Environment Health and Safety Manager

Environment Health and Safety Manager

Piedmont, South Carolina

Professional Direct Hire

Join Us at Isuzu Moving the World, For You

Isuzu North America is seeking a driven and experienced Environment Health and Safety Manager to help launch operation initiatives at our new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Greenville County, South Carolina.

As a global leader in medium-duty commercial trucks, Isuzu champions sustainability, innovation, and reliability across our internal combustion, electric, and alternative-fuel-powered vehicles. This is a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact as we shape new processes and advance our mission of responsible mobility.

About the Facility:

Isuzu North America Corporation is investing approximately $280 million to establish a new production facility in Greenville County, South Carolina. This 1 million-square-foot, state-of-the-art plantset on over 200 acreswill feature a flexible production line capable of manufacturing both internal combustion and electric vehicles. Production will include the N-Series Gas, N-Series Electric, and F-Series Diesel trucks. Operations are expected to launch in 2027, with expansion slated for 2028. Strategically located near I-85, I-26, and the Port of Charleston, the site supports streamlined logistics and consolidated operations under one roof. This initiative is projected to create over 700 new jobs in the area.

Job Summary:

The EHS Manager is responsible for designing, implementing, and overseeing all Environmental, Health, and Safety systems at Isuzu's first U.S. vehicle manufacturing facility in South Carolina. As a greenfield launch, this role will establish all safety programs, regulatory protocols, environmental controls, and health-related compliance standards needed for a safe and legally compliant startup.

The Manager will collaborate closely with leadership from Japan and the U.S., providing education and guidance on American standards and practices. This position is central to fostering a zero-incident culture while ensuring operational readiness aligned with OSHA, EPA, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001.

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

Develop, implement, and maintain all EHS programs to ensure full compliance with U.S. regulatory standards (OSHA, EPA, NFPA, SC DHEC).

Lead all environmental permitting, inspection readiness, and reporting requirements related to air, water, waste, and hazardous materials.

Serve as site expert and liaison for U.S. regulatory agencies; prepare required documentation, inspections, and corrective action tracking.

Establish and execute comprehensive training programs for employees, contractors, and managers on safety protocols and emergency procedures.

Conduct routine hazard identification, risk assessments, and incident investigations; implement corrective and preventive actions.

Oversee site-level industrial hygiene practices including noise, assessments, ergonomic evaluations, and PPE programs appropriate to an automotive assembly environment.

Develop and maintain emergency preparedness and response plans, coordinate with local fire, medical, and environmental agencies.

Collaborate with Japanese and U.S. leadership to ensure alignment on EHS expectations; provide education on American safety culture and compliance.

Support equipment and process safety reviews during construction, commissioning, and production ramp-up.

Track and report EHS performance metrics; drive continuous improvement and safety culture development.

Perform other duties as assigned in support of safety, environmental, or operational objectives.

Required Education, Training & Experience:

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Safety, Engineering, or related field

Minimum 5-7 years of EHS leadership experience in U.S. manufacturing

Experience developing safety and environmental programs in startup or greenfield operations

Regulatory knowledge of OSHA, EPA, NFPA, and S.C. state requirements

ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 implementation experience highly preferred

Ability to lead without direct reports and work independently with multiple stakeholders

Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

Strong knowledge of U.S. regulatory compliance (OSHA, EPA, DHEC) and industrial safety standards

Experience conducting incident investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action planning

Familiarity with noise assessments, respirator programs, chemical handling, and lead/machine safety protocols

Skilled in writing procedures, preparing compliance documentation, and conducting regulatory reporting

Effective cross-cultural communication; ability to explain complex U.S. compliance topics to international audiences

Capable of working in a dynamic, fast-paced startup environment with shifting priorities

Preferred Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

Automotive or heavy manufacturing industry experience

Bilingual in Japanese and English (verbal/written)

Experience using EHS management software or compliance tracking systems

Previous international collaboration

Management Accountabilities:

Champions a culture of safety by ensuring all operations are conducted in full compliance with safety policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements. Promotes accountability and continuous improvement in safety practices at all levels.

Interprets and executes policies that typically affect subordinate organizational units.

Recommend modifications to operating policies.

Responsible for managing staff function or heads a centralized functional activity.

Accomplishes results through lower levels of supervision or through experienced exempt levels of employees who exercise significant latitude and independence in their assignments.

Monitors work operations on a daily basis and actively assists, or provides direction to, subordinates as required.

May perform, especially in staff or professional groups, ongoing tasks of organizational units.

Frequent contacts with inter-organizational and outside customer representatives at various management levels concerning operations or scheduling of specific phases of projects or contracts.

Conducts briefings and participates in technical meetings for internal and external representatives concerning specific operations.