EHS Manager (Charlotte)
hace 19 horas
Charlotte
Carolina Foods is the founding bakery of Duchess Brand snacks and creator of one of America's first Honey Buns. Our business has been in operation since 1934, and our products are synonymous with quality, innovation, and a longer shelf-life. We are a manufacturer of sweet baked goods, and our products include a variety of delicious individually wrapped items, including: honey buns, baked pies, fried pies, and gem donuts to serve all customers' needs. We are poised for major growth and expansion and are looking for driven individuals to join us on our journey. Google 'Falfurrias Carolina Foods' for more information. The EHS Manager is the on-site owner of safety culture, compliance, and program execution within a high-volume commercial bakery manufacturing environment. Reporting to the Head of HR and operating as a hands-on individual contributor, this role carries full accountability for translating written safety plans into a proactive program — one that is felt on the production floor as much as it is documented in records. This is not a maintenance role. The EHS Manager is expected to elevate an existing framework into an embedded operational discipline — building trust with frontline teams, shaping leadership behavior, and ensuring that safety is not just a compliance function but a defining characteristic of how this facility operates. The right candidate brings both the technical credibility to own complex regulatory requirements and the personal influence to drive culture change without positional authority over the workforce. Key Responsibilities Safety Program Ownership & Execution • Serve as the primary site-level authority for all EHS programs, owning full implementation and continuous improvement of existing written safety plans across operations, maintenance, and warehouse functions., • Translate regulatory safety frameworks into site-specific procedures, training, and operational standards that are practical, understood, and followed., • Manage the complete lifecycle of safety documentation: training records, incident reports, audit findings, SDS management, compliance logs, and corrective action tracking — with a standard of audit-readiness at all times., • Lead Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs), risk assessments, safety observations, and pre-task planning processes; ensure findings drive measurable operational changes., • Oversee workers’ compensation processes, return-to-work programs, and incident case management in coordination with HR and operations leadership. Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management • Maintain full site compliance with federal, state, and local EHS regulations, with deep applied knowledge of OSHA standards relevant to commercial food manufacturing: confined spaces, lockout/tagout (LOTO), machine guarding, powered industrial trucks, respiratory protection, and process safety., • Conduct and document routine compliance inspections, proactive hazard identification walks, and structured audits; ensure corrective actions are tracked to closure., • Lead preparation for and response to internal corporate audits, third-party assessments, and any regulatory agency interactions., • Identify emerging regulatory requirements and proactively update site programs before deadlines. Safety Culture Development & Leadership Influence • Act as the cultural anchor for safety on site — modeling, coaching, and reinforcing safe behaviors across all shifts and all levels of the organization., • Build trusted relationships with frontline supervisors, leads, and operators; serve as a credible resource and thought partner — not just an enforcement presence., • Coach plant and operations managers on effective safety leadership, including how to conduct meaningful incident investigations, deliver accountability conversations, and build safety ownership into their team’s daily habits., • Design and facilitate safety meetings, toolbox talks, onboarding safety training, and targeted awareness campaigns that are engaging, relevant, and practically applied., • Champion leading indicator programs (safety observations, near-miss reporting, hazard hunts) that shift the culture from reactive to proactive., • Maintain consistent, high-visibility floor presence across all shifts to reinforce trust, identify hazards in real time, and demonstrate that safety leadership is an active practice. Incident Management & Root Cause Analysis • Lead all site incident investigations using structured root cause analysis methodologies (e.g., 5-Why, Fishbone, TapRooT); ensure investigations go beyond surface causes to identify systemic contributors., • Develop corrective and preventive action (CAPA) plans with clear owners, timelines, and success metrics; hold the organization accountable to completion., • Identify patterns across incidents, near-misses, and observations to surface systemic risks and drive targeted interventions., • Communicate incident learnings across the site in a way that builds awareness and reinforces accountability without creating a blame culture. Metrics, Reporting & Continuous Improvement • Own and manage the site’s EHS data infrastructure: safety management systems, incident tracking platforms, and digital documentation tools., • Maintain and evolve safety dashboards and scorecards; analyze trends across both lagging and leading indicators and translate data into actionable recommendations for site leadership., • Prepare and present regular safety performance updates to plant leadership and HR, framing data in operational terms that drive decision-making., • Drive continuous improvement projects that reduce recordable incident rates, improve leading indicator performance, and strengthen the overall safety management system. Qualifications Education & Experience • Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety & Health, Environmental Health & Safety, Industrial Engineering, or a related field; equivalent experience considered., • 5–8+ years of progressive EHS experience in an industrial or manufacturing environment; food or beverage manufacturing strongly preferred., • Demonstrated track record of independently owning and improving safety programs — not just supporting them., • Experience operating as a solo or near-solo EHS function, with the ability to prioritize and execute across compliance, culture, and operations simultaneously. Technical Knowledge • Deep, applied knowledge of OSHA standards applicable to food manufacturing environments (29 CFR 1910 General Industry), including confined space entry, LOTO, machine guarding, PIT, HazCom/GHS, and respiratory protection., • Proficient in safety management systems, incident tracking platforms, and HRIS tools; strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel for data analysis, PowerPoint for reporting, Word for documentation)., • Experienced in root cause analysis methodologies and the development of effective CAPA systems., • Ability to interpret regulatory guidance, translate it into site-specific requirements, and communicate it clearly to non-safety audiences. Competencies • Proven ability to drive culture change and influence behavior across all levels of an organization without direct supervisory authority., • Strong executive presence and communication skills — equally effective coaching a line operator and presenting metrics to plant leadership., • High accountability: takes ownership of outcomes, follows through on commitments, and expects the same from others., • Strategic thinker who can operate tactically — balancing long-range program development with daily floor-level execution., • Comfortable with ambiguity; able to build structure, establish priorities, and create momentum in a fast-paced environment., • Collaborative by nature, with the credibility and conviction to push back respectfully when safety standards are at stake. Work Environment This is an active, floor-first role. The EHS Manager will spend significant time on the production floor across all shifts in a commercial bakery environment. Conditions include exposure to moving automated machinery, temperature variation, moderate to high noise levels, and flour dust. Regular walking of the full facility, extended standing, and rapid response to incidents or emerging hazards are expected. PPE as required. What Success Looks Like In the first 90 days, you will have completed a thorough site assessment, built trust with frontline leaders, and identified the highest-priority gaps between written programs and operational reality. You will have a clear roadmap for year one. At the 12-month mark: • Recordable incident rates and days away / restricted / transferred (DART) rates are trending down., • Near-miss and hazard reporting rates are trending up — a sign that the culture is shifting toward proactive engagement., • Frontline supervisors are conducting meaningful safety observations and leading their own accountability conversations, not waiting for EHS to do it for them., • Documentation is consistently audit-ready; no significant findings in internal or external audits., • Safety is discussed in operational meetings, pre-shift huddles, and leadership conversations — without prompting from EHS., • You are seen as a trusted partner by operations, not a compliance gatekeeper. Carolina Foods is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual or