Director, Internal Occupational Health

Hackensack Meridian Health; Eatontown (NJ); On-site; USD 140,000 - 172,000; Full time

Job summary

Hackensack Meridian Health is seeking a Director, Internal Occupational Health to lead team member health and safety across designated hospital sites in New Jersey. The role oversees surveillance programs, injury prevention, regulatory compliance, outbreak response, and data-driven strategies, collaborating with senior leaders to implement policies and SOPs.

The position requires an MPH or related degree, 7+ years in healthcare, 2+ years in leadership, and strong knowledge of OSHA, CDC, and

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Public Health (MPH), Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, or related field
• 7 years proven effective and progressive experience in healthcare
• Minimum 2 years of experience in a healthcare leadership role, leading programs, projects and teams
• Strong knowledge of OSHA, CDC, NJDOH, and other regulatory requirements relevant to occupational and employee health
• Demonstrated knowledge of OSHA recordkeeping, reporting requirements, and regulatory compliance standards
• Ability to translate complex regulatory changes into operational and policy updates, and communicate those updates to leaders, peers, and front-line staff
• Experience designing and leading injury prevention initiatives across multiple hospital or clinical sites
• Working knowledge of ergonomic principles, musculoskeletal injury prevention, and safe patient handling programs
• Familiarity with healthcare employee screening, surveillance, and immunization programs (e.g., flu, TB, fit testing, hazardous drug monitoring)
• Experience leading outbreak and exposure response efforts within a healthcare or similarly complex environment
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficient computer skills that include but are not limited to Google Suite and/or Microsoft Office platforms
• Ability to travel to various HMH and non-HMH facilities.

Responsibilities

• Oversee surveillance programs and injury prevention efforts across hospital sites
• Ensure regulatory compliance, data-driven strategies, and outbreak response
• Develop and implement policies, SOPs, and dashboards to support safe work environments
• Provide oversight to surveillance and contact tracing operations
• Collaborate with VP Safety, CNOs, and WIPC to guide injury prevention
• Lead supervision of Injury Prevention Officers and training programs
• Work with clinical, operational, safety and education teams to align prevention with network goals

Skills

Regulatory compliance

Outbreak response

Employee health programs

Data dashboards

Communication skills

Office productivity

Education

Master's degree in Public Health (MPH) or related field

Tools

Cority

Google Suite

Microsoft Office

Job description

Our team members are the heart of what makes us better.

At Hackensack Meridian Health we help our patients live better, healthier lives — and we help one another to succeed. With a culture rooted in connection and collaboration, our employees are team members. Here, competitive benefits are just the beginning. It’s also about how we support one another and how we show up for our community.

Together, we keep getting better - advancing our mission to transform healthcare and serve as a leader of positive change.

In this strategic leadership role, the Director, Internal Occupational Health is responsible for advancing team member health and safety by overseeing surveillance programs, injury prevention efforts, regulatory compliance, outbreak response, and operational performance. This role leads the development and execution of policies, standard operating procedures, and data-driven strategies that support safe and healthy work environments. The Director provides oversight to surveillance and contact tracing operations, guides team member screening and risk-based compliance programs, and manages data reporting dashboards`including OSHA-required submissions. They serve as the subject matter expert for internal regulatory readiness and collaborate across disciplines to ensure alignment with current standards and best practices. Additionally, the Director leads injury prevention initiatives across designated hospital sites in close collaboration with the Vice President of Safety, site Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs), and the Workplace Injury Prevention Committee (WIPC). The Director provides strategic and operational oversight to site-based Injury Prevention Officers, ensuring the consistent implementation of evidence-based prevention strategies, ergonomic assessments, safe patient handling initiatives, and workforce training. This role partners across clinical, operational, safety, and education teams to align injury prevention work with network goals and to foster a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement throughout the organization.

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• Master`s degree in Public Health (MPH), Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, or related field

• 7 years proven effective and progressive experience in healthcare.

• Minimum 2 years of experience in a healthcare leadership role, leading programs, projects and teams.

