Safety Director

The Why: Why does this role exist?

At Todd & Sargent, the safety of our people is not just a priority; it’s our core value. As a leading design, engineering, and construction firm serving the food and agricultural processing industries, we are seeking a transformational and strategic safety leader to elevate our safety culture from “good” to “best in class.” A strong safety culture is vital for attracting top talent and securing premier clients; more importantly, it’s simply the right thing to do. As a Safety Director, this role will not only lead safety initiatives but also shape the future of how safety is embedded in every aspect of our work. We envision safety as an integral part of our identity, and we’re looking for the right individual to inspire this across our organization.

The Who: Who is this role made for?

This role is designed for a visionary safety leader who thrives in shaping organizational culture and on making a positive impact on the lives of others through safety leadership. Success requires someone skilled in orchestrating organizational change and genuinely listening to the concerns of our workforce, showing them how safety improvements address those concerns. Building relationships across all levels of the organization will be crucial, as will being hands-on in the field to establish credibility and rapport. If you prefer face-to-face engagement over email and are eager to roll up your sleeves, this role is for you.

The What: What is this person responsible for?

The Safety Director is a pivotal role within our team, receiving broad support from all levels of the organization, including the President. This person will be responsible for shaping, communicating, and implementing our safety strategy and culture with the unwavering support of the T&S Leadership Team. This seat is the subject matter expert for safety and will serve as an advisor and challenger to the Leadership Team and effectively lead us through safety organizational change

Organizational Leadership Expectations:

Safety Vision & Strategy

• Work with our Leadership Team to help hone our safety vision and figure out what we want safety to look like at T&S.
• Lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive safety strategy that aligns with T&S’s 10-Year Target.
• Advocate for innovative safety practices and continuous improvement that is actually helps the people doing the every day work.
• Have the passion for our safety vision and motivation for driving safety culture at T&S. Some people view “culture” as a four-letter word; you can call it whatever you want, but we need someone who is eager to help us not just “do” safety but live it every day.
• Serve as a passionate change agent to positively integrate safety into every decision and operation.

Executive & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with senior leaders across departments to ensure that safety is integrated into all aspects of the business including project development, design, engineering, and construction operations.
• Act as an advisor to the Leadership Team challenging and guiding them in implementing the safety strategy and resolving complex safety issues.

Jobsite Partnership & Leadership

• Build strong relationships with field leadership (VP-Field Ops, Director of Field Ops, Superintendents, Foremen, Leadmen, etc.)
• Foster a collaborative approach to safety by working hand-in-hand with jobsite crews to develop tailored solutions that improve safety performance and can establish your reputation as safety partner and resource, NOT a safety enforcer or cop.
• Approach jobsite issues with curiosity and work alongside jobsite crews to find safe solutions together.
• Foster buy-in for our safety initiatives, especially among those who may be resistant to change.
• Support Field Ops in training leaders to nurture a robust safety culture at job sites.
• Engage field leadership in creating safety training and conducting effective jobsite safety visits.

Communication

• You need to be one of the best communicators at T&S.
• Communicate with the Field regularly:
• Have a pulse on what’s going on in the Field.
• Create an environment where Field leaders WANT to call you because you’ve demonstrated you’re a strong and reliable source.
• Effectively inspire teams and people to meet safety expectations
• Effectively challenge the Leadership Team on being better in supporting and helping implement the safety vision.
• Identify different methods and communication tools that can be used to continuously educate our people on what it means to be safe at T&S.
• Develop and implement innovative (and effective) communication strategies that educate and engage employees at all levels on safety culture and practices.

Safety Leadership Team

• Responsible for the effectiveness of the Safety Leadership Team, a cross-functional group of senior leaders dedicated to driving the strategic direction of safety programs and initiatives across the organization.

Learn and Grow

• Network with industry peers to discover and share effective safety practices.
• Participate in risk control workshops and other educational opportunities.
• Seek out mentors to further your growth in safety leadership.

Managerial Expectations:

Safety Team Management

• Provide strategic oversight and empowerment of the Safety Team member(s). Mentor and development safety team members, foster leadership within the department and ensure succession planning for safety talent.

Training

• Lead the development of comprehensive and effective safety training programs that go beyond compliance and focus on employee engagement and the development of a safety-driven workforce.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of safety training initiatives and ensure they meet both compliance and developmental needs of employees.
• Facilitate necessary training for field employees and maintain tracking of certifications and skills.

Safety Program Management

• Develop systems and processes to effectively monitor and track the effectiveness of our safety programs.
• Update programs and develop/create new ones as needed to keep our safety program fresh and engaging. Find new ways to get safety in front of our team and keep it on their minds at all times.

Safety Scorecard

• Develop a safety scorecard that measures the progress of the right safety statistics and measurables that show leading indicators to help guide safety priorities. Which metrics will help us make necessary changes?
• Regularly report on safety performance to the Leadership Team, identifying areas of concern and recommending corrective action.

Incident Management

• Create an intentional plan addressing “How do we respond when an incident occurs?”
• Evaluate, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop a new “root cause” focused incident investigation process.
• Develop an effective communication process for all individuals that need to be made aware of incidents

Technical Expectations:

Jobsite Safety Visits

• Create a comprehensive program and schedule for conducting jobsite safety visits on each active T&S jobsite. These should involve titled employees and be focused on teaching and training in addition to compliance.
• Investigate technology tools as a way to improve this process.
• Review jobsite safety visits to determine trends or areas of concern at a given jobsite or across jobsites, for targeted communication and/or training.

Jobsite Safety Setup

• Create a project-specific safety plan for each project.
• Ensure jobsites are positioned for safety when each new project starts. Set up emergency protocols and establish relationship with local hospital.
• Provide safety-specific items for inclusion in jobsite mobilization package, as needed.

Slips (our vertical continuous concrete slipform process)

• Oversee and ensure the safety of the slipform process, ensuring the Safety Department is actively engaged during all phases, including both shifts for larger projects.
• Develop and deliver comprehensive pre-slip safety briefings to ensure all teams are well-informed and prepared.
• Ensure all necessary materials and equipment, including stair tower components, are available and properly staged for the slipform process.
• Provide oversight and guidance on the setup and safety of finishing scaffolding, ensuring adherence to safety standards throughout the process.

Compliance

• Demonstrate knowledge in and ensure compliance with all federal, state, local, client, and T&S safety requirements. Serve as an internal resource and teach these to those who need to know.
• Ensure all recordkeeping requirements are met (e.g. safety incidents, recordable injuries, property damage, near misses, first aid, training, etc.)
• Review, improve, and maintain Corporate Safety Manual and Safety Training Manual.

Educational Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field.

Professional Experience:

• Minimum 10 years of experience in safety leadership or management roles, preferably within construction, engineering, or a related industry.
• Experience managing safety programs and teams, with a proven track record of creating and implementing safety strategies that positively impact company culture.
• Experience in the construction or industrial sectors, particularly in managing safety on active jobsites.
• Proven success in leading cross-functional teams and partnering with senior leaders to drive safety regulations while engaging employees in safety culture.
• Familiarity with jobsite safety requirement, specifically in the construction, agricultural, or food processing sectors.

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to travel to job sites if needed.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record.
• Physical ability to perform site visits and safety inspections.