Safety Specialist at Port of Vancouver USA – Vancouver, Washington

Safety Specialist

Have you considered building your career at one of Southwest Washington’s premier employers?

At the Port of Vancouver, USA, you’ll be part of the dynamic team that makes us a vital link in global trade. As an economic engine, our work supports 20,000 local jobs. As a convenient hub of marine, rail, and highway transportation, we’ve been successfully moving cargo for more than a century. Our Terminal 1 redevelopment is helping transform Vancouver’s waterfront.

There’s a reason the Port of Vancouver, USA has been one of the most storied employers for 112 years and counting. Beyond offering a meaningful career and competitive salaries, the port provides unmatched benefits and work-life balance. We offer generous vacation, great health and dental care and a VEBA to help with health-related expenses, and more. We value teamwork, creativity, and customer service – and we center our organization on being a rewarding and inclusive place to work.

Interested? Read on.

We are seeking a collaborative, self-starter that is passionate about safety, enjoys working with people, prefers to be in the field rather than behind a desk, and has an extensive base of occupational compliance and safety knowledge to fill our full-time Safety Specialist position. If you are a safety professional that excels at communication, can be firm on compliance and has a calm demeanor under pressure, this may be the job for you. The essential responsibilities for the Safety Specialist may include, but are not limited to:

• Develops and provides safety training to employees. Utilizes Learning Management System (LMS) to assign and track the port’s online training efforts.
• Utilizes a positive approach to resolve problems with work groups/individuals.
• Assists in maintaining and developing exercises for an effective port wide business continuity plan.
• Assists with maintaining mass notification system.
• Assists with the development and implementation of safety policies and procedures.
• Conducts monthly safety meetings with port departments.
• Conducts safety inspections on port buildings to validate compliance and to identify unsafe conditions.
• Assists with workplace incident and injury investigations.
• Conducts safety jobsite inspections to monitor compliance.
• Serves as the secondary contact with federal, state, and local emergency response groups.
• Supports the Rail and Facilities Managers with the management of safety programs.
• Purchases safety equipment and supplies to support port operations.
• Assists port tenants with safety inspections and programs as required.
• Maintains OSHA 300 log.
• Actively supports the port’s mission and vision and demonstrates values consistently.
• Works effectively as a team player with all POV employees.
• Other duties as assigned.

(The principal duties and responsibilities listed are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position. Duties and responsibilities are also subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change).

Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in occupational safety, public health and safety, industrial hygiene, and/or industrial safety, or equivalent combination of education and professional experience preferred.

Experience: Five (5) years of increasingly responsible experience in occupational health and safety programs, including conducting accident or safety investigations, or designing and conducting employee safety training programs in an industrial setting.

License/Certification: Valid, unrestricted driver’s license. Ability to obtain and maintain a valid Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC Card) upon hire. Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Occupational Health Safety Technician (OHST), or similar safety certification preferred.

Analytical skills: Able to gather relevant data from appropriate sources; identify all relevant factors or restrictions; apply logical reasoning to determine relationship of variables; develop results-oriented conclusions; test assumptions, observe results, and incorporate revisions or corrections.

Communication Skills: College level written and verbal communications skills. Must be able to communicate effectively up, down, and across the entire organization clearly and succinctly in a variety of styles to get messages across that have the desired effect. The ability to develop and deliver formal presentations in a variety of settings. (i.e., one-on-one, small, or large groups).

Organization skills: Able to prioritize and organize numerous tasks and complete them under time constraints. Must have the capacity to balance both short- and long-term issues effectively and handle many simultaneous and often conflicting and changing priorities.

Problem solving skills: Logically think through and solve problems involving several variables. Remain objective in gathering information and investigating issues.

Computer Skills: Advanced computer skills with emphasis on Microsoft Office suite, and Microsoft Project. Experience with online learning management system (LMS).

Required Attitudes:

Integrity: Firmly adheres to the mission and corporate values of the Port of Vancouver. Is able to handle organization proprietary and confidential information, exhibits honesty, discretion, and sound judgment.

Flexibility: Is open to changing situations and opportunities and is able and willing to exhibit support despite personal reservation. Is available and willing to work required hours to ensure work is delivered on time. Is comfortable working at varied locations with diverse employee populations.

Independence: Is able and willing to take actions and achieve desired results with minimal supervision.

Tolerance for Stress: Is able to rebound quickly from frustrations and unpleasantness; keeps composure and adjusts quickly to changing priorities.

Initiative: Show willingness and aptitude to use own discretion in finding solutions to problems or presenting options and ideas to enhance current processes or procedures; handles situations promptly.

Professionalism: Can do the job efficiently and well. As a professional, can understand the need for communication and teamwork, respect for our teammates, and taking responsibility in following through with what we say we do. A professional adds value to everything they are involved in.

Respect: Can show respect and value for others, exercising courtesy not only with our customers and tenants, the community, but also among ourselves.

Physical Requirements:

• Physical ability to sit, stand, walk and bend for extended periods throughout the workday.
• Talk, hear, push/pull and reach on a frequent to regular basis.
• Repetitive hand motions on a frequent basis including typing, fingering, grasping, and handling.
• Ability to read handwritten and typed documents on paper and computer screens.
• Ability to lift or carry objects weighing up to 50 lbs. and drive on an as needed basis.
• Work is performed in an office environment and at various outdoor locations where adverse weather conditions, uneven ground, exposure to moving machinery and moderate to loud noise is common.
• May work in confined spaces occasionally.
• May be called to work at any time of the day or night.

Special Working Conditions:

The physical and mental requirements described above are representative of the physical and mental capabilities that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job. In a normal workday, frequent and continuous refer to more than a 50% requirement; regular refers up to 50% and seldom refers to approximately 10%. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Equal Opportunity Employer.

If you are interested in this position, please click the apply button.

If you have any questions or concerns, please submit them to jobs@portvanusa.com

The posting will remain open until March 10, 2025.

The Port of Vancouver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, the Port of Vancouver complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.

Salary Range: $71,050 - $104,973 annually