SHE Manager Technical Center

Synthomer; Akron (OH); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Discretionary global bonus

LTIP

Company car or car allowance

Healthcare

Parental leave

Learning & development

Wellbeing programs

Retirement contributions

Culture of Inclusion

Job summary

Synthomer Akron Technology Center is seeking a strong SHE&S Manager to lead safety, environment and health initiatives across the site and assigned programs. The role involves laboratory work, chemistry formulations, and collaborating across business segments to improve safety performance.

Responsibilities include coordinating the RCMS, developing site policies, conducting risk assessments, and leading investigations into incidents and near misses.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in chemistry, polymer engineering or related science/engineering.
• Minimum 5 years of demonstrated safety experience, preferably in manufacturing or lab environments.
• Minimum 1 year of laboratory experience (intern/co-op) required.
• Ability to drive safety culture change and coach teams.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the Akron Technology Center SHE&S/RCMS management system and act as site safety committee facilitator.
• Establish and maintain site-specific SHE&S policies, programs, and procedures compliant with regulations and corporate standards.
• Educate site leadership and employees to ensure compliance with government regulations and policies.
• Track hazards and action items, ensure timely follow-up and communication.
• Prepare reports and government filings; maintain environmental compliance programs including hazardous waste.
• Oversee industrial hygiene monitoring for identified hazards (air, noise, dust).
• Lead incident investigations, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions.
• Manage Emergency Response Team and procedures; coordinate safety training and audits.
• Support site management in achieving annual SHE&S goals and regulatory compliance.
• Interact with employees at all levels to promote safe work practices.

Skills

Safety management

OSHA regulations

Leadership

Communication

Change management

Team collaboration

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry/Polymer Engineering or related field

Tools

RCMS

ISO systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

Synthomer is a leading supplier of high-performance, highly specialised polymers and ingredients that play vital roles in key sectors such as coatings, construction, adhesives, and health and protection – growing markets that serve billions of end users worldwide. Headquartered in London, UK and publicly listed there since 1971, we employ c.3,900 employees across our 5 innovation centres of excellence and more than 29 manufacturing sites across Europe, North America and Asia. Around 20% of our sales volumes are from new and patent protected products.

At our innovation centres of excellence in the UK, Germany, China, Malaysia and Ohio, USA we collaborate closely with our customers to develop new products and enhance existing ones tailored to their needs, with an increasing range of sustainability benefits. Since 2021, we have been proud holders of the London Stock Exchange Green Economy Mark, which recognises green technology businesses making a significant contribution to a more sustainable, low-carbon economy.

We are seeking a strong manager to improve the facility across all areas of safety, environment and health, audit and compliance. The role is in our technical facility and involves a lab and instruments and chemistry formulations and working across multiple business segments.

The SHE&S Manager will oversee the safety, environmental, and health initiatives for the Synthomer Akron Technology Center as well as other sites and company initiatives as assigned.

Job Responsibilities

Coordinate the Akron Technology Center SHE&S/RCMS management system and serves as facilitator of site safety committee.

Establish and maintain site specific SHE&S policies, programs and procedures that ensure compliance with all applicable Synthomer, federal, state, and local regulations and corporate standards.

Maintains and monitors current information and educates site leadership and employees to ensure site compliance on government SHE regulations and corporate policy.

Tracks reported hazards, action items, and ensures timely follow up and communication to stake holders regarding corrective actions.

Prepares required reports, plans, and other government SHE&S filings and ensures timely and accurate submission.

Maintains the environmental compliance programs including hazardous waste.

Ensures industrial hygiene monitoring for identified hazardous risk such as air, noise, dust, etc.

Evaluate jobs (JSAs) for possible ergonomic and other safety improvements and engineering improvements and implement these work design changes with appropriate team members.

Actively investigate all incidents and near misses, identifies root causes, risk rank all corrective/preventive and ensures they are implemented.

Lead the Emergency Response Team and maintain an up-to-date emergency response procedure.

Coordinates and ensure execution of sites’ safety efforts including training, audits, required health screens, workman's compensation, accident investigations, and general safety awareness.

Supports the local site management team with development and achievement of SHE&S annual performance goals; OSHA and regulatory requirement compliance; coordination of site safety committee initiatives and behavioral/area audits; hazard analysis and recognition; risk ranking and execution of critical safety projects

Actively participate in projects and SHE efforts at other sites as requested

Interact with the site workforce at all levels to demonstrate, educate and enforce safe work practices.

Other duties and projects as assigned.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree required. Chemistry, Polymer Engineering, or similar science or engineering degree preferred.

Minimum of 5 years demonstrated safety experience required. Preferably in a manufacturing or laboratory environment.

Minimum of 1 year of laboratory experience (including intern/co-op) required.

Must be proficient in serving as a change agent and working with the organization/ management to change safety culture.

High energy, productive, team player

Working knowledge of OSHA regulations.

Ability to read, analyze and interpret regulations, professional journals, technical procedures and technical results.

Strong leadership, interpersonal and communication skills.

Must be an independent, self-motivated individual with the ability to multi-task and administer a broad range of duties.

Ability to coach, teach and counsel and be comfortable speaking to groups at different organizational levels.

Must be able to work independently without day-to-day supervision.

Must be comfortable in dealing with SHE&S issues in the laboratory environment and working with all levels of employees (from front-line employees to senior management).

Competent with the Microsoft Office suite of programs (i.e. Word, Excel, and Outlook) and safety and health management systems.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential. Must be able to compose clear and concise written communications without error or omission. Must be able to verbally communicate with a wide range of people in a clear and concise manner. Must be able to address team using terminology of laboratory environments.

Must be watchful and highly vigilant, maintaining high ethical standards.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with effective health and safety management systems including RCMS and ISO

Able to understand and execute processes including risk ranking, rapid problem solving, effective project management, hazard analysis, permitting, management of change (MOC), pre-start up safety review (PSSR), and required permitting

RCRA Hazardous Waste Generator Training

HazWoper Training

Global Benefits Overview

• Competitive, market-aligned compensation
• Discretionary global bonus scheme
• Discretionary Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) - for senior positions
• Company car or car allowance - varies by region and role
• Healthcare - tailored to regional locations
• Parental leave and family support - maternity, paternity, adoption (aligned with regional policies)
• Working options - flexibility where it matters, based on role and business needs
• Learning & development opportunities - training, online platforms, buddy/mentorship programs, Internal Synthomer University with L&D offers
• Wellbeing support - employee assistance program (EAP), mental health resources, wellbeing initiatives
• Retirement / pension contributions - plans vary by country
• Culture of Inclusion - where everyone can thrive
• Performance culture, global reward & recognition programmes