Project Manager / Safety Lead

Location: Salt Lake City, UT, Salt Lake City Regional Benefit Office
Work Arrangement: Onsite
Schedule: Standard government hours
Travel: Required for onsite support

Pay Rate: $90,000 annually with full benefits

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Project Manager / Safety Lead to provide onsite occupational safety, health, and environmental compliance support for a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility in Salt Lake City, UT. This position will serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for safety and OSHA program implementation and will play a key role in implementing expanded Occupational Safety and Health requirements associated with VA Directive 7700.01.

The Safety Lead will support a temporary Safety Tiger Team, expected to operate for up to one year, focused on assessing current safety programs, identifying gaps, implementing process improvements, supporting change management, and training staff on updated safety requirements. The position combines program and project management responsibilities with hands-on facility safety support.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the onsite Safety Lead and SME for occupational safety, OSHA compliance, Safety Management Systems, and safety-related change implementation.
• Support implementation of expanded Occupational Safety and Health requirements associated with VA Directive 7700.01.
• Conduct a comprehensive review of existing safety programs and processes and develop a written gap analysis identifying deficiencies, risks, and required improvements.
• Develop and implement updated safety procedures, workflows, documentation, and system records to address identified gaps and new requirements.
• Learn and evaluate new safety systems and tools, identifying what is working effectively and where improvements or process changes are needed.
• Lead change-management activities related to new safety requirements, procedures, and systems.
• Develop and deliver staff safety training and provide ongoing user support as new procedures and systems are implemented.
• Conduct weekly facility safety walk-throughs to identify potential hazards, unauthorized equipment, OSHA concerns, and other safety violations.
• Support the inspection, maintenance, tracking, and oversight of safety equipment, including Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), fire extinguishers, and first aid kits.
• Participate in Annual Workplace Evaluations (AWE) and support remediation and closure of identified safety deficiencies.
• Participate in required safety meetings, inspections, training activities, and environmental compliance initiatives.
• Provide dependable hands-on facility, logistics, and warehouse support to help maintain safe, organized, operational, and OSHA-compliant workspaces.
• Manage project activities using established life-cycle and project management methodologies, including tracking cost, schedule, performance, deliverables, and risks.
• Identify project and safety-related risks, develop mitigation strategies, and track corrective actions through completion.
• Maintain accurate documentation demonstrating implementation of required changes and completion of staff training.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of relevant professional experience with a qualifying degree, OR 18+ years of relevant experience in lieu of a degree.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Systems, Business, or a related scientific or technical discipline.
• Experience managing projects, including tracking cost, schedule, performance, risks, and deliverables.
• Strong understanding of project life-cycle and project management methodologies.
• Experience implementing and maintaining workplace safety and OSHA-compliant programs.
• Experience conducting safety assessments, inspections, gap analyses, or workplace evaluations.
• Ability to develop and maintain safety procedures, workflows, training materials, and compliance documentation.
• Ability to translate regulatory and safety requirements into practical operational processes.
• Strong communication, training, organizational, documentation, and change-management skills.
• Ability to work onsite and provide hands-on support within facility, warehouse, and operational environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional experience supporting Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities or other federal government environments.
• Experience working with VA Directive 7700.01 or comparable federal occupational safety and health requirements.
• OSHA-related training or professional safety certification.
• Experience with Safety Management Systems (SMS) and safety program implementation.
• Experience supporting facility safety equipment programs, including AEDs, fire extinguishers, and first aid equipment.
• Experience developing and delivering employee safety and environmental compliance training.
• Experience supporting organizational change associated with new regulatory, safety, or compliance requirements.

Key Deliverables

The Safety Lead will be expected to support completion of key Tiger Team objectives, including:

• Written safety and OSHA gap analysis
• Implementation and documentation of required safety program changes
• Updated safety procedures, processes, and workflows
• Staff training materials and completed training
• Documentation of safety inspections and identified deficiencies
• Corrective-action tracking and remediation support
• Ongoing onsite safety and facility compliance support

Ideal Candidate: A hands-on safety professional who can operate at both the program-management and facility level, translating federal safety requirements into practical procedures, training employees, identifying and correcting deficiencies, and ensuring the facility maintains a safe and OSHA-compliant working environment.