Senior Construction Safety Leader: EHS Strategy & Risk

ERM; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 137,330 - 170,592; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Job summary

ERM is seeking a Principal Technical Consultant, Construction Safety to lead EHS programs across large capital projects. Based in Indianapolis or other locations, you will guide clients from design through startup, driving safety culture, governance, and risk management.

You will influence executives, develop scalable safety frameworks, and ensure compliance with industry standards while supporting commissioning, turnover, and closeout activities.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, and transforming EHS management systems, governance frameworks, and construction safety programs for large capital projects.
• Ability to influence executive stakeholders and deliver strategic recommendations that improve project risk management and EHS performance.
• Bachelor’s degree in safety, occupational health and safety, engineering, construction management, or related field or equivalent experience.
• 6–8+ years of capital project EHS experience, including owner-side safety support, contractor oversight, construction execution, and commissioning/start-up.
• Experience with Safety in Design, constructability reviews, PHA/PSM-informed risk reviews, and project EHS governance processes.
• Strong knowledge of OSHA construction/general industry standards, LOTO, permitting, emergency response, fire protection, and high-risk construction controls.
• Experience reviewing contractor safe work documentation including JHAs, pre-task plans, permits, lift plans, energy isolation plans, training records, and toolbox talks.
• Strong field presence, communication skills, and ability to influence contractors, project teams, and client EHS personnel.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and ability to manage multiple priorities, travel as needed, and deliver high-quality client service.

Responsibilities

• Partner with client EHS, Engineering, Project Controls, and Capital Project leadership to evaluate program effectiveness, identify gaps and emerging risks, and drive improvement opportunities across all project phases.
• Challenge existing approaches and facilitate strategic discussions with stakeholders regarding program maturity, organizational capability, contractor management practices, and risk governance.
• Develop and deploy scalable EHS frameworks, standards, procedures, tools, and management systems aligned with project objectives and enterprise risk management goals.
• Advise clients on Safety-by-Design integration, constructability risk management, contractor safety governance, operational readiness, and long-term sustainability of EHS programs.
• Lead assessments, benchmarking activities, maturity evaluations, and strategic improvement initiatives that strengthen safety performance and organizational capability.
• Translate technical observations and project execution challenges into executive-level recommendations and actionable roadmaps.
• Lead Safety-by-Design integration and risk-based decision making throughout the project lifecycle.
• Design and execute project EHS governance processes including risk reviews, assurance routines, site audits, escalation pathways, and corrective action tracking.
• Align multidisciplinary teams on safety expectations, communication protocols, and incident-free execution strategies.
• Review contractor safe work documentation including JHAs, pre-task plans, permits, lift plans, energy isolation/LOTO plans, training records, and emergency response plans.
• Conduct field observations and audits to verify critical controls, assess contractor conformance, and elevate corrective actions.
• Support commissioning, startup, and turnover readiness by verifying safety planning for equipment, systems, and operational transitions.
• Support project closeout by confirming safety documentation, lessons learned, corrective action closure, and proper handover of EHS records.

Skills

EHS management systems

Safety leadership

Stakeholder influence

Construction safety

Risk assessments

JHAs & permits

LOTO & energy isolation

MS Office

Field presence

Contractor oversight

Education

Bachelor’s degree in safety, occupational health and safety, engineering, construction management, or related field

Tools

MS Office

Job description

ERM is seeking a Principal Technical Consultant, Construction Safety to lead EHS programs across large capital projects. Based in Indianapolis or other locations, you will guide clients from design through startup, driving safety culture, governance, and risk management.

You will influence executives, develop scalable safety frameworks, and ensure compliance with industry standards while supporting commissioning, turnover, and closeout activities.