The Vice President of Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) is the senior enterprise leader accountable for setting the vision, strategy, governance, and execution model for environmental, health, safety, and risk reduction across the company’s manufacturing, distribution, field, and corporate operations. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, this role serves as a key advisor to the COO and senior leadership team, ensuring that safety is embedded into operating discipline, leadership routines, capital planning, operational excellence, and day-to-day decision-making. The VP EHS will lead the organization toward a proactive, prevention-based safety culture, strengthen regulatory compliance, reduce risk and incident exposure, and advance environmental stewardship while enabling safe, reliable, and efficient operations across all sites.

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Essential Duties and Responsibilities
• Establish and lead the enterprise EHS vision, strategy, governance framework, and multi-year roadmap aligned to operational priorities, regulatory expectations, business objectives, and the company’s commitment to protecting employees.
• Serve as the senior EHS advisor to the COO, executive leadership team, plant leadership, and functional leaders on safety performance, environmental compliance, operational risk, incident prevention, and emerging regulatory or industry trends.
• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of enterprise-wide safety management systems, environmental management systems, standards, policies, procedures, audits, training, reporting, and accountability routines.
• Drive a consistent operating model across manufacturing, distribution, field, and corporate locations while allowing appropriate site-level adaptation based on operational complexity, workforce needs, and local regulatory requirements.
• Build leadership capability and accountability for safety by partnering with operations leaders to integrate EHS expectations into daily management systems, leadership standard work, performance reviews, operating reviews, and business planning.
• Oversee compliance with applicable OSHA, EPA, DOT, state, local, and international requirements; ensure timely permitting, reporting, inspections, recordkeeping, corrective actions, and regulatory responses across all facilities.
• Lead enterprise risk identification and mitigation, including hazard assessments, job safety analyses, process reviews, machine guarding, ergonomics, chemical safety, contractor safety, emergency preparedness, and business continuity planning.
• Direct serious incident investigations, root cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions, and lessons-learned processes to ensure meaningful organizational learning and sustainable risk reduction.
• Partner with HR and insurance partners to oversee workers' compensation programs, claims management, return-to-work initiatives, and cost-of-risk reduction strategies.
• Establish enterprise fleet safety programs and driver risk management practices, including DOT compliance, driver qualification, accident prevention, and vehicle safety performance.
• Develop and monitor key EHS performance indicators, leading and lagging metrics, dashboards, and executive reporting to identify trends, prioritize investments, track corrective actions, and communicate progress to senior leadership.
• Lead environmental stewardship initiatives, including waste reduction, air and water compliance, emissions management, energy and water use, sustainability objectives, spill prevention, and responsible operating practices.
• Partner with Engineering, Operations, HR, Legal, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, and site leadership to ensure EHS considerations are built into capital projects, equipment purchases, facility changes, new processes, acquisitions, and operational expansions.
• Assess organizational capability and structure for the EHS function; recruit, develop, coach, and retain high-performing EHS leaders, managers, coordinators, and technical specialists across the enterprise.
• Partner with COO in developing and managing the EHS budget, resource plan, vendor partnerships, technology platforms, and external consulting relationships needed to deliver effective risk management and compliance outcomes.
• Promote workforce engagement in safety through visible leadership, communication campaigns, training, employee involvement teams, safety observations, recognition programs, and practical tools that support frontline ownership.
• Represent the company with regulators, customers, auditors, insurers, industry groups, and other external stakeholders on EHS matters, as appropriate.
• Perform other duties and executive-level assignments as required.

