EHS Director Americas

About Us

At Quaker Houghton, we are experts in the development, production and application of industrial process fluids, lubricants and coatings for the manufacturing industry. We have been an integral part in the growth of the worlds largest industrial and manufacturing companies from aerospace and automotive to primary metal and energy. Today, we have a global presence, with our corporate headquarters located in Conshohocken, PA. Quaker Houghton is a global publicly traded company with a unique collaborative culture that supports career growth for its colleagues and offers competitive compensation and benefit programs.

Job Summary

The Director, EHS Americas position is a key member of the EHS Leadership Team and is accountable for all elements of the environmental, health, and safety (EHS) performance and continuous improvement within the Americas geographical region. scope of responsibilities for this position will cover all employees and contractors working on behalf of the Company and will cover manufacturing, chemical management operations, laboratories, toll manufacturing, administrative and sales offices within the region. This position is responsible for the alignment and execution of the corporate EHS vision, EHS strategy and management of the EHS programs and organization. The jobholder will serve as the lead EHS SME within the Americas, along with other members of the EHS Leadership Team, and working with the Companys regional R&D, Operations, Engineering, Sustainability, Product Safety, and Commercial leadership to ensure continued adoption and refinement of the Companys EHS culture. The jobholder will ensure that the appropriate EHS programs and associated management systems are effective in achieving the desired EHS performance including compliance with corporate policies, applicable regulations and appropriate industry standards, working with appropriate functional owners.

The position will provide leadership, professional knowledge and technical expertise in the administration and support around regulatory & corporate compliance, permitting, policy and program development, and training within the Americas region. Specific emphasis will be placed on cascading corporate EHS strategies related to: 1) developing and driving programs that continuously improve employee safety performance to world class standards; 2) guiding corporate EHS-related objectives and supporting execution of EHS-related initiatives (including CSR related EHS initiatives); and, 3) developing and implementing local EHS management systems and maintenance of applicable certifications of such systems (e.g., ISO 14001/45001, Responsible Care, etc.).

The jobholder has direct & indirect oversight of EHS site staff within the region who then matrix report into local site or function leadership, e.g., country or site level responsibilities; manufacturing versus chemical management services (FluidCare support). This position is responsible for coordination and utilization of EHS personnel across all operational lines of the regional business while fostering the Companys culture of safety awareness and personal responsibility. The position is expected to navigate, interact, effectively communicate, and act as a change agent at all levels of the organization within the region to drive continuous improvement. It is anticipated that this position will require travel (~30%).

What will you do

• Current scope includes: 2 manufacturing facilities in Brazil, one in Mexico, 13 in the US, and one in Canda. There are also 3 R&D facilities and the Conshohocken HQ.

• The Americas EHS Director has 9 direct reports and 6 additional indirect reports. The position is also responsible for SGA remote workers.

• Develops in conjunction with the global EHS strategy a clear, longer term (3 5 years) regional EHS plans and aligns/implements annual and short term action plans, projects, initiatives, goals and objectives that maintain the balance between regulatory obligations and corporate objectives, business needs, and operational obligations, including annual operating plans, capital planning, resource staffing and budgeting.

• Drives incident prevention strategies and evaluates, educates and responds to predictive behaviors.

• Implements corporate EHS software systems within the region necessary to support compliance activities and the tracking/reporting of EHS performance metrics and trends within the assigned region.

• Monitor, interpret and analyze impacts of EHS laws, standards or regulatory initiatives that impact the region assigned.

• Develops regionally appropriate medical and industrial hygiene related policies and programs to support accident and potential exposure incident management.

• Working closely with the regional HR and Operations teams, manages pre-employment fitness for duty evaluations as necessary and return-to-work programs for injured employees.

• Collaborates with Operations, Sustainability, and Quality in the development, implementation, and maintenance of certification strategies (Responsible Care, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001/ISO 45001).

• Work with the EHS leadership team to implement the Corporate EHS online training system and associated training materials for employee initial and refresher EHS training within the region. Develop supplemental training strategies and resources necessary for the region not met by the corporate system as necessary for compliance or performance improvements. Work with management and operations personnel to ensure training information is kept up-to-date and meets regulatory requirements.

• Provide EHS oversight for capital improvement projects and serve as the SME and authority for new project, product, and process introduction.

• Work closely with the Process Safety, Corporate Engineering, site operations and the external insurance firms to effectively identify and manage loss prevention issues.

• Coordinate with Process Safety/Operations/Engineering personnel to implement an effective process safety program, including an PHA, mechanical integrity, and MOC processes.

What do we look for

At a minimum, must hold a Bachelors degree in technical discipline: Industrial Hygiene, Occupational Health, Toxicology, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, Occupational Health and Safety, Chemistry, Biology, or appropriate science related field. Advance certification, additional specialized safety education and/or equivalent work experience desired but not required. These may include: Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) NEBOSH Certification, etc. Specific knowledge and expertise in:

• Strong technical and regulatory expertise in relevant environmental, health and safety regulatory requirements within the geographic region covered as well as knowledge of and implementation experience with applicable industry standards including but not limited to ISO 14001, ISO 45001, Responsible Care, etc.

• OSHA 10-hour and/or 30-Hour training or equivalent training content

• Knowledge of OSHA Process Safety Management regulation and related Recognized and Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practices (e.g., NFPA, ASME, API, ANSI, ISA)

• GHS compliant safety data sheets and labelling requirements.

• Hazardous materials/dangerous goods transportation requirements.

• Emergency response and crisis communications procedures and practices

• Process and product risk management best practices

• Best practices related to unsafe acts and at risk behaviors

• Incident investigation, root cause analysis, and corrective action management

The minimum of 15 years experience in the environmental, health and safety discipline with a strong focus on safety required. At least 5 years working in a manufacturing environment as a safety professional preferred. At least 5 years working in a regional or corporate level role with management of direct reports required. Management of personnel located at more than one location a plus. Experience in the specialty chemical or chemical industry preferred. Experience in a service industry a plus.

What's in it for you:

• Competitive pay programs with excellent career growth trajectory

• Opportunities to see your efforts contribute toward the success of the business

• Work for a global leader in the industrial process fluids industry

Quaker Houghton is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse workforce. Quaker Houghton provides equal employment opportunity for all qualified candidates. Quaker Houghton does not discriminate against any candidate for employment based on race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, affectional or sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, creed, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, veterans status, physical/mental disability, genetic information, or any other category protected by U.S federal, state, and/or local employment law. Furthermore, Quaker Houghton is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified candidates with physical and/or mental disabilities. Applicants with a disability who need assistance applying for a position may email