Manufacturing & Plant Safety Manager I HSE Manager

Manufacturing & Plant Safety Manager I HSE Manager
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Employment Type: Full-Time

The ideal candidate is an HSE professional with manufacturing experience, demonstrated safety leadership, and a strong understanding of workplace safety and environmental compliance.


The candidate should have experience managing incident investigations, audits, contractor safety, employee training, and corrective action programs.
Experience in paper, packaging, pulp and paper, or other industrial manufacturing facilities is particularly valuable.


Candidates who can work independently, influence plant leadership, manage environmental documentation, and deliver measurable improvements in safety performance should be prioritized.



The HSE Manager will lead health, safety, and environmental programs at a manufacturing facility in Richmond, Virginia. Reporting directly to the Site Manager and working closely with regional HSE personnel, this role is responsible for building a strong safety culture, maintaining regulatory compliance, reducing workplace risks, and improving environmental performance.


The HSE Manager will oversee safety programs, incident investigations, contractor safety, employee training, environmental permits, audits, corrective actions, and plant-wide HSE communications.


The successful candidate will partner with plant leadership, employees, contractors, and cross-functional teams to ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations while promoting a safe, healthy, and environmentally responsible workplace.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Health, Safety, Environmental Management, Occupational Safety, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
  
  
• Approximately 3–5 years of HSE experience, preferably in a manufacturing environment.
  
  
• Experience supporting or leading workplace safety and environmental compliance programs.
  
  
• Knowledge of applicable health, safety, and environmental regulatory requirements.
  
  
• Experience conducting or supporting audits, inspections, incident investigations, and corrective action management.
  
  
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  
  
• Ability to deliver safety training and communicate technical information effectively.
  
  
• Strong organizational, prioritization, and time-management skills.
  
  
• Ability to manage multiple HSE activities and deadlines simultaneously.
  
  
• Ability to work collaboratively with plant leadership, employees, contractors, and regional teams.
  
  
• Willingness to travel occasionally and support multiple facilities as required.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in paper manufacturing, packaging, containers, pulp and paper, or other industrial manufacturing environments.
  
  
• Experience managing contractor safety and hazardous energy control programs.
  
  
• Knowledge of chemical management and hearing conservation programs.
  
  
• Experience with environmental permitting, reporting, wastewater, stormwater, and air emissions compliance.
  
  
• Experience leading incident investigations and root cause analysis.
  
  
• Experience coordinating regulatory inspections and environmental audits.
  
  
• Experience developing safety training programs and onboarding procedures.
  
  
• Demonstrated ability to improve safety performance and strengthen employee engagement.
  
  
• Experience supporting multiple manufacturing facilities or regional HSE programs.
  
  
• Relevant professional certifications, such as CSP, ASP, CHMM, or equivalent, are advantageous but not specified as mandatory.