Summary

The Vice President of Health, Safety & Environmental (HSE) will lead and energize the Association’s commitment to safety excellence and environmental stewardship by fostering a strong safety culture and encouraging a collaborative, forward-thinking approach within a complex, unionized workforce. This position is tasked with creating and implementing innovative and efficient HSE strategies that align with the Association's strategic objectives and adhere to regulatory requirements and industry standards. Additionally, this role oversees the emergency response function, ensuring robust and reliable plans are established, regularly updated and tested. The VP of HSE must cultivate effective and collaborative relationships with all stakeholders, including employees, managers at all levels, union leaders, and the Executive Leadership Team, to promote a culture of HSE excellence and accountability.

Essential Functions

1. Lead the development and execution of strategic plans to cultivate and maintain a robust safety culture, where continuous improvement and learning are essential, and where employees are encouraged to take ownership, advocate for, and uphold safe behaviors, feeling empowered to voice concerns.
2. Initiate and oversee the implementation of suitable environmental and safety measures in compliance with applicable regulations and industry best practices to ensure the elimination or reduction of hazards and impacts to employees, communities, and the environment to acceptable risk levels.
3. Establish and nurture meaningful relationships with employees, managers at all levels, union leaders, and the Executive Leadership Team, to create an environment conducive to enhancing the Association's safety culture, adherence to compliance standards, fostering inclusion, accountability, excellence in performance, and innovation.
4. Conduct comprehensive evaluations and develop actionable plans for all HSE and Emergency Response policies and programs. Ensure these plans are systematically updated, tested, and that regular enterprise-wide training is provided for both new and existing employees.
5. Build, develop, and retain a talented and motivated HSE team, articulating a compelling vision and inspiring effective team collaboration, ensuring engagement across cross-functional activities, union interactions, and partnerships with external entities.
6. Monitor and interpret industry trends and changes related to HSE best practices and regulations, providing recommendations to adapt to these trends and changes.
7. Maintain strong connections with key stakeholders and industry contacts including federal agencies and trade groups.
8. Deliver results guided by established and standardized performance metrics/dashboards, including comprehensive assessment/audit processes to validate compliance with legal and regulatory standards. 
9. Implement a clear and standardized system for reviewing and reporting all accidents, incidents, and near misses, inclusive of investigations and subsequent remedial actions or plans.
10. Represent Chugach during HSE investigations, inspections, and other regulatory inquiries.
11. Oversee preparation and submission of all HSE & ER reporting, internally and externally.
12. Oversee the preparation and management of program budgets, implement budget control measures, allocate resources and personnel effectively, and ensure programs comply with budget guidelines.
13. Fulfill other assigned duties as required.

Relationships

Internal

• Chief Human Resources Officer: Reports to, receives direction and guidance from.
• VP, Human Resources: Collaborates with, exchanges and provides information as required.
• VP, Executive Leadership: Exchange and provide information as required.
• Supervisors and Managers: Instruct, inform, provide assistance to and exchange information as required.
• All employees: Instruct, inform, provide assistance to and exchange information as required.

External

• Bargaining Unit Representatives
• Other Utilities: Exchanges information with and provides technical assistance to.
• State and Federal Agencies: exchange information and develop relationships relative to assigned duties.
• Consultants and Contractors: Retain services as required for insurance, legal and compliance issues; HSE and Security programs and Facilities construction and maintenance activities.

Competencies

1. Approachable leader with a proven track record in safe operations and people management.
2. Proven ability to lead by influence, build relationships with union leadership, and manage HSE programs.
3. Skilled in strategic visioning, continuous improvement, critical thinking, problem-solving, and thriving in fast-paced environments. Strong interpersonal communication skills and flexibility to work with all levels of employees.
4. Knowledgeable in change management principles, executing strategic initiatives, safety excellence, and environmental compliance.
5. In-depth knowledge of HSE regulations with expertise in developing and directing HSE compliance and continuous improvement plans.
6. Ability to anticipate budget requirements and prepare, administer, and evaluate budgets and financial performance.
7. Knowledge of policy and procedure development, implementation, and tracking.
8. Management and supervisory skills, including ability to delegate, review performance against standards, and correct and/or redirect employees.
9. Demonstrated ability to organize workflow while effectively utilizing resources.
10. Possess effective oral and written communication skills. Must be able to work with other managers in a professional and cooperative manner.
11. Must have the ability to manage multiple priorities within provided timeframes.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has supervisory responsibility for the Manager, HSE and the SEFS Coordinator. Responsibilities include supervising, motivate, manage performance and develop staff to ensure accuracy, timeliness and compliance.

Work Environment 

Work is performed in both office and field environments, with potential exposure to cold, wet weather, and rough terrain. Exposure to hazardous noise environments and chemicals is possible. Frequent travel to various work sites and remote locations by light aircraft and helicopter is required. This position may have on-call responsibilities outside of the normal work week.

Chugach Electric Association is a member-owned cooperative, headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska's largest city. Anchorage itself sits at the base of the Chugach Mountains. Chugach is pleased to provide reliable, affordable power to more than 92,000 members from Anchorage to the northern Kenai Peninsula, and from Whittier on Prince William Sound to Tyonek on the west side of Cook Inlet. We service over 113,000 locations with 3,782 miles of transmission and distribution lines. We have many services that make it easy to power homes and businesses with Chugach.
A little more about us: Chugach has been around for a long time, recently celebrating 75 years! We are a stable company, in a stable industry. And while we may have stability, we are modern, sustainable and forward-thinking to ensure that we provide reliable services for generations to come. We also pride ourselves on the longevity of our employees. We have several 20, 30 and 40 + year tenured employees who continue foster an inclusive, innovative corporate environment. Find your spark!

Chugach's corporate vision:
Responsibly developing energy to build a clean, sustainable future for Alaska.

Chugach's corporate mission:
We provide safe, reliable, and affordable electricity through superior service and sustainable practices, powering the lives of our members.

Chugach's corporate values:
Guided by our values of safety, accountability, and sustainability, we are committed to serving our members, the community, and the Chugach team.

Equal Employment Opportunity
It is a policy of Chugach Electric Association, Inc., to recruit, hire, train, promote, and compensate persons without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, physical or mental disability, veteran's status, age, or any other classification protected by applicable, federal, state, or local law.
Chugach is also an affirmative action employer.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Premium & Deductible are paid for by Chugach Electric. The plan includes coverage of:

• Medical, RX, Dental & Vision
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Telemedicine

FINANCIAL SECURITY

• 401K Plan
• Defined Benefit (Pension)
• Retirement Investment services
• Basic Life and AD&D Insurance paid for by Chugach Electric
• Supplemental Life Insurance
• Short Term Disability
• Long Term Disability
• Flex Spending Account (Health, Limited Use, Dependent Care)

WORK, LIFE & HEALTH

• 20 days vacation for first year of employment
• 9 Paid Holidays + 2 Float Holidays + 1 Birthday Holiday
• Employee Assistance Program
• MetLife Will Preparation