Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America
Occupational Health and Safety Manager
Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America, De Soto, Kansas, United States, 66018
Occupational Health and Safety Manager – Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America
Overview
Do you want to join a team that’s changing the world? We’re looking for an Occupational Health and Safety Manager with a strong background in EHS leadership to help us build the world’s largest lithium‑ion battery factory near the Kansas City metro. As part of a high‑speed manufacturing environment, you’ll embed safety excellence into every phase of battery manufacturing, partner cross‑functionally with operations, engineering, and facilities leadership to drive proactive risk reduction, ensure regulatory compliance, and cultivate a sustainable safety culture. Responsibilities
Champion a proactive, values‑driven safety culture that aligns with PECNA’s mission, goals, and core principles. Lead and mentor OHS team members, safety champions, and cross‑functional production leaders to drive ownership of safety performance and compliance. Establish and track OHS performance metrics (KPIs and leading indicators) to monitor progress and identify improvement opportunities. Represent OHS within leadership meetings and strategic planning sessions to ensure alignment of safety objectives with business priorities. Oversee the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of OHS management systems, ensuring compliance with OSHA, NFPA, and other applicable regulations and standards. Manage and evaluate key OHS programs including Lockout/Tagout, Machine Guarding, Confined Space, Fall Protection, Respiratory Protection, and Industrial Hygiene. Develop policies, procedures, and standards that establish consistency across all production areas and align with ISO 45001 or equivalent frameworks. Lead internal audits and inspections to assess compliance and effectiveness of safety programs, driving timely corrective and preventive actions. Oversee and validate risk assessments, job hazard analyses (JHAs), and management of change (MOC) processes for both existing operations and new equipment installations. Partner with Engineering and Operations on the design, commissioning, and modification of equipment and processes to ensure inherently safe systems. Provide technical expertise to resolve high‑risk safety concerns and support incident prevention strategies. Coordinate and support permitting, documentation, and reporting activities required by regulatory agencies. Direct the incident investigation process to ensure root cause analysis, corrective action completion, and systemic prevention measures. Analyze safety performance trends to identify root causes, implement targeted improvement projects, and communicate lessons learned across all shifts and departments. Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean or Six Sigma methodologies to enhance safety performance and efficiency. Maintain readiness for emergency response, ensuring drills, training, and procedures are effectively managed and up to date. Build strong partnerships with operations, maintenance, engineering, facilities, and HR to align safety initiatives and drive accountability at all levels. Serve as the primary liaison for external auditors, consultants, and regulatory representatives during inspections, permitting, and compliance reviews. Provide leadership‑level reporting on OHS performance, emerging risks, and program progress to site and corporate management. Education
Required: Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety and Health, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Science, Engineering, or a related technical field or equivalent work experience. Preferred: Master’s degree in Occupational Safety and Health, Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Science, Engineering, or a related field. Essential Qualifications
5+ years of progressively responsible OHS experience or regulatory compliance in a manufacturing, industrial, or high‑hazard environment. Demonstrated ability to develop and lead organizational safety strategies, including KPIs, management systems, and risk‑based performance improvements. Strong working knowledge of OSHA, NFPA, ANSI, and other applicable regulatory standards. Proven experience implementing and maintaining safety management systems (ISO 45001, ISO 14001, or equivalent frameworks). Skilled in conducting and overseeing incident investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective/preventive actions. Ability to analyze safety performance data, identify trends, and develop proactive improvement plans. Experience leading risk assessments, process hazard analyses (PHA), and management of change (MOC) processes. Strong interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills with the ability to influence and engage at all organizational levels. Proficiency in EHS management systems, reporting tools, and digital compliance platforms (e.g., Enablon, Intelex, VelocityEHS, or similar). Demonstrated success in building a strong safety culture and leading cross‑functional safety initiatives. Ability to wear and work in PPE, including respirators and hazmat suits, as required by functional area. Alignment to Panasonic’s seven core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude). Preferred Qualifications
