Associate Director - EHS Lab Safety Services

Overview

Position The Associate Director of EHS Laboratory Safety Services provides people leadership and programmatic oversight for the University’s laboratory safety and compliance programs within the Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Department. This role focuses on managing, developing, and supporting a team of EHS Lab Safety Advisors, ensuring consistent, high-quality service delivery and regulatory compliance across Harvard’s research enterprise.

Reporting to the Director of Laboratory Safety Services, the Associate Director is a senior EHS leader responsible for supervising staff and partnering with EHS leadership and Harvard schools to support Laboratory Safety Services and Programs across all Harvard campuses. This position emphasizes staff development, performance management, workload distribution, continuous improvement of EHS laboratory safety programs, and senior-level technical expertise.

This role is eligible for flex-work arrangements in accordance with departmental policies and manager approval.

• People Leadership and Management: Directly manages, coaches, and supports a team of EHS Lab Safety Advisors to ensure consistent service delivery and regulatory compliance.
• Provide leadership, mentorship, and professional development for staff with emphasis on program development, technical knowledge, performance management, and continuous learning.
• Oversee workload planning, prioritization, and coverage across assigned areas and campuses to ensure effective and responsive EHS support.
• Lead onboarding, training, coaching, and performance evaluation for Lab Safety Advisors.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and service-oriented team culture aligned with EHS and University values.

• Program Oversight and EHS Leadership: In partnership with the Director of Laboratory Safety Services, oversee EHS Laboratory Safety Programs, including program assessment, implementation, documentation, and continuous improvement.
• Identify program gaps, assess risks, and develop project plans to strengthen laboratory safety programs and services.
• Oversee laboratory safety training development and implementation, ensuring requirements are clearly communicated and consistently applied.
• Assist with planning and facilitation of lab safety team meetings, including monthly educational and professional development sessions.
• Ensure EHS performance metrics, reports, and compliance data are regularly shared with stakeholders and executive leadership.

• Stakeholder Engagement and Service Delivery: Maintain strong communication with School and Departmental Environmental Safety Compliance Officers (ESCOs), Principal Investigators, Laboratory Directors, Research Operations Managers, Facilities staff, and other University partners.
• Regularly seek and incorporate stakeholder feedback to improve EHS service delivery and performance.
• Coordinate service delivery with key contacts across the University’s research and laboratory community.
• Work closely with the Lab Safety Services Team to support laboratories with hazard assessment and control strategies.

• Operational and Regulatory Responsibilities: Monitor completion of inspections, lab registrations, regulatory filings, and other required activities; collaborate with Schools, EHS, and laboratories to ensure timely completion.
• Maintain expert-level knowledge of applicable EHS regulations, standards, and trends and communicate requirements effectively to staff and clients.
• Actively promote a strong culture of safety through leadership, communication, and partnership.
• Assist with budget management for Laboratory Safety Services in collaboration with the Director of Lab Safety Services.

• Strategic Planning and Departmental Leadership: Assist in developing and implementing the vision and strategy for Laboratory Safety Services within the EHS Department.
• Participate in departmental committees, strategic initiatives, and long- and short-term planning aligned with the EHS mission and goals.

• Participates in the EHS Emergency Response Program on a rotating basis (estimated 6–7 times per year) as a cross-trained EHS staff member; may be required to carry a…