Director - Environmental, Health, Safety and Sustainability

We’re committed to being the clean energy leader in Louisiana. By investing in renewables like solar and utilizing carbon capture and sequestration technology to make our air cleaner, we’re in this for the long haul, because our state and future generations depend on it. Come be a part of our journey at Cleco where we're Energizing Your Tomorrow. ​

Role Purpose:

This senior level leadership role ensures the organization complies with all current environmental and safety regulations by working to develop, implement, monitor, and manage environmental and safety programs, policies, and procedures. The Director role sets vision and strategy and identifies potential conditions that could create an environmental violation or result in unsafe working conditions while taking steps necessary to remove or mitigate those risks. The Director strives to elevate the company safety culture, proactively ensures environmental and safety record keeping, and may interface with regulators on behalf of Cleco. The Director drives compliance, provides transparency, ensures effective policy and compliance execution, and delivers effective continuous improvement in safety prevention and awareness with an emphasis on using an analytical approach company-wide.

This high-impact role is also responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing sustainability initiatives across the organization. This position requires a strategic thinker with a deep understanding of environmental, economic, and social sustainability principles. The ideal candidate will have the ability to influence and collaborate with various departments, ensuring that sustainability is integrated into all business decisions. As a leader, the Director will also be tasked with monitoring progress, reporting on key sustainability metrics, and continuously seeking innovative solutions to enhance our sustainability strategies, such as net zero planning.

Key Responsibilities:

Team Supervision:

• Champions a corporate culture that emphasizes transparency, integrity, safety, environmental responsibility and stewardship, employee development, inclusion, internal stakeholders, and operational excellence
• Leads and supervises a team of EHS and sustainability employees, providing guidance, support, and direction while coordinating with team members and ensuring business expectations, goals, and objectives are understood and met across the department and organization.
• Coordinates with team members to ensure that EHS procedures are effectively implemented and followed.

 Oversight of EHS and Sustainability Programs:

• Ensures that safety procedures and practices are adhered to in operations and project activities
• Leads the development and execution of EHS initiatives, policies, and events.
• Tracks and communicates leading company and industry indicators, trends, and regulatory developments that could impact the company and all applicable stakeholders, and ensures strategy and policy are adjusted accordingly
• Directs safety and environmental decisions for the company with limited guidance from management
• Monitors and ensures compliance with air emissions, emissions tracking and reporting requirements and assists with permitting for air, storm water, and waste regulations
• Stays abreast of regulatory changes, legal developments, and industry best practices, ensuring that compliance and training remains current
• Develops and monitors the sustainability strategy around environmental protection, incorporating  governance
• Ensures that all data reported and used for sustainability assessments is inspected, audited, and completed in a timely and accurate manner that supports the company’s long-term sustainability vision

Safety Inspections and Audits:

• Oversees safety compliance inspections and routine audits as needed for all aspects of the program
• Reviews and evaluates policies and procedures to verify compliance with applicable standards and regulations
• Ensures compliance with all applicable federal and state health and safety regulations and ensures records are prepared and maintained according to established guidelines

Incident Management:

• Responds promptly to incidents involving injury, near-misses, environmental release, or property damage confidentially and in compliance with company and regulatory standards
• Reports all incidents, coordinates and leads investigation efforts, delivers communications, and implements corrective and preventative actions
• Orders suspension of activities that pose threats to employee health or safety

Training and Development:

• Has the ability to anticipate, develop, implement, maintain, and me