Safety Manager

Smurfit Westrock; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Smurfit WestRock is seeking an experienced Safety Manager to lead EHS excellence, mitigate risks, and ensure regulatory compliance across a manufacturing site. You will drive safety programs, environmental stewardship, and employee engagement as part of daily operations.

The role requires strong communication skills, the ability to coach teams, and a track record of applying critical thinking to safety challenges.

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor's degree in safety, environmental science, engineering, or equivalent.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills across teams are essential.
• Experience in leading EHS programs and incident investigations is expected.

Responsibilities

• Lead and advance EHS programs to ensure regulatory compliance and safe operations.
• Conduct thorough incident investigations using human and organizational performance approaches.
• Develop and deliver training plans for safety and environmental awareness.
• Partner with leadership to establish EHS KPIs and drive improvements.
• Coordinate site EHS inspections and maintain compliance calendars.

Skills

Organizational skills

Written & verbal communication

Coaching and employee engagement

Critical thinking

Decision making under pressure

Education

Bachelor's degree in safety, environmental science, engineering, or equivalent

Job description

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) is the go-to leader and partner of choice in sustainable packaging. We are dedicated to creating efficient and scalable paper and packaging solutions to help solve complex packaging challenges. Guided by our values of safety, loyalty, integrity and respect, we are committed to delivering meaningful value for shareholders, customers, employees and the communities where we operate.

The Opportunity:

As the Safety Manager, you will lead, motivate, and cultivate a culture of EHS excellence in the workplace to mitigate risks, prevent accidents and illnesses, ensure regulatory compliance, and promote safe and environmentally responsible behaviors as part of daily operations. This pivotal role reports directly to the site's General Manager.

How you will impact Smurfit WestRock:

• Collaborate with safety and environmental teams, as well as business leaders, to foster a proactive safety and environmental culture
• Implement the company’s Environmental and Safety Excellence programs:
• Safety programs include, but are not limited to, pedestrian traffic, power industrial trucks/mobile equipment, lock-out/tag-out (LOTO), machine guarding, working from heights, ergonomics, material handling/dock safety, job safe planning, electrical safety, contractor safety, walking/working surfaces, confined spaces, hot work, line and equipment opening (LEO), and hazardous communication.
• Environmental programs encompass new chemical approvals, air emissions, stormwater management, wastewater processing, spill prevention and countermeasures, solid/hazardous waste management, and oversight of environmental permits and plans.
• Conduct thorough investigations in response to EHS incidents, including using human and organizational performance approaches
• Lead site communication plans, working with local, regional, and Center of Excellence (COE) teams to ensure comprehensive, aligned and timely communications.
• Organize employee safety and environmental engagement initiatives, including leading the site's safety, environmental, or EHS team.
• Work with business and human resources partners to effectively coach and empower employees, driving a culture of EHS excellence where all employees have a voice.
• Perform safety and environmental risk assessments and develop site-specific action plans to mitigate risks
• Develop comprehensive training plans for safety and environmental awareness, regulatory compliance, and other relevant topics
• Partner with the local leadership team to establish specific safety and environmental KPIs and create action plans to achieve those objectives
• Ensure timely performance of EHS testing, monitoring, training, and submission of required internal and external reports
• Execute or coordinate site safety and environmental inspections
• Actively manage the facility's EHS compliance task calendars
• Collaborate with site leadership to ensure prompt closure of findings from corporate internal environmental and safety audits
• Routinely assess safety and environmental performance on the manufacturing floor and audit processes and site conditions
• Serve as a liaison with agencies such as OSHA and state/local environmental entities
• Evaluate operational changes and capital projects to identify and plan for EHS program impacts

What you need to succeed:

• Bachelor's degree in safety, environmental science, engineering, or equivalent
• Minimum of two years' experience managing EHS in an industrial setting
• Strong organizational skills, prioritization abilities, and capacity to manage multiple tasks concurrently
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrated experience and ability to effectively communicate, coach, empower, and engage others to speak up, support safe team behavior, report concerns, and comply with EHS policies and standards
• Extensive knowledge of EHS standards, methodologies, and regulations, including OSHA, EPA, local and state environmental regulations, ANSI, and NFPA
• Proven track record of critical thinking and problem-solving
• Ability to exercise professional judgment in making quick decisions under stressful and time-sensitive conditions

What we offer:

• Corporate culture based on integrity, respect, accountability, and excellence.
• Comprehensive training with numerous learning and development opportunities.
• An attractive salary reflecting skills, competencies, and potential.
• A career with a global packaging company where Sustainability, Safety and Inclusion are business drivers and foundational elements of the daily work.

Candidates are required to undergo a drug screening after receiving a conditional job offer, but before starting employment.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by state or federal law.