Occupational Health and Safety Manager - Nights

				Overview:

Do you want to join a team that's changing the world? Do you have a strong background as an Occupational Health and Safety Manager? Then we're looking for you! Check out the job description and apply now! Put your skills to meaningful use, gain unique experience, and work with world-class team members with diverse backgrounds and expertise who share the same vision. Join the PECNA team today!

Responsibilities:

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Meet the Recruiter: Anh Martin

Summary: 

Join us at Panasonic Energy as we expand to De Soto, Kansas, where we're building the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career while contributing to the future of electric vehicles. As part of our team, you'll help push the limits of battery technology, enhancing performance and efficiency in sustainable transportation.

Our state-of-the-art facility, just outside the Kansas City Metro, will be a hub for innovation in green energy solutions. If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to the electric vehicle revolution, we invite you to be part of our dynamic team. Join us and make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation.

Job Summary: 

The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Manager leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of PECNA's safety management systems to ensure a safe, compliant, and high-performing production environment. This role provides strategic and operational leadership to OHS professionals and production teams, embedding safety excellence across all phases of battery manufacturing. The OHS Manager partners cross-functionally with operations, engineering, and facilities leadership to drive proactive risk reduction, process safety, and regulatory compliance in a high-hazard, highly automated manufacturing setting. This position serves as both a hands-on leader and a strategic advisor, guiding PECNA toward industry-leading performance in health, safety, and environmental stewardship while fostering a strong, sustainable safety culture.

Essential Duties:

Functional Leadership & Operations:

* Oversee the implementation and day-to-day execution of occupational health and safety programs supporting safe and compliant manufacturing operations
* Manage and evaluate core OHS programs including Lockout/Tagout, Machine Guarding, Confined Space, Fall Protection, Respiratory Protection, and Industrial Hygiene
* Establish and track OHS performance metrics (KPIs and leading indicators) to monitor safety performance and identify opportunities for improvement
* Ensure safety policies, procedures, and standards are implemented consistently across production areas
* Maintain readiness for emergency response programs, ensuring drills, training, and response procedures are effectively maintained and executed

Strategic Alignment & Continuous Improvement:

* Lead the development and continuous improvement of PECNA's OHS management systems to drive sustainable safety performance and regulatory compliance
* Analyze safety performance data and trends to identify root causes and implement targeted improvement initiatives
* Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies to enhance safety performance and operational efficiency
* Align OHS strategies with business priorities and operational goals through participation in leadership planning and performance reviews

Team Development & Knowledge Sharing: 

* Lead and mentor Health and Safety Partners and site safety champions to strengthen technical capability and safety leadership across the organization
* Provide coaching, training, and development opportunities that build safety awareness and accountability at all levels of the organization
* Promote a proactive safety culture by reinforcing shared ownership of safety performance and encouraging employee engagement in hazard identification and risk reduction
* Support development and delivery of safety training programs and knowledge-sharing initiatives across shifts and departments

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement: 

* Partner with operations, maintenance, engineering, facilities, and HR leaders to integrate safety requirements into daily operations and strategic initiatives
* Collaborate with engineering and operations teams on equipment design, commissioning, and process modifications to ensure inherently safe systems
* Serve as the primary liaison for external auditors, consultants, and regulatory agencies during inspections, permitting activities, and compliance reviews
* Provide leadership-level communication and reporting on safety performance, emerging risks, and program progress to site and corporate leadership

Quality, Safety, Compliance, & Risk Management: 

* Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements including those established by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and relevant industry standards
* Oversee risk assessments, Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs), Process Hazard Analyses (PHA), and Management of Change (MOC) processes for operations and new equipment installations
* Direct incident investigations to ensure thorough root cause analysis, corrective action completion, and systemic prevention of recurrence
* Lead internal safety audits, inspections, and compliance reviews to verify program effectiveness and regulatory adherence
* Support regulatory reporting, documentation, and permitting requirements as required by governing agencies

Supervisory Responsibilities: 

* Provide direct supervision to Health and Safety Partners, including hiring, onboarding, performance management, coaching, and professional development
* Establish performance expectations and accountability for safety program execution and regulatory compliance

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements:

* To ensure the health and safety in the workplace and for the protection of our employees, wearing PPE is a possibility and may include equipment such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, bump cap, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator.

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and efforts or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job.

Qualifications:

Requirements - Required and/or Preferred 

Education, Certifications, and Licenses:

Required:

* Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety and Health, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Science, Engineering, or a related technical field. Relevant work experience may be substituted for required education.

Preferred:

* Master's degree in Occupational Safety and Health, Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Science, Engineering, or a related field
* Certified Safety Professional (CSP) - strongly preferred
* Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) or equivalent credential
* ISO 45001 or ISO 14001 Lead Auditor certification
* Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) or equivalent credential
* Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher - preferred
* HAZWOPER, First Aid/CPR, and Emergency Response certifications

Essential Qualifications:

* 5+ years of progressively responsible OHS experience or regulatory compliance in a manufacturing, industrial, or high-hazard environment
* Demonstrated ability to develop and lead organizational safety strategies, including KPIs, management systems, and risk-based performance improvements
* Strong working knowledge of OSHA, NFPA, ANSI, and other applicable regulatory standards
* Proven experience implementing and maintaining safety management systems (ISO 45001, ISO 14001, or equi
			

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Panasonic Corporation of North America