Director, Environmental Health & Safety, EMEA

About Vantage Data Centers

Vantage Data Centers powers, cools, protects and connects the technology of the world’s well-known hyperscalers, cloud providers and large enterprises. Developing and operating across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, Vantage has evolved data center design in innovative ways to deliver dramatic gains in reliability, efficiency and sustainability in flexible environments that can scale as quickly as the market demands.

Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Department

The EHS team is responsible for collaborating with Design and Engineering, Construction, Operations, Legal, Procurement Contractors, Vendors, and various regulatory agencies to ensure the health, safety, and environmental risks of the company are protected and that everyone enjoys a safe and healthful workplace. At Vantage, health, safety, and environmental protection are a core value that guides everything we do. By leveraging every individual that works at Vantage to lean into safety initiatives, and by executing the executive mandate that Vantage will place safety at the forefront of everything we do, our employees and those we work with enjoy a safety culture that is deeply ingrained and expects excellence in safety. This excellence is achieved through constant vigilance, planning, training, measurement, and cooperation, all of which is aligned with operational and construction activities and goals.

Position Description

Vantage Data Centers is looking for a Director in the EMEA region who will own the Health and Safety function of our ever-growing EMEA portfolio for our operational facilities in EMEA. You will be responsible for improving the health and safety of our data centers, advancing safety culture, collaborating with our customers, and protecting our employees. You will work closely with experts in security, construction, operations, logistics, compliance, engineering, corporate counsel, 3rd party consultants, and human resources to further the regional and global EHS program. You will partner with employees, customers, and peers to achieve health and safety goals and improve our already strong safety culture. As Vantage Data Centers increases data capacity, you will partner with construction managers and other EHS professionals to ensure risks are identified and mitigated. You will work in a fast-paced environment where our operations are rapidly changing, advocating safe changes in the face of new infrastructure, new tools, and new products/processes. This position is pivotal to ensuring that we lead the industry in this area with particular emphasis on executing and reporting on all EH&S areas within the business. You will supervise a variety of direct reports that are part of our full-time Vantage EHS team as well as a variety of safety consultants that report directly into the EHS organization.

The role requires autonomy and will be responsible for implementing and monitoring processes that include:

• Electrical Safety (Energized Electrical Work, Arc Flash, NPFA 70E, etc.)
• Construction activities in operational environments
• Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)
• Occupational Noise Exposure & Control
• Heat Stress & Illness Prevention
• Exposure Assessment (Industrial Hygiene)
• Emergency Response Planning
• Working at Heights
• Confined Space Entry
• Heavy Material Handling
• Powered Industrial Trucks (Forklifts)
• Construction-Related Risks (Cranes/Rigging, Trenching/Shoring, Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWPs), etc.)
• Fire/Life Safety
• Hazardous Substances Handling
• Waste Management
• Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC)
• Risk Assessment and Mitigation methodology
• 3rd Party Safety Supplier Management
• Collaborative Planning
• Incident investigations and associated methodology

Essential Job Functions

• Approach safety management in the region from a coaching and consultation approach with an eye toward culture building. Must have effective business acumen to understand how EHS fits within the business. This isn’t just a safety professional role but also a key contributor to the business.
• Implement health and safety standards and principles, policies, and practices including but not limited to; safety management systems, training, risk assessments, assist with industrial hygiene assessments, and applicable safety regulations.
• Act as key point of contact with Vantage customers.
• Present safety KPIs, strategy, and incidents regularly to customer and internal stakeholders.
• Conduct health and safety audits of live operational data centers and active construction sites to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements as well as life safety requirements.
• Ensure compliance and implementation of global health and safety programs that exceed regulatory requirements.
• Develop and/or review health and safety plans for on-site emergencies, business continuity, and other unique events.
• Maintain adequate safety record keeping and data integrity.
• Perform data trend analysis to present to cluster leadership to support business and safety initiatives.
• Consult and partner with the Vantage Data Centers compliance team for interpretations and guidance.
• Identify risks and partner with Operations to remediate via the hierarchy of controls.
• Daily interactions with our customers delivering health and safety guidance.

Duties

• Lead EHS Managers and safety consultants in the region to implement and drive the Vantage safety program across our project sites and operational facilities.
• Assist with EHS Third Party Risk Management program in the region.
• Work with Construction to vet contractor EHS programs.
• Be accountable for EHS performance metrics and implementation of annual improvement plans.
• Periodically inspecting, auditing, and reviewing safe work practices to ensure compliance with regulations and company policies.
• Conduct workplace risk/exposure assessments for various classes of hazards.
• Supporting incident investigations and root cause analysis, so that corrective and preventive actions can be identified, communicated globally, and implemented.
• Conducting/delivering regulatory training programs to meet EHS requirements.
• Monitor, interpret and communicate summaries of standards and regulatory requirements to assure compliance and proactive management of risk.
• Analyze safety metrics and communicate results to leadership to drive action and accountability.
• Work with leaders, staff, and contractors at all levels to implement effective solutions.
• Drive a standardized and harmonized approach across the Vantage global portfolio to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.
• Present topical information/metrics on a regular basis to site and executive leadership teams.

Job Requirements

• A minimum of 10+ years of progressive experience in EHS is required, with demonstrated knowledge and experience controlling the broad spectrum of risks across multiple sites.
• Supervisory experience required.
• Must have current working knowledge of health and safety regulations in the EMEA region.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Data center experience required; will consider experience in other mission critical industries such as power generation, nuclear, and oil/gas.
• Ability to influence and motivate through leveraging executive acumen.

We operate with No Ego and No Arrogance. We work to build each other up and support one another, appreciating each other’s strengths and respecting each other’s weaknesses. We find joy in our work and each other, actively seeking opportunities to inject fun into what we do. Our hard and efficient work is rewarded with an above market total compensation package. We offer a comprehensive suite of health and welfare, retirement, and paid leave benefits exceeding local expectations.

Throughout the year, the advantage of being part of the Vantage team is evident with an array of benefits, recognition, training and development, and the knowledge that your contribution adds value to the company and our community.

Don't meet all the requirements? Please still apply if you think you are the right person for the position. We are always keen to speak to people who connect with our mission and values.

Vantage Data Centers is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Vantage Data Centers does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm agencies. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole property of Vantage Data Centers.