HSE Manager

Mars (New); Flowery Branch (GA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual performance bonus

Mars University training and benefits

Health and wellness programs

Job summary

Mars (New) seeks a Site HSE Manager to lead safety, environmental, and security programs at the Gainesville area site. You will protect people and assets while ensuring OSHA, EPA, and corporate compliance across operations.

The role emphasizes a proactive safety culture, continuous improvement, and cross-functional influence to drive risk reduction and performance metrics. Mars University and a competitive package support growth.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related safety or environmental field required.
• 10–15 years implementing safety, environmental and/or industrial hygiene programs.
• 7+ years HSE leadership in manufacturing or industrial ops.
• Experience with environmental permitting (Air, Water, Wastewater, SPCC, RCRA).
• Experience leading incident investigations and CAPA systems.

Responsibilities

• Define the site HSE vision and lead safety pillars within TPM/MSE frameworks.
• Maintain audit-ready state and 100% compliance with OSHA, EPA, DOT and standards.
• Oversee environmental permits and hazardous waste handling/shipments.
• Lead risk prediction for process hazards and high-fire risk operations.
• Conduct rigorous HSE investigations and drive CAPA and learning.
• Champion Behavior-Based Safety and coach associates without direct authority.
• Manage IH monitoring, injury case management, and audiometric testing.
• Oversee Site Emergency Organization and site security operations.
• Own Contractor Safety Management and partner on HSE reviews for projects.
• Recruit and develop the site HSE team and manage budgets.

Skills

Leadership

Regulatory compliance

Incident investigations

CAPA management

HSE program management

Data-driven decision making

Contractor safety management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety & Health, Environmental Eng/Science, Industrial Hygiene or related

Master’s degree in HSE or related field

Job description

Job Description: HSE Manager - Gainesville, GA Champion safety, sustainability, and operational excellence. As the Site HSE Manager, you will lead and elevate our comprehensive Health, Safety, Environmental, and Security programs across the site. In this pivotal leadership role, you will safeguard our people, property, and assets while ensuring full regulatory compliance with OSHA, EPA, insurance, and corporate standards. By partnering closely with site teams, you will drive policy innovation, shape day-to-day HSE operations, and foster a proactive safety culture built on associate engagement and collaborative leadership.

What are we looking for?

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety & Health, Environmental Engineering/Science, Industrial Hygiene, or a related technical discipline.
• 10 - 15 years’ experience in implementing safety, environmental and/or industrial hygiene programs within manufacturing environment.
• 7+ years HSE leadership experience in a manufacturing, supply chain, or industrial operations environment.
• Working knowledge of DOT regulations for the handling and shipment of hazardous materials/waste.
• Demonstrated experience managing comprehensive environmental permit compliance (Air, Stormwater, Wastewater, Spill Prevention/SPCC, and Hazardous Waste/RCRA).
• Proven track record leading incident investigations (Root Cause Analysis) and implementing corrective/preventative action (CAPA) systems.
• Hands‑on experience with Industrial Hygiene monitoring (noise, ergonomics, respirable dust, chemical exposures) and occupational injury case management.
• Experience evaluating process safety hazards, combustible dust risks, and high‑fire risk operations.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence across all operational levels where direct reporting lines do not exist.
• Experience managing contractor safety programs, emergency response teams (Site Emergency Organization), and physical site security operations.
• Proficiency in data‑driven HSE management, using KPIs to prioritize resources, track performance, and report to senior leadership.

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in HSE, Environmental Management, or related field.
• Knowledge and experience in food manufacturing and GMP Prior work experience managing security function
• Professional certifications such as CSP (Certified Safety Professional), CIH (Certified Industrial Hygienist), or CHMM (Certified Hazardous Materials Manager).
• Experience working within Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Lean Manufacturing, or leading a Safety Pillar / Continuous Improvement Pillar (e.g., Mars Supply Excellence).
• Expertise implementing and championing Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) programs and associate‑led safety committees.
• Background in food manufacturing, CPG, or high‑speed packaging environments.
• Familiarity with property loss control, asset conservation, and working with third‑party insurance risk engineers (e.g., FM Global standards).
• Experience managing operational budgets, capital project HSE reviews, and third‑party integrated facilities/security teams.

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Define the site’s HSE vision and lead as the Safety Pillar Leader (supporting TPM/MSE frameworks) to embed continuous improvement into daily manufacturing operations.
• Maintain an ongoing "audit-ready" state, ensuring 100% compliance with OSHA, EPA, DOT, and corporate standards to minimize business and operational risk.
• Oversee execution and compliance for all environmental permits (Air, Water, Wastewater, Stormwater, SPCC) and direct compliant hazardous waste handling and shipments.
• Lead comprehensive risk prediction/mitigation programs, conducting technical reviews for process hazards, combustible dust, and high‑fire risk operations.
• Direct rigorous investigations into all HSE incidents, driving effective CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Actions) and cross‑site learnings to prevent recurrence.
• Champion the associate‑led Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) program, providing training, coaching, and influencing without direct authority to build a zero‑harm culture.
• Partner with site Health & Wellness teams to manage injury cases, audiometric testing, and IH monitoring (noise, ergonomics, chemical exposure, and dust).
• Oversee the Site Emergency Organization (SEO) response readiness and manage site security operations, access controls, and security personnel.
• Own the Contractor Safety Management program and partner with engineering to deliver HSE reviews on capital and non‑capital projects.
• Recruit, mentor, and build a strong succession pipeline for the site HSE team while managing the departmental operating and capital budgets.

What can you expect from Mars?

Join a global, values‑led business where our Five Principles guide every decision, and your HSE leadership directly protects our people, communities, and planet.

Play a critical role in building a sustainable, zero‑harm future by setting and elevating health, safety, and environmental excellence across our site.

Accelerate your career with tailored leadership pathways, cross‑functional exposure, and ongoing learning through Mars University from day one.

Enjoy an industry-leading package, including a competitive salary, annual performance bonus, flexible health and retirement benefits, and holistic wellness programs.

Work alongside passionate, world‑class Associates within a supportive environment that prioritizes inclusion, psychological safety, and mutual success.

#LI-Onsite #LI-AS2

Mars is a family‑owned business with more than $35 billion in global sales. We produce some of the world’s best‑loved brands: M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, BEN’S ORIGINAL®, and COCOAVIA®. Alongside our consumer brands, we proudly take care of half of the world’s pets through our nutrition, health and services businesses such as Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, AniCura, VCA™ and Pet Partners™. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our 140,000 Associates into taking action every day towards creating the world we want tomorrow.