Health, Safety & Environment Manager

Pacific International Executive Search; Chicago Heights (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Pacific International is seeking an HSE Manager to lead all health, safety, and environmental activities at its Chicago Heights manufacturing facility. You will report to the Site Manager and guide safety culture, regulatory compliance, and operational risk reduction on a complex site.

The role requires hands-on leadership, strong regulatory knowledge (OSHA/EPA/DOT), and collaboration with site leadership, employees, and a global HSE network to drive continuous improvement and sustainable safety

Qualifications

• 5-10 years of HSE experience in manufacturing, industrial, or similar complex operations.
• Strong knowledge of OSHA, EPA, DOT, regulatory reporting and environmental compliance programs.
• Experience leading safety improvement initiatives, SSIP programs, audits, and corrective actions.
• Understanding of combustible dust, machine guarding, forklift safety, confined space, hot work, PPE, and chemical safety.

Responsibilities

• Lead the site's HSE management system and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Maintain HSE policies, permits, records, and site safety standards.
• Drive safety training for employees, supervisors, contractors, and visitors.
• Develop and implement HSE initiatives and action plans.
• Prepare HSE KPIs, dashboards, and regulatory reports.
• Promote a proactive safety culture and leadership visibility on the shop floor.
• Support environmental programs related to waste, air emissions, water, and chemical storage.
• Coordinate with global HSE network to share leading practices.

Skills

Safety leadership

Regulatory compliance

Industrial hygiene

Risk assessment & root cause

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health & Safety or related field

Job description

Pacific International is partnering with a leading global provider of molten metal flow engineering and advanced materials technology serving the steel, foundry, and broader industrial manufacturing markets. The organization operates across more than 40 countries and provides specialized refractory materials, flow control systems, sensors, and digital solutions that help customers improve safety, productivity, and operational performance.

As part of its continued commitment to operational excellence and safety performance, the organization is seeking a Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) Manager to lead all HSE activities at its Chicago Heights manufacturing facility. This is a highly visible site leadership role reporting directly to the Site Manager and serving as the primary HSE leader for a complex industrial operation.

The successful candidate will play a critical role in strengthening the site's safety culture, ensuring regulatory compliance, reducing operational risk, and driving continuous improvement. Operating within a challenging manufacturing environment that includes chemical exposure, combustible gases, crane operations, forklift traffic, and complex production processes, this individual will be expected to establish a strong shop floor presence while influencing safe behaviors and operational standards across the organization.

The HSE Manager will work closely with site leadership, operations teams, employees, contractors, and a broader global HSE network to develop sustainable safety initiatives, improve environmental performance, and support the site's transition to a 24/5 operating environment. This role offers significant visibility, impact, and long-term growth opportunities within a global industrial organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the site's HSE management system and ensure compliance with company standards, OSHA, EPA, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Maintain HSE policies, procedures, permits, records, and site safety standards.
• Manage safety improvement initiatives including SSIP programs, Group Safety Audits, corrective actions, and action plan execution.
• Conduct risk assessments, workplace inspections, combustible dust reviews, safety audits, and incident investigations.
• Develop and deliver HSE training programs for employees, supervisors, contractors, and visitors.
• Promote a proactive safety culture through coaching, communication, leadership visibility, and employee engagement.
• Support safe execution of high-risk activities including contractor work, maintenance projects, shutdowns, and non-routine operations.
• Manage environmental compliance programs related to waste, air emissions, water, stormwater, spill prevention, and chemical storage.
• Maintain emergency response, evacuation, spill response, and crisis management plans.
• Prepare HSE KPIs, dashboards, regulatory reports, leadership updates, and performance trend analyses.
• Support sustainability initiatives focused on waste reduction, pollution prevention, and resource efficiency.
• Act as the site's primary HSE resource while partnering with global colleagues to implement leading practices and continuous improvement initiatives.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• 5-10 years of Health, Safety & Environmental experience within manufacturing, industrial, or similarly complex operational environments.
• Strong knowledge of OSHA, EPA, DOT, incident investigations, audits, regulatory reporting, and environmental compliance programs.
• Experience leading safety improvement initiatives, corrective action programs, SSIP processes, and safety audit action plans.
• Practical understanding of combustible dust hazards, machine guarding, forklift safety, confined space, hot work, PPE, contractor safety, and chemical safety programs.
• Demonstrated ability to influence, coach, and engage employees at all levels of the organization.
• Strong background in risk assessment, root cause analysis, corrective action management, and HSE reporting.
• Credible, hands-on leadership style with the ability to build relationships and drive behavioral change on the manufacturing floor.
• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, Industrial Hygiene, or a related field preferred.
• OSHA 30, ASP, CSP, ISO 45001, ISO 14001, or related certifications preferred.
• Experience with ISO 14001, Environmental Management Systems (EMS), and internal auditing is highly desirable.