Required Skills & Qualifications
• Executive Leadership & Influence: Proven ability to influence executives, plant leaders, functional partners, and frontline teams; able to create alignment, establish accountability, and lead through others in a complex, multi-site operating environment.
• Strategic EHS Leadership: Ability to translate business objectives into an enterprise EHS strategy, operating model, governance structure, and measurable roadmap that improves safety outcomes and reduces risk.
• Regulatory Expertise: Deep knowledge of OSHA, EPA, DOT, state, local, and applicable international requirements, with demonstrated success applying regulatory requirements in manufacturing, distribution, and field-based operating environments.
• Operational Acumen: Understands manufacturing and operational workflows, production pressures, maintenance needs, capital planning, and site leadership routines; able to integrate safety into business execution without compromising compliance or employee protection.
• Change Leadership: Builds commitment, overcomes resistance, communicates change effectively, and establishes practical implementation plans that drive sustainable behavior and process change across the organization.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional verbal, written, and executive presentation skills; able to communicate complex EHS risks, regulatory matters, performance trends, and investment needs clearly and credibly to senior leaders, site teams, employees, regulators, and external stakeholders.
• Judgment and Decision Making: Uses sound judgment to balance risk, operational needs, regulatory obligations, employee safety, financial considerations, and reputational impact; able to make timely decisions in high-pressure situations.
• Data-Driven Performance Management: Skilled in using leading and lagging indicators, audit findings, incident data, risk assessments, dashboards, and trend analysis to prioritize action, measure progress, and improve outcomes.
• Safety Culture Development: Demonstrated ability to move an organization from compliance-based activity to a proactive, prevention-based safety culture with strong employee engagement and leadership ownership.
• Emergency Preparedness: Skilled in crisis management, emergency response planning, incident command practices, business continuity, and communication protocols for significant events.
• Integrity and Accountability: Models the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, transparency, and accountability; willing to escalate risks and make recommendations that protect employees and the business.

Physical Demands
• Role can be remote, but preferably based out of one of Sonny’s site locations
• Must be able to work in non-climate-controlled environment where ambient air temperature can exceed outside air
• May require lifting greater than 30 pounds
• Requires the use of safety PPE equipment to include but not limited to; eye safety glasses, hearing protectors, steel-toe shoes, and hard-hats
• Regularly required to climb ladders, stand or sit, and move about the facility.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 35%

Education Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety & Health, Environmental Science, Engineering, Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Management, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred.

Certifications a plus:
• Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
• Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM)
• ISO 14001 and/or ISO 45001 Lead Auditor
• OSHA 30 Hour General Industry
• HAZWOPER
• DOT hazardous materials

Experience
• 15+ years of progressive EHS, safety, environmental, operational risk, or related leadership experience, including significant experience leading enterprise or multi-site EHS functions in manufacturing, distribution, industrial, or similarly complex operating environments.
• Experience leading EHS programs across manufacturing, field service, distribution, transportation, and multi-state operations.
• Proven track record developing and executing enterprise EHS strategy, governance, standards, policies, operating routines, and performance improvement plans across multi-site or global operations.
• Demonstrated experience leading regulatory compliance initiatives with agencies such as OSHA, EPA, DOT, and equivalent international bodies.
• Strong background in safety management systems (SMS), environmental management systems (EMS), ISO 14001/45001, and related frameworks.
• Experience in incident investigation, root cause analysis, and corrective action implementation.
• History of driving continuous improvement programs that reduce risk, enhance workplace safety culture, and ensure environmental sustainability.
• Prior success influencing executive leadership, plant leadership, and cross-functional partners while leading organizational change in complex, matrixed operating environments.
• Solid experience with audits, risk assessments, training programs, and emergency response planning.
• Familiarity with data-driven decision-making using EHS metrics, KPIs, and reporting tools.
• Proficient in Tier II reporting.

We offer 100% employer paid medical plan. Other optional benefit programs are available to our employees and their families which include: 401(k) match, additional medical plans, dental, vision, flex spending account, short-term and long-term disability & life insurance coverage

Equal Opportunity / Drug-Free Workplace / Accommodations: We are an Equal Opportunity employer and do not discriminate in employment on the basis of any status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We are a drug-free workplace; employment may be contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment screening requirements, as permitted by law. We provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and for sincerely held religious beliefs, in accordance with applicable law.

The pay for this position is dependent upon experience, between $225,800.00 and $295,600.00.