Health & Safety Director

Description

The Office of the Chief Health & Safety Officer (OCHSO) plays a vital role in furthering the mission of the Port Authority, by ensuring the workplace meets all occupational health and safety legal expectations and actively supports the highest quality occupational health and safety programs to ensure the safe movement of the Port Authority’s customers, partners, employees, and stakeholders every day.

The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ) is seeking a dynamic and experienced executive who has proven leadership in occupational health and safety management positions and superior interpersonal and communication skills to serve as its Health & Safety Director.

Functional Oversight

Reporting to the Chief Health & Safety Officer, the Health and Safety Director is responsible for fostering a culture of occupational health and safety throughout the agency by driving consistent and timely decision-making on all occupational health and safety matters. This position will establish and maintain strong, and effective relationships with federal regulatory agencies, local and regional governments, interested trade associations, and special interest groups to actively lead and manage a best-in-class health and safety system. These efforts will support the safety of our riders, employees, contractors, key stakeholders, and the communities we serve.

In this role, the Director will provide leadership and direct staff in developing policy concerning Agency Safety Management, Office of Medical Services, Employee Health and Safety, and Investigations and Compliance through close partnership with each line of business. The Health and Safety Director position will be tasked with assisting in the continued development of the Port Authority Office of Health and Safety. The ideal director will have a blended background of occupational health and operational safety.

The Director will also act as the Chief Health and Safety Officer as needed and be required to take on all the duties related to the Chief position. The Director will have a strong field presence at all facilities and be able to interact with leadership throughout the different agency departments to drive the message of continued occupational health and agency safety management for all PA/PATH employees, customers and contractors.

Major Responsibilities:

The Health & Safety Director will share leadership over:

• Managing and overseeing the Agency’s occupational health & safety function including physical health and safety of employees, customers, and facilities
• Directing the strategic planning of the health and safety function to ensure appropriate plans, strategies and resources are in place to meet agency goals.
• Advising the Executive Director and other senior executives regarding assessment of potential risks, development of plans and projects aimed at improving preparedness and response to corporate level occupational health and safety regulations.
• Directing staff in identifying, developing, implementing, and maintaining health and safety processes, practices, and policies throughout the organization to reduce risks, respond to incidents, and limit exposure and liability in all areas of risk.
• Providing oversight and direction to the Office of Medical Services and Agency Safety Management operations to ensure the Port Authority has the resources, training, and capability to prepare for; response to; recover from; and mitigate against all hazards.
• Initiating, facilitating, and promoting activities to foster occupational health and safety awareness within the organization.
• Evaluating occupational health and safety practices, procedures, and facilities to assess risk and adherence to the law.
• Overseeing risk assessments to minimize workplace accidents, occupational illnesses, or long-term health hazards.
• Managing the development and implementation of agency occupational health and safety plans in the workplace according to legal guidelines.
• Establishing and maintaining honest, transparent, and effective relationships with federal regulatory agencies, local and regional governments, and interested trade associations and special interest groups.

Qualifications:

Candidates must present the following qualifications to be eligible for this position:

• Bachelor’s degree in Occupational and Health Management or a related discipline from an accredited college or university is required. Advance degree or Law degree is highly desirable.
• Minimum of ten years progressively responsible experience in progressively responsible senior level positions in the field of occupational health and safety management.
• Superior leadership abilities acquired through demonstrated record of increasingly responsible jobs.

Desired:

Ideal candidates will present the following profile:

• Valid qualifications in occupational health and safety.
• Possess significant and extensive knowledge of safety management principles (SMS), as well as of required regulatory compliance from local, state, and federal partners.
• Exceptional knowledge of relevant occupational safety and health administration (OSHA) standards.
• Experience in medical facility operations or administration.
• Proven experience with project and program management techniques and principles
• Articulate and persuasive leader who can serve as an effective member of the senior management team and who is able to communicate occupational health and safety related concepts to a broad range of technical and non-technical staff.
• Ability to directly lead, motivate, mentor, and develop staff, including heads of both Agency Safety Management and the Office of Medical Services
• Strong interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to interact effectively with the workforce at all levels as well as external constituents.
• Strong decision-making, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Motivated self-starter with demonstrated ability to work both independently and with others in a team environment with the ability to multi-task, prioritize workload, manage time, and handle tight deadlines under minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to develop a strategic vision and comprehensive plans and objectives.
• Demonstrated strong working knowledge of pertinent federal and state occupational health and safety regulations and laws.
• Proven track record to perform effectively under pressure and to resolve conflict situations constructively.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills.
• Display a respect for confidentiality and proven ability to navigate through difficult situations with employees, contractors, and regulatory partners.World Safety Organization Certified Safety & Security Director (WSO-CSSD)
• World Safety Organization Certified Safety Executive (WSO-CSE)
• Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
• Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH)
• USDOT Transportation Safety and Security Professional (TSSP)

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should apply to this job by clicking on the "Apply Now" button and submitting a combined cover letter and resume. The Port Authority of NY & NJ welcomes veteran and military spouse applications.

Only applicants under consideration will be contacted.

About The Port Authority:

Founded in 1921, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey builds, operates, and maintains many of the most important transportation and trade infrastructure assets in the country. The agency's network of aviation, ground, rail, and seaport facilities is among the busiest in the country, supports more than 550,000 regional jobs, and generates more than twenty three billion in annual wages and eighty billion in annual economic activity. The Port Authority also owns and manages the 16-acre World Trade Center site, where the 1,776-foot-tall One World Trade Center is now the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey/Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) is an Equal Opportunity Employer.