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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for EHS Manager

💰 $80,000 - $125,000

EHSSafetyEnvironmentalManagementCompliance

🎯 Role Definition

The EHS Manager (Environmental, Health & Safety Manager) leads site and/or regional EHS strategy, ensuring legal compliance, driving continuous improvement in workplace safety and environmental performance, and embedding a strong safety culture across operations. This role combines regulatory knowledge (OSHA, EPA, local/state laws), hands-on operational safety leadership (incident investigations, risk assessments, audits), program development (behavior-based safety, permit-to-work, confined space), and cross-functional stakeholder engagement (operations, HR, engineering, contractors). Ideal candidates have proven experience in manufacturing, construction, utilities, energy, or industrial sectors and hold relevant EHS certifications (CSP, CIH, NEBOSH, OSHA 30).

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • EHS Specialist / EHS Coordinator with hands-on program delivery
  • Safety Supervisor / Safety Officer working on-floor safety and incident response
  • Environmental Technician / Industrial Hygienist supporting monitoring and reporting

Advancement To:

  • EHS Director / Head of EHS (site or region)
  • Senior Director, Global EHS or VP of Health & Safety
  • Operational Leadership (Plant Manager) with combined safety and operations remit

Lateral Moves:

  • Quality Manager (integrated EHS & Quality systems)
  • Facilities Manager (safety & maintenance integration)
  • Sustainability Manager (environmental performance focus)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop, implement and continuously improve the site/regional EHS management system (EMS) aligned with ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 principles, ensuring documentation, procedures, and records support audit readiness and certification objectives.
  • Own regulatory compliance for OSHA, EPA, DOT and applicable local/state environmental and safety regulations; monitor regulatory changes and lead remediation to maintain compliance and avoid penalties.
  • Lead comprehensive risk assessment programs (JSA, HAZOP, job hazard analysis, quantitative risk assessments) to identify hazards, prioritize controls, and implement corrective actions that reduce incident frequency and severity.
  • Conduct and lead thorough incident investigations (root cause analysis, 5-Why, fault tree analysis), produce corrective action plans, track closures, and communicate lessons learned across operations to prevent recurrence.
  • Design and deliver robust safety training and competency programs (new hire orientation, supervisor safety, PPE, lockout/tagout, confined space, respiratory protection) and maintain training matrices and records.
  • Plan and execute scheduled EHS audits and inspections (internal, supplier, contractor, regulatory) including audit scopes, findings, corrective action follow-up, and KPI reporting to leadership.
  • Develop and track EHS performance metrics and dashboards (TRIR, LTIR, near-miss reporting, lost time, leading indicators) to drive data-informed decisions and visible EHS performance improvements.
  • Manage hazardous materials, COSHH/SDS programs, chemical inventory control, spill prevention and response planning, and ensure safe storage, handling and disposal practices.
  • Oversee emergency preparedness and response: develop site emergency response plans, conduct drills (fire, chemical release, active shooter), coordinate with local emergency services and maintain business continuity input.
  • Drive contractor safety management including pre-qualification, orientation, on-site monitoring, permits, and integration of contractor performance into overall EHS KPIs.
  • Provide EHS guidance and technical support to engineering and operations teams during capital projects, process changes and maintenance activities to embed inherently safer design and mitigate risks early.
  • Lead ergonomics and occupational health initiatives: assessments, injury prevention programs, post-injury case management, return-to-work coordination and partnership with medical providers.
  • Implement and manage confined space, lockout/tagout (LOTO), hot work, work permits and other high-risk work control systems to ensure consistent, auditable controls for hazardous activities.
  • Manage industrial hygiene programs including air and noise monitoring, exposure assessments, PPE selection, and recommendations to meet permissible exposure limits and protect workforce health.
  • Coordinate environmental compliance programs: air emissions, wastewater, stormwater, waste management, permitting, and reporting; interact with regulators for inspections and permit renewals.
  • Maintain and manage EHS budget, capital requests for safety improvements, and cost-benefit analysis for risk reduction investments.
  • Lead and facilitate safety committees, toolbox talks, and behavior-based safety initiatives to strengthen employee engagement and ownership of safety performance.
  • Oversee incident reporting, workers’ compensation claims, return-to-work programs, and collaborate with HR/Benefits to manage claims, trends, and cost containment strategies.
  • Implement and administer EHS software systems (e.g., Enablon, Intelex, Sphera) for incident management, audits, permit workflows, and reporting; ensure data integrity and insights.
  • Serve as the primary liaison with external stakeholders including regulatory agencies, insurers, auditors, corporate EHS, and community representatives during inspections, investigations and public inquiries.
  • Review and approve safety aspects of work instructions, SOPs, and contractor scopes to ensure compliance with company standards and regulatory requirements.
  • Drive sustainability and waste reduction initiatives aligned with corporate ESG goals, focusing on resource efficiency, emissions reductions, and continuous environmental performance improvement.
  • Coach and mentor front-line supervisors and employees on safe work practices, hazard recognition, risk-based decision making and leadership accountability.
  • Maintain emergency contact procedures and lead EHS response during non-routine events, ensuring timely communication with leadership and regulators.

