Senior Director, Safety Strategy

Senior Director, Safety Strategy & Training Facilities MaintenanceWalmart's Maintenance & Facilities organization keeps our stores, clubs, distribution centers, and fulfillment sites running safely and reliably at massive scale. The Senior Director of Safety & Training sets the strategy and leads the teams that (1) build world class career pathways for skilled trades and facilities professionals and (2) strengthen a proactive, data driven safety culture across field maintenance operations. You'll lead a national team of safety and learning professionals and deliver measurable improvements in talent readiness, incident reduction, and operational continuity.Strategy & LeadershipSet the multi-year vision for safety, technical training, and workforce development for the Maintenance & Facilities organization; align goals with enterprise priorities and budget.Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of safety managers, learning designers, and program managers; build succession plans and a strong bench.Influence across a large, matrixed organizationdriving clarity, accountability, and adoption from frontline technicians to senior leaders.Partnering Across Walmart (Cross-Functional)Build deep, operating-level partnerships with Enterprise Safety & Compliance, Legal, HR/People, Walmart Academy/L&D, Risk Management & Workers' Compensation, Asset Protection, Environmental Compliance/EHS, Labor Relations, Procurement, Finance, Technology/Data, Real Estate, Design & Construction, Operations, and Supply Chain.Co-author policies, standards, and guidance with Enterprise Safety & Compliance and Legal; ensure alignment with regulatory requirements and a Just Culture/HOP approach.Partner with HR and Walmart Academy to translate career pathways into recruiting, onboarding, apprenticeship, credentialing, and instructor-led/OJT programs, coordinate with People Analytics on skills and staffing insights.Work with Real Estate, Design, and Construction to embed "design for maintainability and safety" into new builds and remodels; drive safer access, isolation, and standardization.Align with Procurement on contractor safety qualification, specialized vendors, PPE/technology standards, and training providers; ensure commercial terms reinforce safety and competency expectations.Coordinate with Finance and Technology/Data teams to integrate safety and training metrics into enterprise dashboards and planning cycles.Safety Program LeadershipOwn the safety management system for maintenance activities (e.g., electrical work, HVAC/R, ammonia refrigeration, working at height, hot work, confined space, LOTO/energy control, contractor safety).Establish and govern enterprise standards, life-saving rules, and critical controls; modernize policies to reflect Human & Organizational Performance (HOP) and a Just Culture.Deploy risk assessment and SIF (Serious Injury & Fatality) prevention programs; scale leading indicators (near-miss, safety observations, JHAs, critical-control verification) and reduce TRIR/DART.Conduct assurance through audits and field verifications; lead root cause analysis and corrective-action effectiveness reviews for high-risk events.Technical Training & Career PathwaysArchitect clear, stackable career pathways for skilled trades (e.g., Apprentice ? Tech I/II ? Senior/Master Tech ? Lead/Supervisor ? Manager) across HVAC/R, Electrical, Plumbing, Controls/BAS, General Facilities.Build a modern learning ecosystemcompetency models, skills matrices, OJT/mentorship, micro-learning, simulations/VR where applicable, and robust evaluation (Kirkpatrick/Phillips).Partner with community colleges, trade schools, and credentialing bodies (e.g., EPA 608, NATE, NCCER) and expand registered apprenticeship programs to deepen talent pipelines.Launch pre-hire bootcamps, transition-to-trades pathways (e.g., military, second-career), and upskilling/reskilling programs to close critical skill gaps.Operational Excellence & AnalyticsIntegrate safety and skills data with CMMS/EAM and the LMS to produce actionable dashboards (skills distribution, certification currency, PM risk profiles, training efficacy).Prioritize high-value interventions using incident trends, SIF potential, and asset risk; measure ROI through productivity, rework reduction, and downtime avoidance.Standardize playbooks and toolkits for field leaders: Safety Gemba, coaching checklists, JHA templates, and critical-control verification.Governance, Compliance & RiskEnsure compliance with applicable regulations/standards (e.g., OSHA, NFPA 70E, IIAR/PSM for ammonia refrigeration) and company policies; coordinate with Environmental Compliance on overlapping topics.Lead emergency preparedness for maintenance-related risks; strengthen contractor qualification and oversight with Procurement and field leadership.Manage budgets, vendor relationships (training providers, PPE & safety technology), and annual operating plans.Change Leadership & CommunicationDrive adoption with clear narrativesfrom technician-friendly guides and toolbox talks to executive readoutsreinforcing behaviors and outcomes.Champion recognition programs that reward safe work, mentorship, and skills mastery.What you'll bring12+ years of progressive leadership in EHS/safety and/or technical training within maintenance, facilities, utilities, manufacturing, or supply chain environments; multi-site scale preferred.Proven experience building enterprise safety programs and skilled-trades learning architectures (apprenticeship, credentialing, OJT).Strong cross-functional leadershipsuccess partnering with Legal, HR/People, L&D/Academy, Compliance/EHS, Procurement, and Operations.Demonstrated analytics fluency: ability to design leading/lagging metrics, integrate data across LMS/CMMS/EAM, and translate insights into action.Exceptional communication and change leadership skills; able to influence at all levels.Bachelor's degree in Safety, Engineering, Industrial/Operations, HR/Learning, or related field; advanced degree a plus.Preferred/CertificationsCSP, CHMM, CIH, CMRP, or equivalent; NFPA 70E Qualified Worker program leadership experience a plus.Experience with IIAR/PSM for ammonia systems, contractor safety management, and serious injury/fatality prevention frameworks.Experience designing or operating registered apprenticeship programs; familiarity with NATE, NCCER, or similar industry credentials.At Walmart, we offer competitive pay as well as performance-based bonus awards and other great benefits for a happier mind, body, and wallet. Health benefits include medical, vision and dental coverage. Financial benefits include 401(k), stock purchase and company-paid life insurance. Paid time off benefits include PTO (including sick leave), parental leave, family care leave, bereavement, jury duty, and voting. Other benefits include short-term and long-term disability, company discounts, Military Leave Pay, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, and more. You will also receive PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes. The amount you receive depends on your job classification and length of employment. It will meet or exceed the requirements of paid sick leave laws, where applicable.Option 1: Bachelor's degree in business, environmental health and safety, or related area and 5 years' experience in safety management or related area. Option 2: 7 years' experience in compliance, legal, project management, or related area. 4 years' supervisory experience.Juris Doctorate degree, Prior work experience developing and implementing risk assurance strategies and frameworks., Prior work experience in safety design strategy within areas of design, standards, and assurance., Proficiency in safety management software and tools, with a strong analytical and problem-solving mindset.Primary Location: 2608 Se J St, Bentonville, AR 72712, United States of AmericaWalmart and its subsidiaries are committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and has a no tolerance policy regarding the use of illegal drugs and alcohol on the job. This policy applies to all employees and aims to create a safe and productive work environment.