• Strong knowledge of OSHA, CDC, NJDOH, and other regulatory requirements relevant to occupational and employee health

• Demonstrated knowledge of OSHA recordkeeping, reporting requirements, and regulatory compliance standards

• Ability to translate complex regulatory changes into operational and policy updates, and communicate those updates to leaders, peers, and front-line staff

• Experience designing and leading injury prevention initiatives across multiple hospital or clinical sites

• Working knowledge of ergonomic principles, musculoskeletal injury prevention, and safe patient handling programs

• Familiarity with healthcare employee screening, surveillance, and immunization programs (e.g., flu, TB, fit testing, hazardous drug monitoring)

• Experience leading outbreak and exposure response efforts within a healthcare or similarly complex environment

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Proficient computer skills that include but are not limited to Google Suite and/or Microsoft Office platforms.

• Ability to travel to various HMH and non-HMH facilities.

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred:

• Proven ability to manage call center operations, including oversight of workflows, service standards, and metrics

• Experience participating in or supporting system-level committees or initiatives, with responsibility for executing related plans of action

• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement data-driven programs, dashboards, and reporting tools to improve compliance and inform strategy

• Knowledge of employee engagement strategies, leadership development, and accountability frameworks

• Working knowledge of customer relationship management, service recovery, and experience strategies

• Experience developing policies, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and education/training programs aligned with organizational goals

• Strong change management and project management skills, particularly in healthcare or regulatory environments

• Excellent communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills with the ability to engage cross-functional stakeholders at all levels

• Familiarity with occupational health or EHR software platforms such as Cority or equivalent systems

Licenses and Certifications Required:

• OSHA 30 Hour Training within 6 months of entering position.

Licenses and Certifications Preferred:

• NJ State Professional Registered Nurse License.

• National certification in Occupational Health Nursing (COHN or COHN-S) or other relevant health/safety credential (e.g., Certified Safety Professional [CSP], Certified Industrial Hygienist [CIH], Certified Hazardous Materials Manager [CHMM])

• Certification in Public Health (CPH), Project Management (PMP), or other relevant certification

• Certification in ergonomics, injury prevention, or safe patient handling (e.g., CEAS, ASP, or equivalent)

• Certification or formal training in infection prevention, outbreak management, or contact tracing (e.g., APIC, CDC)

Minimum rate of $156,062.40 Annually

HMH is committed to pay equity and transparency for our team members. The posted rate of pay in this job posting is a reasonable good faith estimate of the minimum base pay for this role at the time of posting in accordance with the New Jersey Pay Transparency Act and does not reflect the full value of our market-competitive total rewards package.

The starting rate of pay is provided for informational purposes only and is not a guarantee of a specific offer. Posted hourly rates may be stated as an annual salary in the offer and posted annual salaries may be stated as an hourly rate in the offer, depending on the level and nature of the job duties and credentials of the candidate. The base compensation determined at the time of the offer may be different than the posted rate of pay based on a number of non-discriminatory factors, including but not limited to:

• Labor Market Data: Compensation is benchmarked against market data to ensure competitiveness.

• Experience: Years of relevant work experience.

• Education and Certifications: Level of education attained, including specialized certifications, credentials, completed apprenticeship programs or advanced training.

• Skills: Demonstrated proficiency in relevant skills and competencies.

• Geographic Location: Cost of living and market rates for the specific location.

• Internal Equity: Compensation is determined in a manner consistent with compensation ranges for similar roles within the organization.

• Budget and Grant Funding: Departmental budgets and any grant funding associated with the job position may impact the pay that can be offered.

Some jobs may also be eligible for performance-based incentives, bonuses, or commissions not reflected in the starting rate. Certain positions may also be eligible for shift differentials for work performed on evening, night, or weekend shifts.

In addition to our compensation for full-time and part-time (20+ hours/week) job positions, HMH offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and retirement benefits.

HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH (HMH) IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding, genetic information, refusal to submit to a genetic test or make available to an employer the results of a genetic test, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, national origin, nationality, ancestry, disability, marital status, liability for military service, or status as a protected veteran.