Safety Professional

Black Hills Energy is a people-powered, purpose-driven team improving life for over one million customers in 800+ communities across the West and Midwest. We seek talented, caring individuals who embody our core values and contribute to a culture of inclusion and growth.

About the role

The Safety Professional will coordinate, implement, and direct overall safety support services. This role involves conducting safety audits, risk assessments, and training to mitigate hazards and prevent Serious Injuries and Fatalities (SIF). The Safety Professional collaborates with leadership and frontline employees to drive continuous improvement in safety performance and maintain a psychologically safe work environment. A strong focus on regulatory compliance, incident investigation, and proactive hazard identification is essential.

Location: Grimes, Webster City, or Newton, Iowa. Relocation assistance is available based on individual circumstances.

Responsibilities

• Maintain an active safety presence by conducting orientations and training, attending safety meetings, and performing field inspections focused on identifying Serious Injury and Fatality (SIF) potential and promoting safe work practices.
• Ensure compliance with applicable safety regulations, government standards, and industry best practices through policy implementation, training, audits, and ongoing monitoring.
• Provide expert consultation and coaching to managers, supervisors, and employees on safety programs, hazard controls, risk-reduction strategies, and regulatory requirements.
• Manage safety data and recordkeeping systems, including training records, OSHA logs, incident reporting, and regulatory submissions to ensure timely and accurate documentation.
• Lead or support incident investigations and facilitate learning from events to strengthen controls, prevent recurrence, and build organizational capacity.
• Support procurement and maintenance of safety systems, equipment, and services to ensure reliability, readiness, and compliance with regulatory and operational requirements.
• Develop and deliver safety communications, including safety flashes, bulletins, awareness materials, and notification content, in alignment with corporate safety objectives.
• Promote a culture of safety engagement by collaborating with local safety committees, building awareness, and empowering front-line employee involvement in safety initiatives.
• Continuously improve organizational safety through risk assessments, program reviews, performance metrics analysis, and implementation of corrective and preventive actions.
• Be visible in the field and ensure visibility across all assigned areas of responsibility.
• Maintain open, effective communication channels with all employees to promote confidence, accessibility, and positive professional relationships.
• Coach and support leaders in implementing effective safety practices, ensuring understanding of regulatory requirements, and applying appropriate protective measures in day-to-day operations.
• Establish regular communications with leadership to discuss emerging risks, resource needs, and project safety status, ensuring proactive support and alignment with organizational safety goals.
• Execute all responsibilities with an uncompromising commitment to safety, integrity, and professionalism, serving as a role model for proactive safety culture and SIF prevention.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or Equivalent.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in the electric utility industry, implementing safety policies, developing procedures and training programs, or leading safety audits/inspections and incident investigations.
• Valid driver’s license and a driving record that meets company and insurer standards (this position requires driving responsibilities).
• Travel up to 50% of the time.
• Available to provide safety support at varying schedules, often on short or emergency notice, to 24/7/365 operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety, Industrial Hygiene, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education/experience with professional safety certifications such as CMSP, CSP, CIH, or CUSP).
• First Aid/CPR Trainer certification.
• OSHA 500 or 501 certification.
• Knowledge of the electric utility business.
• Extensive knowledge of OSHA 1910 & 1926 standards and their application to a broad variety of operations and environments.
• Experience in implementing and maintaining a safety management system focused on hazard identification, risk reduction, and continuous improvement.
• Ability to develop, implement, and deliver safety training topics.
• Strong ability to identify high-energy hazards and implement controls aimed at preventing Serious Injuries and Fatalities (SIF).
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to convey safety and compliance messages at all organizational levels.
• Proven ability to work effectively in a team environment, including high-pressure situations like emergency response.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational abilities, capable of prioritizing and making sound decisions in a fast-paced, multi-tasking environment with minimal supervision.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint; MS-Access proficiency desirable).

Pay

$86,700 - $130,050 (full pay range for this position; pay is based on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and internal equity).

Benefits

• Annual discretionary bonuses.
• 401(k) with 6% company match and up to 9% company retirement contribution.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Generous paid time off, including paid holidays and parental leave.
• Company-paid life insurance and disability benefits (short and long term).
• Critical illness, accident, and group hospital insurance.
• Pet insurance.
• Employee assistance program and well-being benefits.
• Competitive medical, dental, and vision insurance.