Director of Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS)

Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc.; Texas; On-site; USD 80,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an EHS Director to spearhead environmental, health, and safety initiatives across its operations in seven states. This strategic role will focus on compliance with regulatory requirements, the development of scalable safety programs, and fostering a culture of safety within the organization. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in EHS management, particularly within regulated industries such as cannabis or pharmaceuticals. This dynamic position offers the opportunity to lead a dedicated team and make a significant impact on workplace safety and sustainability. If you are passionate about creating a safe and compliant work environment, this role is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of EHS experience in regulated industries.
• 3+ years in a multi-site or regional leadership role.
• Strong knowledge of OSHA, EPA, and cannabis regulations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and monitor company-wide EHS strategy across multiple states.
• Lead site-level safety initiatives and compliance programs.
• Conduct risk assessments and enforce safety controls.

Skills

EHS Strategy Development

Regulatory Compliance (OSHA, EPA, DOT)

Team Leadership

Safety Training Program Development

Incident Investigation

Risk Assessment

Education

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science

Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering

Tools

SDS Systems

EHS Reporting Software

Job description

Job Summary:

We are looking for a dynamic and experienced EHS Director to lead environmental, health, and safety efforts across our cannabis operations spanning seven U.S. states, while being based onsite at our Franklin, New Jersey location. This strategic role will ensure enterprise-wide compliance with regulatory requirements, build and implement scalable safety programs, and champion a culture of safety across cultivation, manufacturing, and distribution operations.

You'll lead site-level safety initiatives in Franklin, while also setting and enforcing standards across all our facilities nationwide.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Oversight (Multi-State):

• Develop, implement and monitor a company-wide EHS strategy that aligns with federal, state, and local regulations in all operational states.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of industry standards, local, state, and federal regulations, and ensure the organization remains compliant. Serve as the subject matter expert on OSHA, EPA, DOT, and state cannabis regulations, including NJ CRC compliance.
• Harmonize where possible and monitor safety programs in all states ensuring consistency in risk mitigation, training, and reporting.
• Coordinate and streamline cost effective selection and/or purchasing of first aid and safety equipment and services.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives related to workplace safety, health, and environmental sustainability.
• Work with cross-functional teams, such as HR, operations, and legal, to address EHS-related concerns and initiatives.

Team Management & Training:

• Build and lead a distributed EHS team, including regional and site-level safety personnel.
• Develop and deliver a strategic EHS training program to educate employees on safety protocols, environmental concerns, emergency response procedures, and regulatory changes.
• Promote a proactive safety culture through leadership engagement, communication, and performance metrics.

Compliance & Reporting:

• Monitor regulatory documentation, injury/illness logs, SDS systems, and environmental permits.
• Liaise with local and federal agencies during inspections and investigations.
• Track, analyze, and report safety KPIs across all sites; drive continuous improvement.
• Prepare and submit EHS-related reports to senior management, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders as required.

Site-Based Leadership (Franklin, NJ):

• Act as the primary EHS leader at the Franklin facility, overseeing inspections, audits, trainings, and compliance programs.
• Lead incident investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action plans locally and nationally.
• Conduct risk assessments and enforce controls for indoor cultivation, extraction, lab, and packaging areas.

Travel:

• Travel to operational facilities across seven states (approx. 25-40%) to conduct audits, train teams, and provide leadership support.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Occupational Safety, Industrial Engineering, or related field.
• 6+ years of EHS experience in cannabis, pharma, food/beverage, or similar regulated industries.
• 3+ years in a multi-site or regional leadership role REQUIRED
• Experience in managing indoor cultivation, lab, or manufacturing EHS programs preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of OSHA, EPA, DOT, and cannabis industry-specific regulatory requirements.
• OSHA 30 (minimum); CSP, CHMM, CIH, or equivalent certifications are a strong plus.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Must be eligible to work in cannabis in all relevant states and pass applicable background checks.

Work Environment:

• Based primarily at the Franklin, NJ headquarters (onsite).
• Regular travel to out-of-state cannabis cultivation, lab, and production facilities.
• PPE and facility access is required during walkthroughs and inspections.

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Ascend Wellness Holdings (AWH) is a vertically integrated cannabis cultivator, processor and provisioning center operator with assets in Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania. We seek to foster a robust and inclusive cannabis industry through a premium, unmatched customer-focused retail experience. We are looking to build a world-class team that will help carry out our mission of helping to shape the future of cannabis as a leading healthcare solution. We are committed to improving the quality of our patient's lives by offering unrivaled quality, consistency and meticulously curated products that satisfy our customers unique, individual needs. When it comes to customer service experience, our dispensaries will set a new standard of excellence, emphasizing health and wellness by a highly knowledgeable team. A team that is committed to our values, our people, and our communities; we are looking for people who are inspired by our vision and stay dedicated to our mission as we continuously expand.

EEO STATEMENT

Ascend Wellness Holdings, LLC and its subsidiaries is an equal opportunity employer and celebrate the population of differences and does not discriminate in its hiring / hiring practices, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.