Corporate Safety Director

CORE Safety Group; Kingsport (TN); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

CORE Safety Group seeks an experienced Corporate Safety Director to lead our safety strategy and culture across projects and locations. The role requires strong field presence, credibility with operations, and the ability to translate safety standards into daily execution.

The incumbent will guide regulatory compliance, risk management, and safety performance at the executive level, building practical systems that protect workers while enabling operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Construction Management, Engineering, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years progressive safety leadership experience.
• Minimum of 5 years in industrial construction, heavy industrial maintenance, or related environments.
• Experience supporting electrical, steel erection, rigging, crane ops, confined space, lockout/tagout, fall protection, and other high-risk work activities.
• Proven success leading safety programs across multiple projects, teams and locations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the corporate safety strategy, annual safety improvement plans, goals, and KPIs.
• Promote a proactive safety culture with accountability, field engagement, and continuous improvement.
• Advise executive leadership on safety performance, risk management, OSHA compliance, and industry best practices.
• Maintain and improve the corporate safety management system with consistent practices across locations.
• Lead site audits, inspections, and safety assessments across active industrial construction environments.
• Provide technical guidance on high-risk activities and lead incident investigations with root cause analysis.
• Develop and oversee safety training programs for craft professionals, supervisors, and managers.

Skills

Safety Leadership

OSHA 1926 familiarity

Industrial construction

Coaching & mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety/Construction Management/Engineering

Job description

Location: Kingsport, Tennessee
Reports To: Vice President of Operations

Build a Safer Future

We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Corporate Safety Director to lead our companywide safety strategy and help shape a culture where every employee goes home safely every day. This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for a safety professional who understands industrial construction, earns trust in the field, and can partner with operations leaders to turn strong safety standards into daily execution.

In this role, you will provide strategic direction, coaching, accountability, and technical safety expertise across projects and operating locations. You will lead continuous improvement efforts, strengthen compliance programs, support project teams, and serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on safety performance, risk management, and regulatory requirements.

Why This Role Matters

Safety is more than compliance—it is a core value and a business-critical commitment. The Corporate Safety Director will influence how safety is planned, communicated, measured, and implemented across the organization.

The right candidate will bring credibility, field presence, strong technical knowledge, and the ability to build practical systems that protect people while supporting operational excellence.

What You'll Do

Lead Companywide Safety Strategy and Culture

• Develop and execute the corporate safety strategy, annual safety improvement plans, goals, and key performance indicators.
• Promote a proactive safety culture built on accountability, coaching, field engagement, and continuous improvement.
• Advise executive leadership on safety performance, risk management, OSHA compliance, customer expectations, and industry best practices.
• Maintain and improve the corporate safety management system, including policies, procedures, standards, and consistent practices across projects and locations.
• Partner with operations leadership to identify risks, remove barriers, and support safe, efficient project execution.
• Conduct project site audits, inspections, and safety assessments across active industrial construction environments.
• Provide technical guidance in areas such as electrical work, steel erection, rigging, crane operations, confined space entry, lockout/tagout, fall protection, and other high-risk activities.
• Lead serious incident and near-miss investigations, complete root cause analyses, and drive corrective actions through closure.
• Track trends, communicate lessons learned, and implement practical prevention measures that reduce risk.

Develop People, Programs, and Performance

• Develop and oversee safety training programs for craft professionals, supervisors, and managers.
• Ensure required regulatory training, certifications, and documentation are completed and maintained.
• Support apprenticeship, NCCER, and workforce development initiatives by integrating safety leadership into employee development.
• Mentor operations leaders and safety professionals in effective safety leadership, coaching, documentation, and accountability practices.

Manage Compliance, Reporting, and Customer Confidence

• Maintain regulatory compliance across operating locations, including OSHA requirements and applicable industry standards.
• Manage OSHA interactions, inspections, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements.
• Support workers' compensation safety initiatives, return-to-work efforts, insurance audits, and risk management activities.
• Track and report leading and lagging indicators, including TRIR, DART, EMR, near-miss participation, audit scores, corrective action closure, and training completion.
• Develop executive-level safety reports and dashboards that clearly communicate performance, trends, risks, and improvement opportunities.
• Participate in customer safety reviews, contractor qualification processes, pre-bid meetings, and business development efforts.

We're Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety, Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field preferred; equivalent education and relevant industry experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive safety leadership experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in industrial construction, heavy industrial maintenance, specialty contracting, or a closely related environment.
• Experience supporting electrical, mechanical, steel erection, rigging, crane operations, confined space, lockout/tagout, fall protection, and other high-risk work activities preferred.
• Proven success leading safety programs across multiple projects, teams, and operating locations.

Preferred Certifications

• Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
• Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST)
• OSHA 500 Trainer
• Associate Safety Professional (ASP)
• Certified Instructional Trainer or similar training credential a plus

Knowledge, Skills, and Leadership Strengths

• Strong working knowledge of OSHA 1926 and related construction safety regulations.
• Deep understanding of industrial construction safety practices and field execution.
• Ability to influence culture, build trust, and drive accountability at all levels of the organization.
• Strong communication, coaching, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Excellent incident investigation, root cause analysis, trend analysis, and corrective action management capabilities.
• Experience with behavior-based safety, safety management systems, and safety reporting software.
• Practical, solutions-oriented approach with the ability to balance compliance, field realities, and operational needs.

Travel and Work Environment

• Regular travel to project sites throughout the company's operating regions is required.
• Must be able to access active construction sites and industrial facilities.
• Must be able to wear required personal protective equipment and safely navigate industrial work environments.

What You'll Bring

The successful Corporate Safety Director will be a visible, credible leader who leads by example, builds strong relationships with craft professionals and operations leaders, and helps every employee take ownership of safety.

• A passion for protecting people and strengthening safety culture.
• The confidence to coach, challenge, and support leaders at every level.
• The field presence to connect with employees and understand real jobsite conditions.
• The discipline to build consistent systems, measure performance, and follow through on improvement plans.
• The leadership mindset to deliver exceptional operational results while keeping safety at the center of everything we do.

The organization offers a comprehensive benefits package, which may include: