Director, Corporate Environmental, Health, Safety & Sustainability

POSITION SUMMARY:   

The Director, Corporate Environmental, Health, Safety & Sustainability (EHS&S) provides strategic leadership and oversight for all environmental, health, safety, workers compensation, and sustainability programs across JJSF manufacturing plants, distribution centers, and corporate operations. This role is responsible for developing and executing a unified EHS&S strategy that ensures regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, operational excellence, and advancement of sustainability goals while fostering a strong safety culture across the organization.

Reporting to the Vice President, Food Safety, Quality, EHSS & Regulatory, this position partners closely with Plant Managers, Operations Directors, Supply Chain, Engineering, Human Resources, Legal, and Executive Leadership to drive continuous improvement and enterprise-wide performance in EHS&S.

The position is responsible for assisting in the development and implementation of risk-based analysis and for tactically developing/implementing strategies and best practice safety/environmental programs while simultaneously promoting employee health, wellness, and environmental sustainability. Position will assist in driving bottom-line EHS results through best practice initiatives, risk mitigation, employee education and training.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement a multi-year corporate EHS&S strategy aligned with company objectives and operational goals.
• Establish enterprise-wide standards, policies, and procedures for EHS&S performance across all manufacturing plants and distribution centers.
• Identify and implement enterprise tools and systems for EHS&S program management.
• Lead the integration of sustainability into core business strategy, capital planning, and operational decision-making.
• Serve as a key advisor to executive leadership on risk management, regulatory developments, and emerging industry trends.

Environmental Compliance & Stewardship

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local environmental regulations (e.g., air, water, waste, chemical management).
• Oversee permitting, reporting, inspections, and regulatory interactions.
• Drive reduction initiatives for emissions, waste, water use, and energy consumption.
• Lead environmental due diligence activities for acquisitions, divestitures, and capital projects.

Health & Safety Leadership

• Develop and sustain a positive safety culture across all manufacturing facilities.
• Establish leading and lagging safety performance metrics and accountability systems.
• Oversee injury prevention programs, hazard assessments, industrial hygiene, ergonomics, and contractor safety.
• Lead incident investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective action implementation.
• Champion continuous improvement to eliminate significant injury and fatality risks.

Sustainability & ESG

• Define sustainability goals (e.g., carbon footprint reduction, waste diversion, energy efficiency).
• Oversee ESG reporting and disclosures aligned with recognized frameworks (e.g., GRI, SASB, TCFD, as applicable).
• Ensure compliance with emerging Extended Producer Responsibility, recycled content and packaging label laws.
• Establish processes to ensure accurate and timely responses to customer ESG information requests.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain and Procurement on responsible sourcing and supplier sustainability programs.
• Lead cross-functional sustainability initiatives and stakeholder engagement.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Develop corporate audit programs to assess plant-level compliance and performance.
• Ensure enterprise risk management processes incorporate EHS&S risks.
• Manage workers compensation claims and work with TPA to ensure prompt, cost-effective closure.
• Develop sustainable Human Element property risk mitigation programs and ensure compliance with FM Global requirements.
• Maintain crisis management and emergency response frameworks.
• Interface with regulatory agencies and external auditors.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and develop a team of corporate and site-level EHS&S professionals.
• Establish clear performance expectations and professional development pathways.
• Build strong partnerships with plant leadership to ensure consistent program execution.
• Promote a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement.

Reporting & Performance Management

• Establish standardized KPIs and dashboards across all facilities.
• Report EHS&S performance metrics to executive leadership and the Board, as required.
• Benchmark performance against industry standards and best practices.
• Drive data-driven decision-making and transparency.

COMPETENCIES: 

• Strategic thinking and enterprise mindset
• Strong executive presence and communication skills
• Change management leadership
• Regulatory expertise and risk management
• Data-driven decision-making
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Crisis management and problem-solving
• High ethical standards and integrity
• Excellent organization and time management skills.
• Must be a self-starter and be able to accomplish a versatile and evolving workload.
• Innovative, problem solver, flexible, and able to juggle multiple priorities.
• Self-motivated, with the ability to multi-task, prioritize, and adapt well to change.

Certifications (Preferred)

• CSP (Certified Safety Professional), CIH (Certified Industrial Hygienist) or CHMM (Certified Hazardous Materials Manager)

 EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Required Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Occupational Safety, Industrial Hygiene, or related field required.
• Master’s degree (MBA, Environmental Management, or related discipline) preferred

 Required Experience:

• 12–15+ years of progressive EHS&S leadership experience in manufacturing or industrial environments.
• Multi-site responsibility required.
• Demonstrated success building enterprise-level EHS&S systems.
• Experience leading regulatory interactions and managing complex compliance programs.
• Proven track record of improving safety performance and environmental outcomes.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

• 15 -25% travel to manufacturing plants and corporate locations.
• Occasional travel to regulatory agencies, industry forums, or conferences.