3+ years of experience managing OHS programs or teams in an industrial, high‑tech, or high‑hazard manufacturing environment. Experience within lithium‑ion battery, chemical, semiconductor, or automotive manufacturing industries. Proven success leading teams through regulatory inspections, audits, and compliance reporting. Experience supporting or managing industrial hygiene programs, including air monitoring, noise assessments, and chemical exposure evaluations. Background in ergonomics, human factors engineering, or behavioral safety leadership. Training or certification in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or 6S implementation applied to safety processes. Demonstrated ability to integrate safety into engineering design reviews and new product/process introduction. Familiarity with emergency response planning, hazardous materials management, and contractor safety oversight. Preferred Certification(s)
Certified Safety Professional (CSP) – strongly preferred. Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) or equivalent credential. ISO 45001 or ISO 14001 Lead Auditor certification. Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) or equivalent credential. Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher – preferred. HAZWOPER, First Aid/CPR, and Emergency Response certifications. Physical Demands
Description of the Client’s Physical Demands Sit: 30% Walk: 60% Stand: 30% Lift: 10% Required Lifting and Carrying: Not required (0%), Occasional (1‑33%), Frequent (34‑66%), Continuous (67‑100%) For This Position, The Required Frequency Is Up to 10 lbs.: Occasional Up to 20 lbs.: Occasional Up to 35 lbs.: Occasional Team‑lift only (over 35 lbs.): Not Required Benefits & Perks
Highly inclusive and class‑leading healthcare options to include family planning, mental health, and pet insurance. Employee assistance programs that support total well‑being with complimentary sessions offered each month. Company‑matched and fully vested 401(k) retirement program that starts immediately from date of enrollment. Annual bonus program, High5 employee recognition and awards platform, quarterly and annual employee recognition. Simplified access to self‑guided and representative‑supported short and long‑term financial wellness and retirement planning. Educational Assistance & Reimbursement Program. Inclusion programs and associated employee resource groups that promote representation and belonging. Leadership, career, and mentorship development programs opportunities at all levels across the organization. Collaborative and motivating culture routed in continuous personal and professional growth and much more. Supplemental Information
Pre‑employment drug testing is required. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. All qualified individuals are required to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. Due to the high volume of responses, we will only be able to respond to candidates of interest. All candidates must have valid authorization to work in the U.S. without restriction. Thank you for your interest in Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America.
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Do you want to join a team that’s changing the world? We’re looking for an Occupational Health and Safety Manager with a strong background in EHS leadership to help us build the world’s largest lithium‑ion battery factory near the Kansas City metro. As part of a high‑speed manufacturing environment, you’ll embed safety excellence into every phase of battery manufacturing, partner cross‑functionally with operations, engineering, and facilities leadership to drive proactive risk reduction, ensure regulatory compliance, and cultivate a sustainable safety culture. Responsibilities
Champion a proactive, values‑driven safety culture that aligns with PECNA’s mission, goals, and core principles. Lead and mentor OHS team members, safety champions, and cross‑functional production leaders to drive ownership of safety performance and compliance. Establish and track OHS performance metrics (KPIs and leading indicators) to monitor progress and identify improvement opportunities. Represent OHS within leadership meetings and strategic planning sessions to ensure alignment of safety objectives with business priorities. Oversee the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of OHS management systems, ensuring compliance with OSHA, NFPA, and other applicable regulations and standards. Manage and evaluate key OHS programs including Lockout/Tagout, Machine Guarding, Confined Space, Fall Protection, Respiratory Protection, and Industrial Hygiene. Develop policies, procedures, and standards that establish consistency across all production areas and align with ISO 45001 or equivalent frameworks. Lead internal audits and inspections to assess compliance and effectiveness of safety programs, driving timely corrective and preventive actions. Oversee and validate risk assessments, job hazard analyses (JHAs), and management of change (MOC) processes for both existing operations and new equipment installations. Partner with Engineering and Operations on the design, commissioning, and modification of equipment and processes to ensure inherently safe systems. Provide technical expertise to resolve high‑risk safety concerns and support incident prevention strategies. Coordinate and support permitting, documentation, and reporting activities required by regulatory agencies. Direct the incident investigation process to ensure root cause analysis, corrective action completion, and systemic prevention measures. Analyze safety performance trends to identify root causes, implement targeted improvement projects, and communicate lessons learned across all shifts and departments. Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean or Six Sigma methodologies to enhance safety performance and efficiency. Maintain readiness for emergency response, ensuring drills, training, and procedures are effectively managed and up to date. Build strong partnerships with operations, maintenance, engineering, facilities, and HR to align safety initiatives and drive accountability at all levels. Serve as the primary liaison for external auditors, consultants, and regulatory representatives during inspections, permitting, and compliance reviews. Provide leadership‑level reporting on OHS performance, emerging risks, and program progress to site and corporate management. Education
