Director of Safety

Director Of Safety

The Director of Safety is responsible for leading and advancing Wheeler Machinery's enterprise safety strategy, ensuring the safety of all employees, customers, and partners while embedding safety as a core pillar of the Daily Management System (DMS) and PSQDC framework (People, Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost).

This role partners closely with the Continuous Improvement function to integrate safety into all operational processes, drive standard work, and sustain a culture of continuous improvement. The Director will leverage Lean principles to proactively identify hazards, eliminate risk, reduce incidents, and improve overall operational performance.

This leader will ensure safety is not a standalone program but a fully integrated, measurable, and continuously improving operational discipline, aligned with business performance and frontline execution.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Vision:

• Develop and lead Wheeler Machinery's enterprise safety strategy aligned with company goals and operational priorities
• Establish safety as a core leadership competency across all levels of the organization
• Serve as the senior safety leader, driving accountability across all levels of the organization
• Establish clear safety vision, goals, and targets aligned with PSQDC metrics
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements (OSHA, DOT, environmental, etc.)
• Shift the organization toward leading indicators, predictive analytics, and proactive risk mitigation
• Partner with leadership to integrate safety into business planning and performance expectations
• Manage relationships with regulatory agencies, auditors, and external partners

Innovation & Continuous Improvement:

• Partner directly with the Continuous Improvement team to embed safety into:
• Daily management Systems (tiered accountability, daily huddles, visual boards)
• Standard work and SOP development
• Kaizen events and improvement projects
• Apply Lean methodologies (root cause analysis, waste elimination, error-proofing) to reduce incidents and near misses
• Identify, evaluate, and implement innovative safety technologies, tools, and methodologies relevant to the high-risk environments associated with a CAT dealership
• Leverage data and analytics to anticipate risk, improve decision-making, and prioritize interventions
• Benchmark against Caterpillar dealer network, industry leaders, and regulatory trends to continuously elevate standards
• Foster a culture of learning, experimentation, and continuous improvement in safety practices

Standardization & Governance:

• Develop, implement, and sustain standardized safety policies, procedures, and programs across all branches and job sites
• Ensure consistency in safety expectations while allowing for operational realities in diverse environments (shops, field service, parts, transportation)
• Establish standardized policies, procedures, and audit processes
• Lead enterprise-wide safety compliance efforts, ensuring adherence to OSHA, DOT, MSHA (as applicable), and other regulatory requirements
• Implement and manage safety systems, tools, and reporting platforms.
• Partner with HR (VP of People) on policies, training, and employee relations matters tied to safety.

Operational Execution & Process Excellence:

• Own and drive safety performance as the "S" within PSQDC across all business units
• Develop and maintain safety dashboards, KPIs, and reporting cadences that drive action and accountability
• Establish leading and lagging indicators (e.g., TRIR, near misses, observations, audits)
• Standardize visual management and reporting of safety metrics across the organization
• Lead regular reviews (daily, weekly, monthly) of safety performance integrated into DMS routines
• Embed safety into daily workflows, maintenance practices, and field operations
• Lead incident prevention strategies, investigations, and root cause analysis to eliminate recurrence
• Design and improve processes that reduce exposure to risk at the source

Risk Management & Incident Reduction:

• Lead proactive hazard identification, risk assessments, and job safety analyses
• Implement systems to reduce high-risk exposures and serious injury/fatality (SIF) potential
• Oversee incident investigations using structured root cause methodologies
• Ensure corrective actions are standardized, sustainable, and scalable across locations

Financial Oversight:

• Develop and manage the annual safety budget, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and operational needs across all locations
• Build business cases for safety investments, including technology, training, and staffing, clearly articulating ROI, risk reduction, and cost avoidance
• Track and analyze the financial impact of safety performance, including workers' compensation, insurance premiums, claims trends, and indirect costs (downtime, turnover, productivity loss)

Culture, Engagement & Training:

• Drive a culture where safety is a core value reflected in daily behaviors and decision-making
• Design and implement comprehensive safety training programs tailored to certain technicians, drivers, warehouse team, and leaders
• Promote active reporting of near misses, hazards, and improvement opportunities
• Drive engagement through safety observations, accountability routines, and recognition programs

Team Leadership & Capability Building:

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing safety team
• Define clear roles, expectations, and performance standards for safety personnel and leaders
• Elevate safety capability across the organization through coaching, training, and leadership development
• Ensure sustainability of safety programs through strong talent and succession planning
• Work closely with Operations, Service, Sales, Parts, and Facilities teams to embed safety into daily work

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Safety, Occupational Health, Industrial Hygiene, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 812+ years of progressive safety leadership experience in heavy equipment, construction, manufacturing, or similar high-risk environments
• Deep knowledge of OSHA, DOT, and relevant regulatory standards
• Demonstrated ability to partner with operations leaders to embed standardized safety processes into daily routines
• Proven ability to lead cultural transformation and influence at all levels of an organization
• Experience implementing safety management systems and data-driven safety programs
• Strong leadership, communication, and change management skills