Director of Safety & Risk Management

Description

Job Description

Position Title: Director of Safety & Risk Management

Shift: Day

Department/Cost Center: Office & Field

Classification: Salary Exempt

Reports to: Vice President of Operations

The Director of Safety & Risk Management is responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing the company’s safety, health, and risk management programs across all site development and utility construction operations. This leadership role ensures compliance with federal, state, and local regulations while fostering a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement. They provide strategic direction and hands‑on oversight for field safety operations, risk mitigation, claims management, training programs, and regulatory compliance.

Working closely with executive leadership, project management, and field teams, this position drives proactive safety initiatives, reduces incident rates, manages insurance and workers’ compensation programs, and protects company assets, employees, and reputation.

• Minimum 5+ years of construction safety experience, preferably in heavy civil, utility installation, excavation, or site development.
• Experience working within a growing or mid‑size construction company environment preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of:
• Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) regulations
• Utility and site development regulations
• Excavation and trenching safety standards
• Work zone traffic control requirements
• Demonstrated experience managing safety across multiple job sites.
• Experience handling workers’ compensation claims and incident investigations.
• Valid driver’s license with clean driving record.
• Required
  
  Certifications:
• OSHA 30-Hour Construction (Required)
• Competent Person – Excavation/Trenching (Required)
• First Aid / CPR / AED Certification (Required)
• Preferred
  
  Certifications:
• OSHA 500 Trainer (Preferred)
• CHST or CSP Certification (Preferred)
• Virginia Work Zone Traffic Control Certification (Preferred)

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve a scalable company-wide Safety Program.
• Standardize safety policies, procedures, and documentation across all crews and job sites.
• Lead company-wide safety initiatives and promote accountability at all levels.
• Serve as the internal subject matter expert on safety and risk matters.
• Mentor field leadership to strengthen frontline safety ownership.

• Maintain consistent visibility on active job sites.
• Conduct routine and unannounced site audits, safety inspections, and compliance reviews.
• Partner with project teams during pre‑construction planning to identify and mitigate job‑specific risks.
• Ensure Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs) and Activity Hazard Analyses (AHAs) are properly developed and implemented.
• Provide coaching and corrective action guidance when needed.

• Ensure compliance with:
• Virginia Occupational Safety & Health (VOSH)
• OSHA 1926 Construction Standards
• Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI)
• Underground utility safety regulations (Miss Utility requirements)
• Excavation & trenching standards (Competent Person requirements)
• Confined space entry regulations
• Work zone traffic control standards
• Erosion & sediment control requirements related to site development.

Serve as the primary liaison during regulatory inspections, audits, and investigations.

• Must be ambitious! We’re looking for a real “Go-Getter” who wants to serve and add value.
• Professional in attitude and appearance
• Possess the ability to connect with a variety of personalities.
• Lives out Core values:
  Safety, Integrity, Customer Obsession, Teamwork, Respect, and Resourceful
• Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, trainings, publications, networking, and professional societies.
• Strong knowledge of dirt/snow removal and site development
• Work independently, self‑directed and ability to lead others.
• Extremely strong phone skills – high energy and passion for helping others.
• Be a team player who thrives working with a tight‑knit company where their activities directly affect the bottom line.
• Someone who thinks and acts like an entrepreneur and takes an ownership mentality in all that is done in this position.
• Ability to perform accurate data entry within specified time frames.
• Ability to perform intermediate tasks in the Google Docs and/or MS Office Suite
• Outstanding written, grammar, & verbal communication skills with ability to interact with all levels of an organization.
• Must possess excellent organization, planning, and problem‑solving skills.
• Excellent time management skills and ability to adhere to schedules/deadlines