Mgr, Safety

Job Summary:

*Relocation assistance is provided for this role; as needed.

The purpose of this position is to drive effective and consistent implementation of Southern Company Gas’ occupational safety programs to ensure compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards & strengthen the Safety Culture. Accountable for setting and administering company policies to support OSHA standards, other local/state/federal Health & Safety regulations, and industry best practices to ensure compliance across regionalized Southern Company Gas employee work groups and territories. 

This position leads the direct supervision of safety department employees with advanced Safety & Health knowledge, leadership experience, and credibility. Responsible for creating direction of risk-based programs to ensure the safety of employees & contractors; driving the Southern Company Gas Safety & Health Management & vision; overseeing interactive data warehouses and tools such as Cority, Power BI, Safety Data Dashboard, Predictive Solutions and others to evaluate the effectiveness of occupational safety, motor vehicle safety, process safety and pipeline safety compliance; executing on the Southern Company Gas number one value of Safety First.

Job Responsibilities & Accountabilities by Competency

Criticality*:

Business Execution:

• Direct and oversee the development and implementation of the overall safety strategy and safety culture. Ensure timely completion of safety programs & projects.
• Drive results & projects to ensure company operations and other business units achieve and maintain compliance with OSHA, local/state/federal Health and Safety regulations, and industry best practices.
• Interpret data from Cority, Safety Data Dashboards, Predictive Solutions, and Power BI to determine trends in occupational safety, process safety and motor vehicle safety.
• Formulate and recommend the annual safety department operating and capital budgets. Track the budgets according to plan.
• Direct and oversee investigations of EHS incidents such as higher severity injuries and motor vehicle collisions and process safety incidents. Monitor implementation of corrective and preventive actions to prevent further incidents.
• Serve as subject matter expert (SME) to internal & external stakeholders on matters of occupational safety & compliance.

Communication:

• Communicate trends from Cority, Safety Data Dashboards, Predictive Solutions & Power BI to business unit leaders in a clear and timely manner.
• Present safety information clearly and confidently to persuade and influence external and internal stakeholders.
• Lead Event Learning & develop Safety Bulletins, Operational Experience Alerts, and organizational safety initiatives across Southern Company Gas and Southern Company.
• Demonstrate good communication and interpersonal skills at all levels within the Company necessary to guide business units and individuals with respect to Health & Safety issues.
• Counsel & inform business leaders on new or modified Health & Safety regulations and the effects of the regulations on company policies and work practices.

Relationships & Networking:

• Determine EHS best practices to support the company’s goals by consulting with company representatives (internal peers and other key business units) and external sources such as AGA, SGA, EEI and peer companies.
• Foster collaboration & teamwork among departments including Safety, Legal, Claims, Training, HR, Operations & others to achieve shared results.
• Formulate & recommend the annual updates of all safety programs, procedures & policies. Track according to plan.
• Champion the standardization of safety programs. Lead and influence employees & leaders to merge programs, determine efficiencies, and drive a consistent safety culture across the enterprise.
• Advocate the Company’s position regarding safety compliance legislative and regulatory developments in conjunction with internal government relations personnel and industry lobbying groups.

Innovation:

• Trend & anticipate safety risks & challenges with interactive data warehouses such as Cority, Safety Data Dashboard, Power BI, and Predictive Solutions to improve workplace safety.
• Lead benchmarking activities externally & internally across Southern Company & Southern Company Gas to share best practices & learnings.
• Identify pilot projects to test new equipment & controls to improve overall workplace safety.
• Serve as company representative with industry organizations such as AGA, SGA, MEA, etc.
• Identify challenges & work with regionalized leaders to formulate solutions.

Development Of Others:

• Selects, develops, coaches and mentors Safety department employees who support field operations and other business units.
• Create direction for direct employees and serve as a role model to safety specialists. Train, motivate and guide other employees to work collaboratively with all business units.
• Manage first-level leaders within the Safety department. Train, guide & motivate leaders to build team spirit.
• Facilitate department meetings and training sessions to coach & educate other leaders & employees to be responsible for their knowledge of safety programs.
• Hold employees accountable for completion of tasks. Manage employees in the department to ensure safety related projects and programs are completed

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:

• Create & foster a department & team culture everyone feels welcomed, valued & respected.
• Create & foster an inclusive work climate.
• Leverage diversity to drive team performance, engagement & innovation.
• Speak with knowledge & authority about the benefits of DE&I to safety department employees.
• Utilize internal and external resources to engage in continuous self-evaluation and ongoing learning.

Qualifications

Education, Certifications/Licenses:

Required:

•BA/BS degree or comparable work experience

•Supervisory Experience

Preferred:

• BA/BS degree in Engineering, Occupational Safety or other related technical or science degree
• Certification such as CSP (Certified Safety Professional), CIH (Certified Industrial Hygienist), PMP (Project Management Professional) or equivalent

Related Work Experience:

Required:

• Supervisory experience in occupational safety, motor vehicle safety, or relevant utility experience
• Working knowledge of OSHA/DOT regulations
• Working knowledge of regulatory interpretation and safety policy/procedure development

Preferred:

• Practical experience in field application of safety programs
• Practical experience conducting safety related assessments and inspections.

Specific Skills & Knowledge:

Required:

• Strong leadership & team facilitation skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to effectively communicate to all levels of the organization
• Knowledge of safe work practices and procedures
• Strong analytical & problem-solving skills
• Strong presentation and team facilitation skills
• MS Office Suite – advanced proficiency, ability to learn other databases and technology tools quickly

•Project Management Skills

• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Competency to work independently, to be a self-starter, and take initiative
• Strong competence in implementation of Safety Culture programs to improve safety performance
• Must be able to work in the field under varying weather conditions

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements:

• Travel requirements: 20-50% local and overnight air travel.
• On-call duties: Ability to respond to urgent Safety & Health issues when contacted.
• Physical demands: Prolonged Standing or Walking: This position requires frequently prolonged standing and/or walking.
• Ability to lift 15 pounds.
• Work environment: (Office and Field) May be exposed to varying outdoor weather conditions when working with field operations, conducting facility inspections, facilitating assessments, etc.
• Shift work: Ability to work day and night shift may be required.

Disclaimer:

This information describes the general nature and level of work performed by employees in this job. The description is not designed to be a comprehensive inventory of duties, responsibilities and qualifications required in the job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to qualified disabled individuals for performance of essential duties and responsibilities.

About Southern Company Gas
Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America’s premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.2 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states and approximately 600,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural gas. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate pipelines and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit southerncompanygas.com.

Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. Providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy with excellent service is our mission. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy solutions provider with national capabilities, a fiber optics network and telecommunications services. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, resilience and sustainability, we are taking action to meet customers' and communities' needs while advancing our goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and are the key to our sustained success. We are transforming energy into economic, environmental and social progress for tomorrow. Our corporate culture has been recognized by a variety of organizations, earning the company awards and recognitions that reflect Our Values and dedication to service. To learn more, visit www.southerncompany.com. 

Southern Company invests in the well-being of its employees and their families through a comprehensive total rewards strategy that includes competitive base salary, annual incentive awards for eligible employees and health, welfare and retirement benefits designed to support physical, financial, and emotional/social well-being. This position may also be eligible for additional compensation, such as an incentive program, with the amount of any bonus/awards subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan(s). A summary of the benefits offered for this position can be found here https://seo.nlx.org/southernco/pdf/SOCO-Benefits.pdf. Additional and specific details about total compensation and benefits will also be provided during the hiring process.

Southern Company is an equal opportunity employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by law.