Safety Supervisor: Organizational Learning and Continuous Improvement

Full Job Description

Seattle City Light, a department of the City of Seattle, is one of the nation’s largest municipally owned utilities in terms of the number of customers served.

Over the years we have worked very hard to keep Seattle's electricity affordable, reliable, and environmentally sound.

Today, City Light is a recognized national leader in energy efficiency and environmental stewardship.

We believe our employees are our most valuable asset at City Light.

We are looking for a seasoned safety professional to develop and lead our Human and Organizational Performance and Continuous Improvement Programs.

This role provides leadership, support, and vision to City Light’s Safety, Health and Wellness programs and is a part of the leadership team for the Safety, Health and Wellness (SHaW) Division.

This position will report to the Safety, Health and Wellness Director.

As our ideal candidate, you will possess strong interpersonal, listening, and communication skills, and experience in policy and process development and implementation.

You will demonstrate critical thinking skills and work independently and use discretionary judgment.

You will welcome the opportunity to work both in office environments and harsh physical environments.

You naturally strive for the best performance, have the willingness to learn, and the ability to resolve complex issues that involve diverse staff units and functions.

Requirements

Here is more about what you’ll be doing:

• As a working supervisor, plan, develop, and implement initiatives and programs to drive and support a mature safety culture that encompasses safe behaviors and concepts of a learning organization and continuous improvement.
• Serve as the Safety Health and Wellness (SHaW) department’s subject matter expert on human behavior, organizational psychology, and psychological safety, ensuring departmental strategy, policies, and programs reflect these principals.
• Serve as a utility-wide resource on human behavior and organizational learning, helping leaders and teams understand how human factors influence operational performance, decision-making, communication, and risk.
• Lead HOP and related training, working with Workforce Development to support and encourage the well-being of employees, limiting the impact of incidents and accidents.
• Facilitate and participate in learning teams and incident reviews, evaluating safe practices and opportunities for improvement; make recommendations based on best practices, human performance concepts, and regulations.
• Act as the program manager and subject matter expert for programs and initiatives that drive an effective safety culture and related continuous improvement functions.
• Develop, implement, and support safety and health standards and elements of an effective safety management system, providing the ongoing guidance to ensure continuous improvement of the utility's SHaW program and conformance with principles related to HOP and continuous improvement.
• Develop, implement and support auditing programs that align with Safety Maturity Models and LNI Standards.
• Work closely with and support the SHaW leadership team in maintaining and improving SHaW effectiveness overall.
• Provide backup support to the Strategic Advisor responsible for program management and strategy and to the Safety Manager responsible for field staff supervision and day-to-day safety program implementation.
• Work with all levels of the organization to implement health and safety programs and activities.
• May Supervise one to two Safety Specialists working on related safety culture and Continuous Improvement Projects, including organizational learning, psychological safety, or human performance.

Please note this job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: In addition to the skills and experience mentioned below, a successful applicant will have experience that reflects a commitment to creating fair and equitable outcomes and has:

Experience: Requires four years of experience in a safety or health related field of which at least one year is in supervision or lead work.

Education: Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health, Industrial Hygiene, Safety, Toxicology, Public Administration, Environmental Health, Education or a related field (or a combination of education, training and/or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class).

Certification/License: Must have a Washington state driver’s license in order to operate a City motor pool vehicle, or the ability to obtain the license within thirty (30) days of hire with Seattle City Light.

Desired Qualifications - You will be successful if you have the following experience, skills, and abilities:

• 5+ years of experience in safety and industrial hygiene programs, including 2+ years of safety management.

• An understanding or organizational development/behavioral sciences as applied to workplace dynamics and safety.

• Organizational, communication and collaborative skills as needed to function in a matrixed organization with complex technical and cultural challenges.

• The experience and ability to effectively facilitate group conversations, including learning reviews and to present information that promotes Safety Health and Wellness to large groups.

• The ability to analyze risk and human behaviors and assist in the performance of learning teams, coaching and incident reviews.

• The ability to understand and implement psychological safety, behavioral safety and human performance concepts and practices.

• High emotional intelligence and the ability to build trust and credibility with employees, leaders, and technical professionals at all levels of the organization.

• The technical skills and knowledge to work with other personnel to recognize and find solutions for cultural, chemical, electrical, and physical hazards in the workplace.

• A strong understanding of OSHA/LNI regulations as well as Human and Organizational Performance concepts, leadership, and learning team facilitation.

• Experience with compliance, safety management system and safety culture gap analysis and auditing.

• Critical thinking skills to support interpretation and implementation of programs, procedures and initiatives.

• Ability to problem solve and communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, with individuals at all levels of the organization.

Additional Information

The full salary range for this position is $59.61 to $69.23 per hour.

Application Process

Please submit the following with your online application:

• A cover letter in which you clearly describe how your knowledge, experience, skills, and abilities prepare you for the job responsibilities and qualifications outlined in the job announcement
• A current resume of your educational and professional work experience.

Incomplete applications may not be considered.

Emergency Response Commitment: Seattle City Light is committed to reliable service during emergencies.

Through our Emergency Response Program, each employee is assigned a role—usually aligned with their regular duties—to support emergency operations.

Your participation is vital to helping the utility stay prepared and serve our community when it matters most.

Who May Apply: This position is open to all candidates that meet the qualifications. Seattle City Light values diverse perspectives and life experiences.

Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Seattle City Light encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experiences.

Job offers are contingent on the verification of credentials and other information required by the employment process, including the completion of a background check.

The background check will involve a criminal history check, which includes conviction and arrest records in compliance with the Seattle’s Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17and the City of Seattle Personnel Rule 10.3.

A driving history review may be conducted in compliance with SMC 4.79.020. Applicants will be provided an opportunity to explain or correct background information.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents.

More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits/employees-and-covered-family-members/most-employees-plans.

Want to know more about Seattle City Light? Check out our web page: https://www.seattle.gov/city-light/about-us/careers.