DIRECTOR OF SAFETY AND WORKFORCE PERFORMANCE

Position Summary

The Director of Safety and Workforce Performance is responsible for leading and integrating safety, organizational training, and continuous improvement initiatives across all locations. This role ensures that employees are equipped to perform work safely, effectively, and consistently while driving a culture of accountability, learning, and operational excellence.

This leader partners closely with Operations and People & Culture to align safety standards, training programs, and process improvements with company goals and values.

 

Scope of Responsibility

This role provides leadership across all Wilson Lumber Company locations, including Huntsville, Madison, and Tanner, Alabama, as well as Fairview and Westmoreland, Tennessee, and additional locations as the company grows.

This position is based in Huntsville and requires regular travel (up to 40%) to support safety initiatives and audits, training initiatives, operational improvement efforts, and leadership engagement across locations.

This role may oversee support staff and utilize administrative support resources as needed.

Key Responsibilities

Safety Leadership and Regulatory Compliance

• Oversee the implementation, administration, and continuous improvement of company safety programs and initiatives across all locations.
• Ensure effective safety training, audits, inspections, hazard identification, and incident prevention processes.

• Promote employee engagement and accountability in safety initiatives and reporting.
• Train and coach supervisors on safety leadership, responsibilities, and incident response.
• Support a proactive safety culture focused on risk reduction, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement.

Workers’ Compensation and Risk Management

• Support management of Workers’ Compensation cases.
• Assist in the coordination of return-to-work and modified duty programs.
• Monitor injury trends and present prevention strategies.

Workforce Development and Training

• Develop, implement, and track operational training programs aligned with business goals.
• Conduct organization-wide needs assessments to identify skill gaps and training opportunities.
• Establish and maintain training plans across operational, administrative, and sales functions.
• Support operational, administrative, sales, and leadership development training initiatives aligned with business goals.
• Oversee company orientation and onboarding programs to ensure a consistent and effective new hire experience across all locations.
• Partner with subject matter experts and leaders to ensure training accuracy and relevance.
• Recommend and implement appropriate training methods (e.g., on-the-job training, simulations, e-learning, mentoring).
• Design, prepare, and manage training materials and resources.
• Maintain training records and systems (LMS or equivalent).
• Facilitate train-the-trainer programs for internal leaders.
• Ensure consistency of job-specific training and workforce development programs across all locations.
• Evaluate training effectiveness and continuously improve programs.
• Develop and maintain an annual training calendar.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across operations.
• Establish and reinforce standard work and best practices.
• Partner with leaders to identify inefficiencies and improvement opportunities.
• Drive measurable improvements in productivity, quality, and safety.
• Track and report on improvement initiatives and outcomes.
• Support a culture of problem-solving and continuous learning.

Leadership and Collaboration

• Partner with VP Operations and site leaders to align safety, training, and improvement priorities.
• Collaborate with senior leaders on leadership development alignment.
• Leverage site leadership, subject matter experts, and support resources to ensure consistent execution of safety, training, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Drive alignment between safety, workforce development, and operational performance objectives across the organization.
• Provide coaching to leaders on safety, training, and process improvement.
• Build accountability for execution at all levels of the organization.

Position Qualifications

• Strong leadership, coaching, and influencing skills.
• Ability to drive accountability across all levels of the organization.
• Strong working knowledge of OSHA, DOT, and FMCSA regulations.
• Proven ability to design and implement training programs.
• Experience leading continuous improvement initiatives.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and training/HR systems.

Education and Experience

Education
Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Safety, Business, Communications, or related field preferred

Experience

• 7–10+ years of leadership experience in safety, operations, training, and/or continuous improvement
• Experience in manufacturing, distribution, or industrial environments
• Multi-site leadership experience

Preferred Certifications

• OSHA 30
• Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
• Associate Safety Professional (ASP)
• First Aid / CPR / AED
• Bilingual English / Spanish preferred

Physical Requirements

• Ability to walk, stand, and sit for extended periods
• Ability to work in both office and operational environments
• Occasional lifting up to 25 pounds

Alignment with Wilson Lumber Core Values

This role supports Wilson Lumber’s commitment to operating according to its core values:

• Always Do the Right Thing
• Treat Others the Way You Want to Be Treated
• Get the Facts
• Be Responsible for Your Actions
• Challenge Yourself to Grow