Director of Safety

SUMMARY

The Director of Safety is a senior leadership role responsible for protecting the company's most important asset — its people. Operating across a complex dual environment of dispersed contract foodservice accounts and high-volume meal manufacturing, this leader sets the strategic direction for all safety programs. They are accountable for ensuring regulatory compliance, driving measurable reductions in risk and injury and building a culture where every employee goes home safe — not just managing programs, but transforming how the organization thinks about safety at every level.

 

Key Responsibilities

 

Workplace Safety & OSHA Compliance

• Develop, implement, and enforce safety policies and procedures compliant with OSHA and applicable federal, state, and local regulations
• Manage all safety programs including lockout/tagout, confined space, machine guarding, powered industrial trucks, ergonomics, and chemical/GHS hazard communication
• Lead incident investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective action tracking to closure
• Conduct and oversee regular safety audits, inspections, and risk assessments across manufacturing and field service sites

Training & Culture

• Design and deliver safety training programs for hourly food service workers, production staff, supervisors, and management
• Build and sustain a strong safety culture through visible leadership, engagement programs, and accountability systems
• Develop safety onboarding standards across all sites and contract accounts

Contract Operations Support

• Establish and monitor safety standards across multiple contract foodservice accounts serving diverse client environments (education, residential, healthcare, corporate dining, etc.)
• Serve as the Safety subject matter expert for contract bids, renewals, and client-facing audits
• Align safety protocols with client requirements while maintaining company standards

Workers' Compensation Oversight

• Provide strategic direction and oversight to the Workers' Compensation Manager, ensuring programs are cost-effective, compliant, and support injured employee recovery
• Review claims trends and loss data to identify opportunities for injury prevention and program improvement
• Ensure alignment between workers' compensation outcomes and broader Safety initiatives

Leadership & Strategy

• Build, mentor, and manage a geographically dispersed safety team
• Set annual Safety strategy with measurable goals tied to business objectives
• Report safety performance metrics and trends to senior leadership
• Manage the Safety department budget including training, PPE, equipment, and compliance programs

This role offers a salary range of $170,000– $190,000 annually, based on skills, experience, and location. Employees also receive a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, 401(k) with company match, generous PTO, and paid holidays.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

 

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in safety management, Environmental Health & Safety, or a related field preferred.

 

Certifications

Relevant certifications (CSP, CHST, OSHA 30) a strong plus.

 

EXPERIENCE, OTHER QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES:  

 

Experience:

8+ years of progressive safety experience, ideally in food service, hospitality, facilities management, manufacturing, distribution, or other multi-site service industries.

 

Other Qualifications:

• Proven success designing and implementing safety programs across a large, distributed workforce
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously in a lean organization, driving results with minimal supervision.
• Experience managing direct reports and coaching leaders at all levels.
• Strong working knowledge of OSHA re