Environmental, Health & Safety Manager

IRCA is a prominent international provider of semi-finished ingredients for the bakery, pastry, and gelato markets. They cater to independent producers as well as large food manufacturers, including consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies. The company's core product offerings consist of chocolate, chocolate decorations, creams, pastry mixes, gelato ingredients, and various other bakery and pastry ingredients.

Headquartered in Italy, IRCA was acquired by Advent International, a global private equity firm, in July 2022. The company has demonstrated a strong history of growth over the past decade. As part of its growth strategy, IRCA made two bolt-on acquisitions in 2022. They acquired Cesarin, a provider of candied fruits, and Anastasi, a supplier of pistachio ingredients. These acquisitions expanded IRCA's product portfolio and market reach.

More recently, IRCA acquired the leading manufacturer of sweet and cereal products in Europe and the US. The target company focuses on high-value specialty ingredients for the Food Manufacturers segment. Their product range includes sweet particulates, chocolate confections, baked inclusions, variegates, and fruit purées. This deal, successfully completed in March of 2023, is a transformative move for IRCA, establishing them as a global leader in the semi-finished ingredients industry.

With this acquisition, IRCA has a combined revenue of €1 billion in 2023 and a presence in 22 manufacturing facilities across Europe, the US, and Vietnam. This expanded manufacturing footprint and diversified product portfolio positions IRCA as a key player in the market, serving a wide range of customers in the bakery, pastry, and gelato sectors, as well as food manufacturers.

Purpose of Position:

Irca Group is seeking an experienced EHS Manager to enhance and accelerate our safety culture and programs. If you have a track record of developing and implementing effective safety work programs and driving continuous improvement in EHS programs, please apply to join our team! We’re passionate about our people with their safety. As our EHS Manager, you will partner cross functionality with colleagues to create a Safety-First mindset and culture.

Description of Main Activities/Responsibilities:

• Support the business strategy to ensure all EHS directives, policies, and initiatives are effectively incorporated at site level.
• Develop, implement, and execute EHS annual objectives & improvement plans in conjunction with site operations management and Director of EHS.
• Develop appropriate strategies for implementation of new or revised policies and regulations in conjunction with site operations management and Director of EHS.
• Lead management of site ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and drive sustainability improvements.
• Enhance and enrich existing site EHS training programs.
• Serves as primary contact for regulatory agencies such as OSHA and the EPA. Prepares and submits periodic state and federal EPA reports and prepares operating permits for location and related state.
• Coach site leaders with the investigation of EHS incidents at the site to identify root case and drive corrective and preventative actions.
• Partner with Human Resources to monitor the status of all open Workers Compensation claims and coordinate activities to minimize lost and/or restricted workdays.
• Conduct proactive safety audits and inspections to identify strategic improvement plans.
• Develop, monitor, and analyze safety KPI’s and drive strategic actions to achieve the pursuit of zero incidents.

Professional and Personal Skills

• Bachelor of Science, preferably in safety engineering, risk management, occupational health Industrial or Environmental Engineering, or a related field, and minimum of 4 years previous experience in EHSS management; in manufacturing environment (preferably food).
• In depth knowledge of EHS regulations including OSHA, EPA, and local requirements.
• Demonstrated success in developing/implementing continuous improvement initiatives and accountability programs.
• Proven ability to drive process improvements, adhere to budgets, and maintain regulatory compliance.
• Knowledge and experience with relevant consensus standards such as NFPA and ANSI, and systems such as ISO 14001.
• Strong problem-solving skills, CAPAs, RCAs.
• Superior communication and interpersonal skills within all levels of the organization.
• Technically proficient in tools such as (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and other EHS Enterprise Solutions. Experience with Intelex, MVP, Alchemy, and Traction Guest is a plus.
• Bilingual is Spanish is a plus, but not required.
• May be required to travel domestically to various sites up to 10% annually