation, HDD, traffic control, electrical hazards, confined space entry, fleet operations, and environmental/storm-response work.
  • Support job hazard analyses (JHAs) and task-specific risk assessments.
  • Participate in pre-task planning and daily safety briefings.
  • Verify implementation of critical controls before work begins.
  • Conduct field inspections and risk assessments focused on high-risk activities.
• Contractor Safety Oversight:
  • Support contractor prequalification and onboarding processes.
  • Verify contractor compliance with AFL standards, customer requirements, and regulatory obligations.
  • Conduct safety observations, audits, and field assessments.
  • Identify performance gaps and drive corrective actions.
  • Provide coaching and accountability for contractor EHSS performance.
• Incident, Emergency & Crisis Management:
  • Lead or support investigations involving injuries, vehicle incidents, property damage, utility strikes, near misses, and public safety incidents.
  • Conduct structured root cause analysis and ensure corrective actions are effective.
  • Support emergency preparedness and response planning.
  • Coordinate incident reporting and escalation per AFL and customer requirements.
  • Share lessons learned to prevent recurrence.
• Security, Compliance & Program Support:
  • Reinforce site security expectations and protection of customer infrastructure.
  • Support compliance with federal, state, local, and customer EHSS requirements.
  • Interpret and apply OSHA regulations and industry standards.
  • Maintain accurate and auditable EHSS documentation and records.
  • Support internal audits, regulatory inspections, and customer compliance reviews.
• Training, Communication & Engagement:
  • Develop and deliver practical EHSS training programs for employees and contractors.
  • Oversee onboarding, refresher training, and task-specific qualifications.
  • Communicate safety expectations using clear, field-focused messaging.
  • Support leadership engagement initiatives, toolbox talks, and safety campaigns.
• Metrics, Reporting & Continuous Improvement:
  • Track and analyze key performance indicators including incident frequency, near-miss trends, utility strike prevention, vehicle safety, audit findings, training completion, and field compliance observations.
  • Report trends and risk insights to leadership.
  • Leverage data to drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Success Measures / KPIs

• Reduction in recordable and high-potential incidents
• Reduction in utility damages and service interruptions
• Timely closure of audit findings and corrective actions
• Contractor compliance and field execution quality
• Effective management of high-risk construction activities
• Positive customer audit and program feedback
• Increased proactive hazard identification and near-miss reporting
• Strong EHSS culture and engagement across Broadband Operations

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Health & Safety, Construction Management, Engineering, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 7+ years of EHSS experience supporting construction, utility, telecommunications, or field-based operations.
• Demonstrated experience managing EHSS programs in multi-employer construction environments.
• Strong working knowledge of OSHA regulations and telecommunications construction safety requirements.
• Experience supporting aerial, underground, utility, or broadband infrastructure work.
• Proven ability to influence without direct authority and build credibility with operational leaders and contractors.
• Ability to travel up to 50% and support off-hours, emergency, or restoration activities as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Broadband, telecommunications, fiber optic, utility, or infrastructure construction experience.
• Experience supporting large-scale fiber deployment programs.
• OSHA 30-Hour Certification.
• Professional certification such as CSP, CHST, ASP, or equivalent.
• Experience with utility coordination, excavation safety, or directional drilling operations.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish).

Working Conditions

• Remote-based with frequent travel to project sites, customer locations, and field offices.
• Regular exposure to active construction environments, utility corridors, roadside work zones, and underground infrastructure projects.
• Exposure to varying weather conditions and physically demanding environments.
• Flexibility to support evening, weekend, emergency restoration, storm response, and customer-driven activities as required.