Required: Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety and Health, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Science, Engineering, or a related technical field or equivalent work experience. Preferred: Master’s degree in Occupational Safety and Health, Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Science, Engineering, or a related field. Essential Qualifications
5+ years of progressively responsible OHS experience or regulatory compliance in a manufacturing, industrial, or high‑hazard environment. Demonstrated ability to develop and lead organizational safety strategies, including KPIs, management systems, and risk‑based performance improvements. Strong working knowledge of OSHA, NFPA, ANSI, and other applicable regulatory standards. Proven experience implementing and maintaining safety management systems (ISO 45001, ISO 14001, or equivalent frameworks). Skilled in conducting and overseeing incident investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective/preventive actions. Ability to analyze safety performance data, identify trends, and develop proactive improvement plans. Experience leading risk assessments, process hazard analyses (PHA), and management of change (MOC) processes. Strong interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills with the ability to influence and engage at all organizational levels. Proficiency in EHS management systems, reporting tools, and digital compliance platforms (e.g., Enablon, Intelex, VelocityEHS, or similar). Demonstrated success in building a strong safety culture and leading cross‑functional safety initiatives. Ability to wear and work in PPE, including respirators and hazmat suits, as required by functional area. Alignment to Panasonic’s seven core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude). Preferred Qualifications
3+ years of experience managing OHS programs or teams in an industrial, high‑tech, or high‑hazard manufacturing environment. Experience within lithium‑ion battery, chemical, semiconductor, or automotive manufacturing industries. Proven success leading teams through regulatory inspections, audits, and compliance reporting. Experience supporting or managing industrial hygiene programs, including air monitoring, noise assessments, and chemical exposure evaluations. Background in ergonomics, human factors engineering, or behavioral safety leadership. Training or certification in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or 6S implementation applied to safety processes. Demonstrated ability to integrate safety into engineering design reviews and new product/process introduction. Familiarity with emergency response planning, hazardous materials management, and contractor safety oversight. Preferred Certification(s)
Certified Safety Professional (CSP) – strongly preferred. Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) or equivalent credential. ISO 45001 or ISO 14001 Lead Auditor certification. Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) or equivalent credential. Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher – preferred. HAZWOPER, First Aid/CPR, and Emergency Response certifications. Physical Demands
Description of the Client’s Physical Demands Sit: 30% Walk: 60% Stand: 30% Lift: 10% Required Lifting and Carrying: Not required (0%), Occasional (1‑33%), Frequent (34‑66%), Continuous (67‑100%) For This Position, The Required Frequency Is Up to 10 lbs.: Occasional Up to 20 lbs.: Occasional Up to 35 lbs.: Occasional Team‑lift only (over 35 lbs.): Not Required Benefits & Perks
Highly inclusive and class‑leading healthcare options to include family planning, mental health, and pet insurance. Employee assistance programs that support total well‑being with complimentary sessions offered each month. Company‑matched and fully vested 401(k) retirement program that starts immediately from date of enrollment. Annual bonus program, High5 employee recognition and awards platform, quarterly and annual employee recognition. Simplified access to self‑guided and representative‑supported short and long‑term financial wellness and retirement planning. Educational Assistance & Reimbursement Program. Inclusion programs and associated employee resource groups that promote representation and belonging. Leadership, career, and mentorship development programs opportunities at all levels across the organization. Collaborative and motivating culture routed in continuous personal and professional growth and much more. Supplemental Information
Pre‑employment drug testing is required. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. All qualified individuals are required to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. Due to the high volume of responses, we will only be able to respond to candidates of interest. All candidates must have valid authorization to work in the U.S. without restriction. Thank you for your interest in Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America.
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