Senior Safety Manager

Key Responsibilities

• Evaluate the current state of the company’s safety culture, programs, systems, and operational risks
• Develop and implement proactive safety strategies aligned with company growth and operational goals
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that reduce incidents, improve operational consistency, and strengthen employee engagement
• Coach and support operational leaders in strengthening safety ownership and field accountability
• Hold teams accountable to established company standards while maintaining collaborative working relationships
• Partner with leadership to establish measurable safety goals, leading indicators, and performance expectations
• Build trust and credibility with field employees, Superintendents, Project Managers, and Executive Leadership
• Help eliminate complacency through visible leadership and operational engagement
• Lead company-wide safety initiatives across multiple active civil construction projects
• Develop and implement practical safety procedures, standards, and field processes
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, DOT, FMCSA, environmental, and applicable state/federal regulations
• Conduct risk assessments and assist operations teams with high-risk planning activities
• Lead incident and near-miss investigations utilizing root cause analysis methodologies
• Identify trends, contributing factors, and systemic gaps
• Develop corrective actions focused on prevention, operational improvement, and long-term risk reduction
• Monitor and analyze safety data to drive operational decisions and continuous improvement
• Assist in developing field leadership capabilities related to hazard recognition, communication, and employee engagement
• Support onboarding, mentoring, and ongoing employee development initiatives
• Develop and deliver engaging safety training programs that drive behavioral change and field engagement
• Lead modernization efforts related to safety systems, documentation, reporting, communication, and operational processes
• Aid in the implementation and utilization of technology, tracking systems, and safety analytics
• Maintain recordkeeping, documentation, and regulatory reporting requirements

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive construction safety leadership experience within heavy civil, infrastructure, industrial, utility, or related construction environments
• Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health & Safety, Construction Management, or related field
• Experience implementing safety software, dashboards, analytics, predictive risk management, or operational improvement systems
• Experience supporting organizational growth and scaling safety operations within a growing contractor environment
• Strong working knowledge of OSHA construction standards and high-risk construction operations
• Demonstrated ability to influence culture, gain employee buy-in, and drive measurable safety improvements
• Professional safety certifications such as CHST, CSP, OHST, CHSO, OSHA 500, or equivalent are strongly preferred
• Equivalent operational heavy civil safety leadership experience will also be considered
• Excellent communication, leadership, and relationship-building skills
• Ability to travel between jobsites throughout Iowa and surrounding regions as needed

Physical & Work Environment

• Frequent travel to active construction sites
• Occasional lifting, climbing, and extended walking on project sites
• Combination of field and office work environments