Director of Chemical Safety - CHO

Job Summary

Under the general supervision of the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Environment, Health and Safety (EHS), the Director of Chemical Safety (DCS)/Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO) manages and directs the chemical safety/hygiene, hazardous waste management and environmental compliance programs for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and offsite facilities such as agricultural research stations. The DCS/CHO is responsible for developing, supporting, and promoting programs necessary to help maintain a safe and healthy environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors. They also oversee policies, procedures and programs that ensure the safe and compliant use of chemicals in laboratories and other university facilities.

Key Job Responsibilities

• Assists in the development of strategic safety initiatives, coordinating with other areas of specialty to ensure cross-functional alignment
• Leads efforts to ensure that non-laboratory locations (including housing, athletics, animal care facilities, and agricultural research stations) are compliant with the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard
• Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
• Lead campus-wide efforts to ensure that hazardous chemicals are used in a safe manner that is consistent with the campus Chemical Hygiene Plan
• Assists in the development of operating policies and procedures to comply with established industry regulations and unit objectives
• Oversees the appropriate application and interpretation of policies, procedures, and programs affecting the use and disposal of chemicals and other hazardous materials across campus and ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state and local regulations
• Responsible for all aspects of the campus chemical safety, hazardous waste management & disposal, and environmental compliance programs; this includes setting unit strategic and operational goals and overseeing the department budget
• Serves as the unit liaison to institutional stakeholder groups providing organizational information and representing the interests of the unit in the absence of a director