Director, Environmental, Health

TITLE: Director, Environmental, Health & Safety

REPORTS TO: VP, Manufacturing

LOCATION: Chicago, IL

Lactalis Heritage Dairy is currently seeking candidates to join our team in Chicago, IL.

Lactalis Group, the world leader in dairy, is a family-owned business with more than 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals worldwide, committed to providing healthy and delicious dairy products that bring people together every day. At Lactalis, our core values of AMBITION, ENGAGEMENT, and SIMPLICITY are at the heart of everything we do.

If you’re looking for a unique experience with a company that offers strong brands, professional expertise, and a dynamic work environment that champions entrepreneurial spirit, hands-on responsibility, and real opportunity for career development, we want to hear from you

Lactalis Heritage Dairy: inviting you to share with us your STORY, your PASSION, and your EXPERTISE.

From your PASSION to ours

The Director, Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) is responsible for the development, implementation, and direction of LHD’s EHS programs and processes in order to ensure effective risk management and loss control, and a safe, healthy, and productive work environment. The EHS Director will lead all EHS activities by partnering with Plant Directors, Site EHS Managers, Groupe Lactalis EHS leaders and other cross-functional teams by offering tools, training, guidance and support for all teams to navigate EHS challenges effectively. 

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Key responsibilities for this position include:

• Develop EHS and Loss Prevention short- and long-term strategic plans. Provide advice to senior management with respect to emerging trends, challenges and solutions in the areas of health, safety, regulatory affairs, case law technological developments, and best practices.
• Direct the development, implementation, communication, and management of EHS and Loss Prevention standards, programs, processes, and policies in order to ensure compliance with the Groupe Lactalis requirements, legal requirements and best practices.
• Partner with SVP Manufacturing to define and implement LHD’s 3-5 Year Capex budget related to loss prevention, workplace safety and environmental control (Wastewater Treatment Plant, Particles Emission and Filtration, Dust Hazard Control, Ammonia Systems Controls, Process Safety Management). Additionally, measures should be in accordance with insurance requirements (working in collaboration with the Groupe Lactalis H&S and Loss Prevention department) as well as any US and local regulations and requirements. Lead the Plants LTP’s on Capex related to all EHS matters.
• Partner with Groupe Lactalis EHS to manage LHD’s Business Continuity Assurance Program and Plant Audit program. Ensure site preparedness for Business Continuity and Plant Audit activities. Ensure compliance with all Groupe Lactalis standards. Provides updates to Groupe Lactalis EHS leaders regarding KPI’s, audit results and associated action plans.
• Prioritize the elimination or reduction of TF1 and TF2 incidents through appropriate education, training, and rigorous safety measures.
• Partner with all LHD sites to ensure resources are available to manage and carry out quality EHS activities. Provide guidance and support to site EHS teams during the investigation of health and safety incidents. Responsible for leading the investigation of all major accidents and recommending future preventive measures.
• Support plant teams to implement an EHS and Loss Prevention management system based on continuous improvement (as ISO 45001 for example) in compliance with the Groupe Lactalis Standard.
• Collaborate with leaders to develop key performance indicators (KPI) to ensure all facilities meet or exceed all EHS and Loss Prevention policies, procedures, and programs, as well as annual safety audits and standardized scoring methods. Responsible for monitoring and reporting on KPI and audit results. Create defined action plans and provide routine updates regarding progress.
• Identify and anticipate EHS and Loss Prevention concerns, risks, and hazards in the organization’s operations and establish guidelines for protection from the hazards.
• Provide leadership in the workers’ compensation process including analysis and reconciliation of health and safety programs (OSHA). Maintains contact with LHD workers compensation insurance carrier, schedules routine updates and routinely reports claims status to internal stakeholders.
• Develop and implement audit tools (such as ISO standard). Direct activities related to completion of audits performed by EHS Managers at all LHD plants. Partner with site management and EHS Managers to ensure standards are met, taking corrective action as required to close any gaps. Partner with site managers, site EHS Managers and Human Resources to address all training needs.
• Owns the strategies and environmental control strategies (Wastewater Treatment Plant, Particles Emission and Filtration, Dust Hazard Control, Ammonia Systems Controls, Process Safety Management). Partners with LHD legal team and the LHD site teams by providing technical support related to Waste Treatment inquiries and projects. Responsible for leading all environmental investigations from government agencies (EPA, DEC, OSHA, etc).
• Owns and leads the environmental strategies that will reduce carbon emissions and improve water conservation. Serves as EHS representative on the CSR Committee. Drives initiatives across LHD to promote energy reduction, waste reduction and water conservation and other sustainability initiatives using budgetary planning and PDCA methodology.
• Provide routine reporting, including updates on action plans and a monthly summary of all KPI’s related to EH&S to SVP of Manufacturing.

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in Safety, Environmental or Engineering.  
• 10+ years related experience is required, including experience managing and leading safety programs and initiatives in a food manufacturing environment. 
• Experience supporting multiple manufacturing sites.
• Extensive experience managing sustainability initiatives, including water reduction, energy efficiency, waste reduction and carbon neutrality. 
• Certified Safety Professional Certification (CSP) 
• Extensive knowledge in OSHA, EPA and NFPA standards.
• Expertise in auditing. Ability to lead internal audits and train site auditors. 
• Excellent understanding of Incident Investigation/Root Cause Analysis.
• Comprehensive understanding of legislation, regulations, theory and case law related to EHS. Current knowledge of changes and innovations of H&S. Knowledge and comprehensive understanding of fire prevention and its standards is an asset.
• Ability to work effectively with multiple cross-functional teams and stakeholders with the ability to effectively influence others to action. 
• Ability to prioritize, balance and manage multiple tasks simultaneously, adjust to changing priorities, and make decisions with speed and accuracy based on available information. 
• Highly organized, with a keen eye for detail.
• Excellent oral and written communication, presentation and negotiation skills.
• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving skills, with the ability to present complex solutions to technical and non-technical stakeholders across all organizational levels and diverse cultures and geographies.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, specifically Excel. 
• Collaborative & pragmatic mindset.
• Ability to travel 50%-70% depending on the needs of each plant.
• Ability to work extended or off-work hours is required.

Lactalis Heritage Dairy is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally-recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities.