Executive Director of Environmental Health and Safety

Job Details

Executive Director of Environmental Health and Safety

Oregon State University (OSU), a premier land-grant, R1 research institution, seeks a seasoned, collaborative leader to serve as Executive Director of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS). This is a highly visible leadership role with broad impact across OSU’s research, academic, and operational enterprise.

Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Facilities Planning and Management, the Executive Director provides strategic and operational leadership for OSU’s comprehensive, university-wide EHS programs, including laboratory safety, hazardous waste, biosafety, radiation safety, occupational safety, fire and life safety, and environmental resource protection. The role oversees a professional team of 18 and works closely with senior leadership, researchers, deans, and regulatory partners to ensure a safe, compliant, and forward-looking campus environment.

The successful candidate will bring deep technical expertise in environmental health and safety, strong people leadership skills, and the ability to navigate complex regulatory and organizational landscapes. This leader will be a trusted advisor, proactive risk manager, and champion for continuous improvement, safety culture, and inclusive practices.

Required qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field; at least five years of progressively responsible EHS leadership experience; demonstrated success managing professional teams and budgets; and strong communication, strategic planning, and risk management capabilities. Advanced degrees, higher education experience, professional EHS certifications, and union environment experience are preferred.

The full position description can be viewed here.

Oregon State University has retained Opus Partners to support this recruitment. Katie Dean, Partner, and Thomas Lapierre, Senior Associate, are leading the search. Confidential inquiries, applications, and nominations should be submitted by email to Thomas at thomas.lapierre@opuspartners.net. To be considered by OSU’s search committee, candidates must provide a resume and a letter of introduction that addresses the specific responsibilities, expectations, and qualifications described above. Please consult Opus Partners for more information about the application process.