HSE Implementation Manager

HSE Implementation Manager

Department: Health, Safety and Environment
Reports To: Senior Director, Occupational Health, Safety and Environment
Location: Multi-site / Corporate Support Role

The pay range for the role is $95,300 to $145,300 plus bonus, comprehensive benefits, retirement savings plan, paid vacation, and other perks and opportunities.

Position Summary

The HSE Implementation Manager is responsible for leading effective rollout, integration, and continuous improvement of Health, Safety and Environment programs, standards, procedures, and management system requirements across the organization. This role works closely with operations, site leadership, functional teams, contractors, and frontline employees to ensure HSE requirements are understood, embedded into daily work, and consistently applied across all locations.

The role combines strong technical HSE knowledge with practical project implementation, change management, coaching, and stakeholder engagement. The HSE Implementation Manager plays a critical role in strengthening safety culture, improving compliance, reducing operational risk, and supporting the organization’s commitment to injury prevention, environmental stewardship, and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

HSE Program Implementation

• Lead the implementation of corporate HSE policies, procedures, standards, and programs across assigned sites or business units.
• Translate HSE requirements into practical, site-level action plans with clear timelines, ownership, milestones, and deliverables.
• Support the deployment of HSE management system elements aligned with recognized best practices such as ISO 45001 and ISO 14001.
• Partner with site leaders to integrate HSE requirements into operational routines, maintenance activities, capital projects, contractor activities, and management review processes.
• Identify implementation barriers and develop practical solutions that support compliance, consistency, and sustainable adoption.

Compliance, Risk Management and Assurance

• Support compliance with applicable occupational health and safety, environmental, fire protection, transportation of dangerous goods, hazardous materials, and other relevant regulatory requirements.
• Lead or support hazard identification, risk assessments, job safety analyses, critical task reviews, and implementation of effective controls using the hierarchy of controls.
• Conduct site assessments, inspections, audits, and gap analyses to verify implementation effectiveness and identify corrective actions.
• Track corrective and preventive actions to closure and escalate unresolved compliance or high-risk issues as required.
• Support regulatory inspections, internal audits, external audits, and management system reviews by preparing documentation, evidence, and action plans.

Continuous Improvement

• Analyze HSE performance data, audit findings, incidents, near misses, and leading indicators to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
• Work with the Sr. Director, HSE, to develop and implement improvement plans that address recurring risks, compliance gaps, and management system deficiencies.
• Share lessons learned and best practices across sites to improve consistency and organizational learning.

Training, Coaching and Safety Culture

• Develop, and support delivery of Corporate HSE training, and implementation workshops.
• Coach leaders, supervisors, employees, and contractors on HSE expectations, safe work practices, risk recognition, and effective control implementation.
• Promote a proactive safety culture through visible leadership, employee engagement, consultation, and participation.
• Support safety representatives, and site leadership teams, in meeting their HSE responsibilities.
• Communicate HSE changes, priorities, and expectations clearly and consistently across diverse audiences.

Reporting, Documentation and Governance

• Maintain accurate HSE implementation records, training documentation, inspection reports, audit findings, action plans, and performance dashboards.
• Prepare clear reports, presentations, and updates for site leadership, functional leaders, and senior management.
• Monitor implementation progress against approved plans and communicate risks, roadblocks, resource needs, and achievements.
• Support standardization of HSE tools, forms, templates, guidance documents, and communication materials.
• Contribute to annual HSE planning, objective setting, budget input, and program prioritization.

Qualifications and Experience

• Post-secondary education in Occupational Health and Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, Industrial Hygiene, Risk Management, or a related field.
• Minimum of five to seven years of progressive HSE experience, preferably in manufacturing, food production, industrial operations, logistics, construction, or other high-risk environments.
• Demonstrated experience implementing HSE programs, procedures, management systems, audits, corrective action plans, and risk reduction initiatives across multiple sites or operational groups.
• Strong working knowledge of applicable health, safety, and environmental legislation, regulatory requirements, and industry standards.
• Experience with ISO 45001, ISO 14001, or similar management system frameworks is strongly preferred.
• Professional designation or certification such as CRSP, CSP, CHSC, NCSO, EP, NEBOSH, or equivalent is preferred.
• Experience supporting training delivery, and change management.

Required Competencies

• HSE Technical Expertise: Strong understanding of hazard identification, risk assessment, regulatory compliance, environmental controls, critical risk programs, and management system implementation.
• Implementation and Project Management: Ability to convert strategy into practical action plans, manage timelines, coordinate stakeholders, track deliverables, and sustain results.
• Leadership and Influence: Ability to lead without direct authority, influence operational leaders, engage frontline employees, and build accountability for HSE performance.
• Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to simplify complex HSE requirements for diverse audiences.
• Analytical Thinking: Ability to interpret data, identify trends, evaluate risk, and recommend practical corrective actions.
• Change Management: Skilled at supporting organizational change, addressing resistance, and embedding new expectations into routine work practices.
• Collaboration: Strong relationship-building skills with the ability to work effectively across operations, maintenance, engineering, HR, procurement, contractors, and senior leadership.
• Accountability and Follow-Through: Demonstrated ability to drive actions to completion and escalate issues appropriately when risk or non-compliance remains unresolved.

Gay Lea Foods is a Canadian, dairy farmer‑owned co‑operative with a clear purpose: to enrich life with dairy. Founded in 1958, the co‑operative produces high‑quality dairy products while creating lasting value for farming families, meaningful opportunities for employees, and positive impact in communities across Canada. As a co‑operative, Gay Lea Foods believes that when the business succeeds, its members, people, and communities should succeed along with it. To learn more, visit gaylea.com.

Gay Lea Foods is an equal-opportunity employer and values diversity in our workplace.

Reasonable accommodation is available upon request throughout our recruitment and selection process.

Gay Lea Foods may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support aspects of the recruitment process, including screening and assessment.

We are currently accepting applications for this open position.

Thank you for your interest in Gay Lea Foods.

Wishing you all the best with your career search!