Occupational Health and Safety Lead

Wakefern Food Corp. is the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States and supports its co-operative members' retail operations, trading under the Shop Rite®, Price Rite®, The Fresh Grocer®, Dearborn Markets®, and Gourmet Garage® banners.

Employing an innovative approach to wholesale business services, Wakefern focuses on helping the independent retailer compete in a big business world. Providing the tools entrepreneurs need to stay a step ahead of the competition, Wakefern’s co-operative members benefit from the company’s extensive portfolio of services, including innovative technology, private label development, and best-in-class procurement practices.

As a member of the Safety team, the Occupational Health and Safety Lead is responsible for managing and monitoring safety programs at Wakefern distribution centers. These program elements include, but are not limited to policy compliance, auditing and monitoring safety and health programs and initiatives, supporting accident investigations, conducting reporting analysis, and assembling and facilitating safety trainings. This position is located in Elizabeth, NJ.

The ideal candidate is a proactive safety professional with a passion for building strong relationships, influencing positive change, and leveraging data to identify emerging risks and opportunities. Success in this role requires the ability to effectively influence without direct authority, collaborate across all levels of the organization, and drive meaningful improvements that embed safety into daily operations and organizational culture. This individual must be comfortable balancing field engagement, analytical problem-solving, and consultative partnership while serving as a champion for associate well-being and operational excellence.

• Serve as the primary Occupational Health & Safety leader for an assigned facility, partnering with site leadership to drive a proactive and sustainable safety culture.
• Provide strategic guidance and day-to-day support to operations leadership and associates on safety-related matters, regulatory compliance, and risk reduction initiatives.
• Act as the site's subject matter expert and primary point of contact for safety questions, concerns, incident response, and regulatory matters.
• Conduct task-specific Job Safety Analyses (JSAs), risk assessments, and hazard evaluations to identify exposures and implement effective controls.
• Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of safety programs, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance with OSHA regulations and company standards.
• Conduct incident investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action reviews to prevent recurrence and drive continuous improvement.
• Perform routine and targeted health and safety audits, inspections, and observations to identify risks, unsafe conditions, and opportunities for improvement.
• Monitor facility compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and support interactions with regulatory agencies, auditors, and other external stakeholders as needed.
• Develop, facilitate, and evaluate site-specific safety training programs to strengthen associate knowledge, engagement, and safe work practices.
• Track, monitor, and drive closure of corrective actions, ensuring accountability, sustainability, and measurable risk reduction.
• Analyze safety performance metrics, injury trends, audit findings, and leading indicators to identify emerging risks and recommend data-driven solutions.
• Plan, organize, and facilitate toolbox talks, safety committee meetings, safety campaigns, and associate engagement activities while ensuring appropriate documentation and follow-up.
• Partner closely with operations, asset protection,…