Secondary Functions

  • Support cross-functional data requests and analytics to quantify EHS trends, root causes and the impact of interventions using EHS software and spreadsheets.
  • Contribute to the company's EHS strategy and roadmap by providing site-level insights that guide corporate program development and investment priorities.
  • Collaborate with business units (operations, engineering, procurement) to translate EHS requirements into procurement specs, work orders and design criteria.
  • Participate in project planning, risk reviews and agile-style change control processes to ensure safety and environmental considerations are integrated into timelines and deliverables.
  • Support vendor and supplier assessments related to EHS performance and participate in supplier improvement and corrective action plans.
  • Provide content and input for corporate sustainability reporting, regulatory filings, and annual EHS performance disclosures.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Deep working knowledge of OSHA regulations, EPA requirements, DOT hazmat rules and other applicable federal/state/local EHS laws.
  • Practical experience implementing and auditing ISO 45001 (Occupational Health & Safety) and ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) systems.
  • Expertise in incident investigation and root cause analysis methodologies (5-Why, Ishikawa, fault tree).
  • Proficient in risk assessment techniques: JSA, HAZOP, FMEA, quantitative risk assessment and hierarchy-of-controls application.
  • Experience with EHS management software (Enablon, Intelex, Sphera, Cority) and ability to configure workflows, dashboards and reporting.
  • Competence with industrial hygiene monitoring, sampling protocols, and interpreting exposure data against PELs and TLVs.
  • Hazardous materials management: chemical inventory control, SDS management, spill prevention and response, and hazardous waste permitting.
  • Strong audit skills: planning, executing, closing corrective actions, and preparing for third-party and regulatory inspections.
  • Emergency response planning and incident command experience, including coordination with local emergency services and crisis communication.
  • Working knowledge of permit-to-work systems, LOTO procedures, confined space entry programs, and hot work controls.
  • Familiarity with environmental permitting, air/water/waste reporting and emissions inventories.
  • Advanced Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, vlookups) and capability to produce management-level dashboards and KPI reports.
  • Project management skills: budgeting, capital requests for safety projects, and integrating EHS into CAPEX/maintenance workstreams.
  • Certifications (preferred): CSP, CIH, NEBOSH, OSHA 30-hour, First Aid/CPR, HAZWOPER where applicable.

Soft Skills

  • Leadership presence with ability to influence front-line supervisors, operations leaders and executive stakeholders to adopt safer practices.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills for training delivery, regulatory interactions and concise reporting to executives.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving orientation with attention to detail and ability to draw insights from safety data.
  • Collaborative mindset and strong stakeholder management—works cross-functionally with HR, Operations, Engineering and Procurement.
  • Coaching and mentoring skills to develop EHS capability at the supervisor and employee level.
  • Resilience under pressure and decisive in emergency situations, demonstrating calm incident command and clear escalation.
  • Change management aptitude to successfully embed new standards, cultural change and process improvements.
  • Time management and prioritization skills to balance compliance, incident response, training and strategic initiatives.
  • Ethical judgment and confidentiality in handling incident investigations and personnel/medical information.
  • Continuous improvement orientation with creativity to find practical, cost-effective risk reduction solutions.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Environmental Health & Safety, Occupational Health, Environmental Science, Engineering, Chemistry, or related technical field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Management, Industrial Hygiene, or MBA with relevant EHS focus.
  • Professional certifications such as CSP (Certified Safety Professional), CIH (Certified Industrial Hygienist), NEBOSH, or similar recognized credentials.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Environmental Health & Safety
  • Industrial Hygiene
  • Environmental Science
  • Chemical, Mechanical or Industrial Engineering
  • Occupational Safety & Health Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5 - 10+ years of progressive EHS experience in industrial/manufacturing/construction/utilities sectors.

Preferred:

  • 7+ years with demonstrated leadership of site or multi-site EHS programs.
  • Proven track record of reducing injury rates, achieving regulatory compliance and leading ISO 45001/14001 implementations or audits.
  • Experience managing contractor safety programs and interfacing with regulators and insurers.
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