Director, Environmental, Health and Safety

Job Description

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) enriches the environment and protects public health for all New Yorkers by providing 1.1 billion gallons of high quality drinking water, managing wastewater and stormwater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution. DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6,000 employees. DEP's water supply system is comprised of 19 reservoirs and 3 controlled lakes throughout the system’s 2,000 square mile watershed that extends 125 miles north and west of the City.

The Bureau of Water Supply seeks to hire an Administrative Manager, M-3 to serve as Director, Environmental, Health and Safety in the Environmental, Health and Safety Directorate located in Valhalla and Kingston, NY.

The mission of the Bureau of Water Supply (BWS) Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Directorate is to actively promote and support the management and implementation of EHS programs through effective communication, education and continuous improvement strategies in order to protect public health and natural resources and ensure a safe and compliant work environment for all employees.

Under direction, of the Assistant Commissioner, Core Services, the Director, Environmental, Health and Safety will lead and manage the BWS EHS Directorate and the overall EHS performance for the entire Bureau. This position will advise the Assistant Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner on all aspects of EHS compliance, performance, and provide direction for improvement including EHS design considerations; EHS compliance; and overall EHS performance and compliance. This position will also work with subordinate staff to provide in-depth regulatory expertise, robust interpretation, clear guidance and employee education regarding a wide variety of applicable EHS regulations; monitor and analyze the bureau’s EHS performance; develop strategies for improving performance in a sustainable manner; and provide oversight of the implementation of EHS programs throughout BWS. This position also oversees contract and construction oversight programs relating to the investigation, remediation, and disposal of hazardous materials and/or chemicals within BWS and acts as an Incident Command System (ICS) Safety Officer during emergency events. Specific duties include:


- Providing guidance and direction to Senior staff regarding EHS requirements and performance such as EHS design considerations, compliance training, environmental compliance, health and safety compliance, and audit performance and compliance. Providing Bureau level oversight of the implementation of EHS programs within the various groups, including those associated with Risk Management Programs (RMP) and Process Safety Management (PSM).

- Acting as the primary BWS liaison for EHS matters with other bureaus and City agencies including but not limited to the DEP Office of Environmental, Health and Safety (OEHS), DEP Bureau of Legal Affairs (BLA), New York City Law Department, DEP Labor Relations (LR) as well as with the various bargaining units. Acting as the primary BWS management representative on the Labor-Management Health & Safety Committee, developing responses on behalf of BWS to employee EHS concerns/complaints, ensuring corrective action recommendations from EHS audits and workplace assessments are appropriate and are completed in a timely manner.

- Acting as the primary EHS regulatory expert for BWS. Monitoring proposed EHS regulations and legislation and solicits, develops. and coordinates comments on such proposals. Staying abreast of regulatory changes and informs affected staff, ensuring changes are properly integrated into existing BWS practices or develops new ones to address changes (this may require development and communication of implementation plans). As needed, working with the Agency’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety (OEHS) or other bureaus to update policies and procedures. Verifies that changes are properly implemented throughout BWS.

- Assessing and reporting on EHS compliance and performance at BWS facilities and activities. Based on these assessments, providing on-going policy and guidance development and compliance coordination with the operational units as well as with the Agency’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety (OEHS).

- Overseeing Bureau contract and construction oversight programs relating to the investigation, remediation, and disposal of hazardous materials and/or chemicals within BWS. Ensuring the Scopes of Work for emergency response and other contracts are properly developed and reviewed. Acting as the Bureau’s liaison for all contracts involving emergency response, investigation, remediation, clean-ups, disposal, etc. of hazardous and non-hazardous materials and chemicals and acts as an ICS Safety Officer during emergency events.