Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) Manager

Job Description

**Location:** Guelph, Onsite

**Reports To:** Senior Director, Occupational Health Safety Environment

**Employment Type:** Full-Time

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) Manager with a minimum of 7-10 years of progressive experience in safety leadership. The successful candidate will be responsible for driving a proactive safety culture by implementing and sustaining both personal safety and process safety programs. This role requires strong leadership, technical expertise, and the ability to influence at all organizational levels to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and company standards.

Key Responsibilities


- Develop, implement, and continuously improve HSE policies, programs, and procedures in alignment with regulatory requirements, corporate standards, and industry best practices.
- Lead initiatives that integrate personal safety (occupational safety, ergonomics, PPE use, incident prevention) with process safety management (PSM), ensuring a holistic approach to risk reduction.
- Provide subject matter expertise on ammonia systems, lockout/tagout (LOTO), machine guarding, industrial hygiene programs, and emergency management planning.
- Partner with operations, maintenance, and engineering teams to assess hazards, conduct risk assessments, and develop corrective and preventive action plans.
- Oversee incident reporting, root cause analysis, and the implementation of corrective measures to prevent recurrence.
- Coordinate and lead emergency response drills, ensuring readiness for potential incidents and other site emergencies.
- Manage occupational health and hygiene monitoring programs, including air sampling, noise assessments, and exposure control plans.
- Foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement by coaching employees, supervisors, and contractors on HSE practices.
- Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, provincial/state, and local regulations, as well as company-specific standards (e.g., OHSA, CSA, TSSA, CEPA, IIAR, ASHRAE, NFPA).
- Maintain accurate safety performance metrics, prepare reports for senior leadership, and track progress toward safety goals.
Qualifications


- Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
- Minimum of 7-10 years’ experience in health, safety, and environmental management, preferably in industrial, manufacturing, or processing environments.
- Proven experience in implementing both personal safety and process safety management systems.
- Strong working knowledge of ammonia systems, lockout/tagout (LOTO), machine guarding, industrial hygiene programs, and emergency management planning.
- Demonstrated experience with regulatory compliance (OHSA, CEPA, CSA, TSSA, provincial/state requirements, etc.).
- Effective leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence at all organizational levels.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a focus on risk assessment and mitigation.
- Professional certifications (e.g., CRSP, CSP, CIH, CHMM, P.Eng, or equivalent) considered an asset.

Gay Lea Foods is a leading Canadian dairy co-operative renowned for producing high-quality, nutritious dairy products that Canadian families love and trust. From farm to table, our 1,200 farmer members in Ontario and Manitoba, and more than 1,200 employees across four provinces, work together to nourish communities through award-winning brands including Gay Lea, Nordica, Salerno, Bothwell Cheese, and more. As part of its deeply rooted, balanced commitment to people, profit, and planet, Gay Lea Foods proudly invests one percent of pre-tax earnings back into Canadian communities through a national food security partnership with Second Harvest, and the community-building efforts of the Gay Lea Foundation. To learn more, visit gayleafoods.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.


Thank you for your interest in Gay Lea Foods.

Wishing you all the best with your career search!