Director, Environmental Health and Safety

Kato Engineering, Inc.; Mankato (MN); Hybrid; USD 145,000 - 232,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Health & dental/vision coverage

401(k) with company match

Generous PTO and holidays

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Nidec is seeking an accomplished Environmental, Health, and Safety leader to oversee programs across all Power Americas manufacturing locations. You will ensure regulatory compliance, drive risk reduction, and foster a culture of safety and environmental stewardship under the QEHS leadership framework.

This role requires strategic oversight of EHS policy development, audits, incident investigations, and cross‑functional collaboration with facilities leadership.

Qualifications

• Ten years of progressive Environmental, Health, and Safety experience in manufacturing.
• Leadership across multiple sites and regulatory compliance knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain divisional EHS policies, programs, standards, and procedures.
• Lead site EHS teams and ensure OSHA/EPA compliance across locations.
• Oversee audits, incident investigations, risk assessments, and corrective actions.
• Coordinate emergency preparedness and business continuity planning.

Skills

EHS leadership

OSHA/regulatory knowledge

risk assessment

investigations & audits

cross-functional communication

multi-site experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Safety/Environmental Science/Engineering

CSP or CHMM preferred

Job description

We begin with dreams. Dreams drive our motivation. Dreams are our future. The world's dreams, people's dreams, our dreams. Our passion creates ideas that make dreams come alive. Technology and products that were only dreams become reality. All for dreams. Dreams challenge and the Nidec-Group will continue to meet the challenge. For the world's and people's tomorrows; the world's first, the world's best technologies and products; we will continue our part in creating a better society.

Job Summary

Nidec is the world's No. 1 comprehensive motor manufacturer handling "everything that spins and moves", miniature to gigantic. Nidec is a global enterprise comprised of over 300 subsidiaries/affiliates. We are a leading manufacturer of commercial motors, industrial motors, appliance motors, and controls. Our product line features a full line of high efficiency motors for industrial applications in water treatment, mining, oil and gas, and power generation, and for commercial applications such as pool and spa, condensers, cooling towers and large refrigeration units. From keeping us comfortable in our homes to pumping clean water to making our cars more safe, electric motors are an indispensable part of our daily lives. At Nidec, our employees are on the forefront of developing new motor technologies. As we move deeper into the age of robotics, the impact of motors will only increase. With over 140,000 employees stationed worldwide, Nidec continues to be a unique organization, and each location maintains its individual personality. Whether driving locomotives, powering offshore platforms or keeping the lights on after a storm, Nidec electric power generation products impact the world on a daily basis. With over 1,000 employees in the Americas, we are moving forward with technology to solve our customers' electrical power needs for both prime and backup generation needs as the industry's leading manufacturer.

Job Description

Shift: 1st Shift

Days of Work: Monday - Friday

Work Hours: 8:00am to 5:00pm

Work Location: Hybrid (Mankato, MN)

Starting Salary: $144,800 - $231,700

Pay Frequency: Bi-Weekly

• Competitive Compensation: Attractive salary with additional bonus opportunities.
• Health and Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, effective from your first day.
• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with a best in-class company match of 100% on the employee's first 6% with an additional 3% employer contribution to support your financial future.
• Work-Life Balance: Generous time off package, including PTO and holidays.
• Education Assistance: Tuition reimbursement and continuous learning opportunities to support your professional growth.

Position Objective

Provide leadership, direction, and oversight for all Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) programs and activities across all manufacturing locations within the Nidec Power Americas Division. Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements while driving risk reduction, environmental stewardship, employee safety, and continuous improvement. This position reports to the Vice President of Quality, Environmental Health & Safety (QEHS).

Essential Duties/Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain divisional EHS policies, programs, standards, and procedures across all Power Americas manufacturing locations.
• Provide leadership, direction, and functional oversight to all site EHS teams.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, and all applicable federal, state, local, and international environmental, health, and safety regulations in multiple state sites.
• Lead environmental compliance activities, including permitting, regulatory reporting, waste management, air emissions, wastewater, stormwater, and chemical management.
• Establish divisional EHS objectives, leading and lagging performance metrics, and management review processes.
• Develop and implement strategies to reduce workplace injuries, illnesses, environmental incidents, and regulatory risk.
• Lead investigations of significant incidents, near misses, environmental events, and regulatory matters to determine root causes and corrective actions.
• Conduct and coordinate EHS audits, risk assessments, and compliance reviews to identify gaps and improvement opportunities.
• Monitor regulatory changes and ensure timely communication and implementation.
• Partner with all functions to integrate EHS requirements into business processes and operational decisions.
• Provide oversight for workers compensation, return-to-work programs, and injury case management activities.
• Coordinate emergency preparedness, crisis response, and business continuity activities related to EHS risks and events.
• Develop and manage divisional EHS budgets, resource plans, and capital investment priorities.
• Prepare and present EHS performance, risk, and compliance updates to executive leadership.
• Promote a proactive culture of employee engagement, hazard identification, stop-work responsibility, and environmental stewardship.
• Support facility expansions, new equipment installations, process changes, and acquisitions by evaluating EHS risks and compliance requirements.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Experience/Skills

Minimum of ten (10) years of progressive Environmental, Health, and Safety experience in a manufacturing environment. Heavy manufacturing experience preferred. Multi-site EHS leadership experience preferred. Strong working knowledge of OSHA, workers compensation, and other applicable environmental and safety regulations. Developing and implementing multi-site EHS systems and compliance programs. Demonstrated experience leading investigations, audits, risk assessments, and corrective action processes. Demonstrated leadership, communication, organizational, and problem‑solving skills. Ability to influence and collaborate effectively with executive leadership, facility leaders, and cross‑functional teams. Ability to analyze EHS performance data, identify trends, and translate findings into measurable improvement plans. Ability to travel to the sites within division and other Nidec businesses. (~25%) US Citizenship required for positions in the North Mankato facility.

Education

Bachelor's degree (B.S.) in Occupational Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field required. Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM), or equivalent professional certification(s) preferred. MUST BE A SOLE US CITIZEN

Equal Employment Opportunity and Affimative Action at Nidec

Nidec is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Affimative Action Employer encouraging diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to their age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, genetic information, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. For more information regarding your (EEO) rights as an applicant, please visit the following website: http://www1.eeoc.gov/employers/upload/eeoc_self_print_poster.pdf

Work Shift Schedule First Shift (United States of America) No Soliciting Nidec will not accept unsolicited resumes from individual recruiters or third party recruiting agencies in response to Nidec job postings. No fee will be paid to third parties who submit unsolicited candidates directly to our hiring managers. Pre-approval from the Nidec Talent Acquisition team is required before any external candidate can be submitted and such candidate must be submitted to the Nidec Talent Acquisition team.

Nidec has worked its way up to become the world's No.1 manufacturer of small precision motors. In the process, Nidec has gradually expanded its product lineup to include a variety of small to large motors, application products for machinery, and electronic and optical components. At present, its products are used in a wide range of fields and devices including information and telecommunications equipment, office equipment, home appliances, automobiles, industrial equipment, and environmental energy. "For Everything that Spins and Moves", the Group is creating next-generation drive technologies to meet the needs of the society.