Health and Safety Manager

The Hudson Valley Farm Hub (HVFH) is a non-profit center for resilient agriculture located in Ulster County, New York.  Founded in 2013, HVFH is dedicated to fostering an equitable and ecologically resilient food system in the Hudson Valley.  We provide professional farmer training, host and conduct research, cultivate language justice, and support food access efforts in the region through food donations and innovative mission-aligned programming.  We grow grains, cover crops, and vegetables with production taking place year-round across 1,600 acres of farmland and a suite of greenhouses.  A diverse, multi-lingual staff of 60 employees serve in varied roles in areas of administration, farm operations, and programs.

We are seeking a Health and Safety Manager to join our People & Culture team. This position plays a critical role in contributing to the department’s work to foster and steward a progressive organization-wide approach at the Farm Hub that nurtures a positive, productive, safe, and fulfilling working environment for all staff.  This position reports to the Associate Director, People & Culture.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will bring demonstrable experience in building a safety culture that keeps employees engaged, and that comes from a deep understanding of safety policies and procedures, ideally in an agricultural environment (or another high-risk sector). They will have deep expertise and skill in managing all aspects of environmental health and safety, including regulatory compliance, incident/accident investigation and reporting, emergency preparedness, and employee education and training. Successful candidates will have strong social-emotional skills and alignment with the Farm Hub’s values of equity, ecological resilience, interconnection, and belonging. Of utmost importance, candidates for this role will have a proven ability to develop collaborative relationships with employees and to establish a firm, yet clear and compassionate approach the Farm Hub’s safety programs, centering employee wellness and a culture of belonging and safety (both physical and emotional/psychological safety).

Key Responsibilities include the following:

Safety planning, policies, and implementation

• Supports the development of organizational safety policies and ensures that all practices are compliant with applicable federal, state, and local regulations governing environmental health and workplace safety.
• Monitors health and safety risks and hazards in the workplace
• Chairs and facilitates relevant committees related to workplace safety (i.e. safety committee; infectious disease committee)

Compliance and recordkeeping

• Maintains departmental records, ensuring that all recordkeeping is timely and conforms to current regulations and Farm Hub policy.
• Conducts and/or coordinates inspections, reviews, and audits across all areas of the operation and facility to confirm proper adherence to established safety protocols

Employee training and communication

• Coordinates and/or develops and leads worker safety trainings for all Farm Hub employees (required trainings for all-staff as well as specialized trainings)
• Maintains central posting area, ensuring it is up to date with all required safety postings in both English and Spanish
• Maintains active, open, supportive, and clear channels of communication with staff related to environmental health and safety

Incident, accident, and injury reporting

• Completes on-the-job incident and injury documentation in compliance with worker’s compensation and OSHA requirements, partnering with employees, supervisors, and People & Culture team
• Investigates accidents and near misses to identify causes and determine how to prevent recurrence; works with other Farm Hub managers to make recommendations for corrective action and provide follow up related training
• Partners with Manager, People Operations & Engagement to lead efforts and communication around worker’s comp administration, as needed 

Emergency preparedness and response

• Develops protocols for emergency situations and manages emergency response procedures (such as fire alarm drills) and organizes emergency teams such as fire marshals and first aiders
• With the P&C team, manage response to illness outbreaks (including COVID) 

Administration and professional development

• Develops and oversees farm safety budget lines; identifies needed resources and equipment and resources and their related costs
• Manages external consultants, including liaising with them on SOW and contract development, development of agendas and trainings, and coordinating travel and other logistics.

*The position summary, responsibilities and qualifications are not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible responsibilities, tasks and duties. Full job description is available upon request.  

Required Qualifications:

• Three to five years of experience in occupational health, environmental health and safety
• Experience developing, writing, and implementing successful safety SOPs, reports (including incident reports), programs and/or organizational policy 
• Extensive knowledge of environmental regulations and policies, and ability to quickly learn regulations and policies related to agriculture 
• Familiarity with workplace safety programs
• Proven ability to develop agendas and facilitate meetings and trainings successfully
• Strong skills in data collection, record keeping and organization; attention to detail
• Commitment to and willingness to deepen understanding of the Farm Hub’s mission and values of equity and ecological resilience
• Demonstrated ability to foster a work environment of mutual respect, team building, and collaboration; ability to develop positive working relationships with people across different backgrounds
• Proficient in technology and equipment used in environmental inspections 
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PPT)
• Language: proficiency in English (verbal and written)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Physically able to conduct inspections and carry equipment used for inspections
• Ability to sit for prolonged periods at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at a time

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in any field or Associate Degree in safety, health, or the environment
• Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) certification (ASP, GSP, CSP)
• Knowledge of or a willingness to learn how to lead employee trainings using popular education/participatory learning methods
• Experience and/or familiarity with agriculture, manufacturing, food processing and/or construction industries
• First Aid and/or emergency response certification strongly preferred
• Proficiency in Spanish (verbal and written) strongly preferred

Physical Requirements:  Ability to sit at workstation approximately 50% of the time, walk the campus and fields to meet with employees frequently, lift and carry approximately 25 pounds occasionally. Physically able to conduct inspections and carry equipment used for inspections.

Travel: Possible overnight travel 0-5% of the time

Position Details

The Manager, Health and Safety is a full-time, salaried, exempt position. The salary range for the position is $70,000 – $80,000 annually. We offer a competitive benefits package which includes 100% employer paid health and dental insurance for full-time employees and their families. Some additional perks offered include retirement, life insurance and other wellness benefits. 

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, HVFH is committed to creating an inclusive workplace that respects and values diversity of cultural, ethnic, and experiential backgrounds. We welcome applicants of all races, ethnicities, national origins, genders, sexual orientations, and differently-abled people that meet requirements of the job.