EHS Manager

About the role

We’re looking for an accomplished Health, Safety & Environmental (HSE) leader to take ownership of safety, environmental compliance, sustainability, workers’ compensation, and risk management at a large-scale manufacturing facility in Oregon. This is a highly visible leadership opportunity for someone who can move beyond simply maintaining compliance and build a proactive safety culture, strengthen environmental performance, develop high-performing teams, and drive measurable improvements across the operation. You’ll partner closely with site leadership and employees at all levels while serving as a key voice on safety, environmental responsibility, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

Safety & Risk Leadership

• Lead the site’s overall HSE strategy, programs, initiatives, and performance goals.
• Drive a proactive, incident-prevention culture focused on protecting employees and creating a safer workplace.
• Establish and improve leading and lagging safety metrics, including incident rates and workers’ compensation performance.
• Lead initiatives related to hazard identification, risk reduction, audits, corrective actions, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee site safety programs including energy control/LOTO, contractor safety, internal audits, and other critical safety systems.
• Partner with operations and leadership teams to identify risks and implement practical solutions.
• Help reduce workplace incidents, claims, costs, and operational liabilities.

Environmental Leadership

• Lead environmental compliance and sustainability initiatives for a complex manufacturing operation.
• Oversee day-to-day environmental programs involving air emissions, wastewater/effluent, solid waste, chemical management, and permitting.
• Identify opportunities to reduce the facility’s environmental footprint while improving efficiency and controlling costs.
• Lead environmental audits, inspections, corrective actions, reporting, and regulatory interactions.
• Serve as a primary point of contact with regulatory agencies and external organizations.
• Develop and strengthen environmental management systems and processes.
• Partner with engineering and operations teams on larger environmental projects and improvements.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of HSE professionals.
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, accountability, and performance expectations across the HSE organization.
• Coach team members and develop future HSE leaders.
• Work directly with site leadership on employee development, training, performance management, and organizational effectiveness.
• Build strong partnerships with both hourly and salaried employees across the facility.
• Promote a culture of ownership, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Workers’ Compensation & Employee Well-Being

• Oversee workers’ compensation programs and claims management.
• Partner with employees, medical providers, and internal stakeholders to support quality care and timely return-to-work outcomes.
• Identify opportunities to reduce claim frequency, severity, and associated costs.
• Promote employee well-being through proactive safety and health initiatives.

Leadership, Communication & Community Relations

• Serve as a trusted HSE advisor to site leadership and operational teams.
• Communicate HSE performance, risks, priorities, and improvement opportunities to a wide range of audiences.
• Represent the facility during regulatory inspections, third-party audits, and external inquiries.
• Serve as a local point of contact for community organizations and other external stakeholders regarding environmental and safety matters.
• Build productive working relationships with regulatory and government representatives.
• Participate in an on-call/duty coverage rotation, including occasional weekend coverage.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Engineering, Occupational Health & Safety, or a related field.
• 8–12+ years of progressive HSE experience within manufacturing or another complex industrial environment.
• Strong knowledge of workplace safety, environmental compliance, and regulatory requirements.
• Strong understanding of OSHA and EPA regulations.
• Demonstrated experience leading safety and environmental programs at a manufacturing facility.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, problem-solving, and training skills.
• Proven ability to influence employees and leaders at all levels of an organization.
• A hands-on, action-oriented leadership style with the ability to balance long-term strategy with day-to-day operational needs.
• Ability to build effective teams, establish priorities, and drive accountability in a fast-paced industrial environment.

Qualifications

• CSP, CIH, or comparable professional certification.
• Advanced degree in a related discipline.
• Experience working in a unionized manufacturing environment.
• Experience in heavy manufacturing, forest products, paper/packaging, chemical processing, or another industry with a similarly complex risk profile.
• Engineering background with strong environmental expertise.
• Experience working within a continuous improvement or high-performance operating system.
• Experience managing regulatory agencies, inspections, audits, and permitting.
• Experience leading environmental sustainability and footprint-reduction initiatives.
• Strong understanding of both regulatory requirements and the practical realities of working with hourly and salaried manufacturing teams.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with company contributions
• Company-paid life insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Tuition reimbursement and professional development opportunities
• Student loan repayment assistance
• Voluntary insurance benefits, including home, auto, and pet coverage
• Leadership development and training programs
• Career advancement and promotional opportunities
• Opportunity to make a meaningful impact on safety, sustainability, and environmental performance
• Collaborative environment with opportunities to lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing HSE team

Pay

Base salary range: $126,000 – $186,000 per year (posted as $126,000–$168,000 base salary in benefits detail).