EHS (Employee Health & Safety) Manager

ABOUT UDA:

UDA is a local, family-owned, dairy cooperative committed to serve the needs of our members, community, and customers by providing high quality milk and dairy products. As the only milk marketing co-op in the state, UDA oversees the production, processing, and marketing of Arizona’s finest milk products from farm to Retail in 48 hours or less. From sweet cream and butter to non-fat dry milk, UDA provides milk products to manufactures and supermarket chains throughout the Grand Canyon State.

Our motto at UDA is “Better Together.” The dairy industry’s success isn’t built on one dairy or brand, it’s built on the community as a whole - this includes our amazing employees. When you join UDA, you’re not just joining a business, you’re joining a family. Since 1960 UDA has been headquartered, operated, and managed in Arizona. We strive to provide our employees with rewarding career opportunities aimed at long-term stability, growth, and advancement. We put our heart and soul into our products and value our team who show up, every day and do the work.

JOB SUMMARY DESCRIPTION:

The EHS Manager is responsible for the overall health and safety of all employees at UDA.  This includes developing and implementing safety policies and procedures, conducting safety inspections, and investigating incidents.  The EHS Manager works with all employees and collaborates with senior leadership to promote a culture of safety in the workplace. 

The EHS Manager is a key position responsible for overseeing and championing UDA’s health and safety programs. Reporting directly to the Director of People Operations, this role carries significant responsibility in ensuring the well-being of all employees and compliance with all relevant regulations. The EHS Manager will establish, maintain, and continue to improve UDA’s safety strategy to reduce incidents as well as increase proactive engagement and prevention of incidents across the entire company. 

Acting as a change agent to accelerate best practice sharing within the organization in support of a safety culture, this role will serve as UDA’s primary regulatory agency liaison for related agency communications representative for Employee Health and Safety.

PRIMARY FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Develop, implement, and manage comprehensive health and safety programs and policies. Ensure these programs align with local, state, and federal regulations, as well as industry best practices.
• Proactively establish and maintain continuous assessment programs to assess workplace hazards, conduct risk assessments, and develop strategies to mitigate potential risks and prevent injuries or incidents.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including operations, facilities, quality management, and People Operations, to identify and address health and safety concerns.
• Coordinate with employees, managers, and senior leadership to establish and maintain a culture of safety through different initiatives such as a Safety Committee, Safety Observation Program, and Safety communication.
• Ensures that project/department safety milestones/goals are met and adhering to approved safety budgets.
• Supports CAPEX project leaders and collaborates with departments for successful completion of projects. 
• Conduct regular inspections, audits, and investigations to identify potential hazards, non-compliance issues, and safety violations. Develop and implement corrective action plans as needed.
• Stay up-to-date with health and safety regulations, industry trends, and emerging best practices. Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.
• Provide guidance and support to managers and supervisors on health and safety-related matters, including training programs, incident management, and emergency response.
• Lead incident investigations and root cause analysis to determine the underlying causes of accidents or near misses and develop strategies to prevent reoccurrence.
• Maintain a strong return to work program, reducing time away from work, while coordinating with all involved
• Prepare and deliver comprehensive reports on health and safety performance, including metrics, trends, and recommendations for improvement, to management and senior leadership teams.
• Oversee the management of safety data, records, and documentation to ensure accuracy and compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Develop and deliver training programs to educate employees on safety protocols, emergency response procedures, and the importance of maintaining a safe work environment.
• Supervise and mentor the EHS Specialist, providing guidance, performance feedback, and professional development opportunities.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: (required)

• 5+ years of experience in environment, health, and safety, and or sustainability management
• Proven experience as an EHS professional, in a Food & Beverage (F&B) manufacturing environment
• Thorough understanding of applicable health and safety regulations, standards, and best practices
• Strong knowledge of risk assessment methodologies and incident investigation techniques
• Excellent leadership and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with stakeholders at all levels
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement effective health and safety programs.
• Proficient in conducting audits, inspections, and assessments.
• Experience in training development and delivery.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Detail-oriented with exceptional organizational skills.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proficient in using relevant software applications and tools.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS 

* Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable differently abled individuals to satisfactorily perform the essential functions.

• Requires ability to safely operate equipment by visually observing the condition of equipment and surroundings.
• Requires ability to hear and speak, occasionally in high time weighted average environments with elevated decibel readings (using appropriate hearing protection).
• Requires ability to walk, stand, stoop, bend, reach, lift, push, pull and carry items up to 25lbs.
• Requires ability to climb ladders and stairs of various heights occasionally including floors of 100ft or more, with appropriate fall protection PPE.
• Requires ability to work in varying extreme hot, cold, and wet temperatures and conditions.
• Ability to safely operate a forklift occasionally.
• Requires ability to work safely with hazardous chemicals.

Education:

Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health and Safety, Environmental Science, or a related field. Advanced degree or certifications (e.g., CSP, CIH) are a plus.

BENEFITS:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Referral program
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance