Safety Compliance Supervisor

Safety Compliance Supervisor

Help shape the future of workplace safety in Montana. As the Safety Compliance Manager, you will lead a high-impact team that partners with employers, public agencies, and industry stakeholders to strengthen safety practices, support compliance, and protect workers across the state. This is a dynamic leadership opportunity for candidates from government, private industry, military, or other mission-driven environments who bring strong judgment, people leadership, and a passion for building safer, more resilient organizations.

MISSION STATEMENT: Empowering all Montanans through work and opportunity. It's about the people and the impact we make in our communities every day. We are proud of our open, team-based, supportive, and collaborative work environments. Learn more about DLI here.

POSITION OVERVIEW: The Safety Compliance Section is part of the Compliance Bureau, which works with businesses and public entities across Montana to help them understand and meet labor law and safety obligations. This position leads a team of safety and mine inspectors who provide education, outreach, consultation, and inspection services in support of safe workplaces across all 56 counties. The Safety Compliance Manager plays a central role in translating strategic priorities into daily operations, strengthening Montana's safety culture, and advancing a practical, service-oriented approach to compliance.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU: Make a visible impact: Help protect workers, strengthen workplace safety practices, and support healthier, safer communities across Montana through work that has clear public value. Lead meaningful work: Guide a skilled team of professionals and influence how safety services, inspections, outreach, and compliance efforts are delivered statewide. OSHA highlights management leadership as a core driver of effective safety and health programs and continuous improvement. Grow as a leader: Build and refine leadership skills in coaching, performance management, strategic planning, and operational decision making within a dynamic, mission-driven environment. Safety career resources commonly describe the field as one that offers leadership and advancement opportunities. Use transferable expertise: Bring experience from government, private industry, military, operations, compliance, or related fields and apply it in a role that values judgment, adaptability, and real-world problem solving. Public service and safety career pathways span state, local, federal, and operational environments, which supports recruiting candidates with broad transferable backgrounds. Shape strategy and process improvement: Contribute to long-term safety priorities, strengthen processes, use data to improve results, and help build a modern, service-oriented compliance program. OSHA states that leadership should provide resources, factor safety into operational planning, and use programs to drive continuous improvement. Build a rewarding career in Montana: Enjoy the opportunity to do impactful work that supports employers and public agencies statewide while living in a state known for strong communities, public service, and access to outdoor recreation. Safety profession resources describe the field as one with strong growth potential, meaningful responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Lead a safety team: Supervises, coaches, develops, and evaluates safety and mine inspection staff to support high performance, accountability, consistency, and professional growth. Drive statewide operations: Plans and oversees inspection and outreach activities across Montana, aligning staff capacity, travel, priorities, and follow-up work to meet program goals. Advance safety compliance: Helps staff and stakeholders interpret and apply safety requirements, including MSHA and OSHA-related standards and other applicable state and federal provisions, through a balanced approach that emphasizes education, prevention, and accountability. Build trusted partnerships: Develops strong working relationships with employers, public agencies, mine operators, labor representatives, and other partners to support collaborative problem solving and practical safety improvements. Resolve complex issues: Reviews sensitive, high-impact, or unusual safety matters and provides sound, consistent guidance grounded in policy, risk awareness, and operational judgment Use data to improve outcomes: Monitors reports, trends, inspection activity, and performance measures to identify issues, improve workflows, and strengthen service delivery. Support strategic initiatives: Contributes to the development and implementation of bureau and department safety priorities, initiatives, and long-range plans. Strengthen outreach and training: Oversees presentations, educational materials, and communication strategies that make complex safety concepts clear and actionable for diverse audiences. OSHA states that knowledge and skills needed to work safely and avoid creating hazards are a core part of effective safety management, making training and communication central leadership functions in safety programs.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES: Leadership and people management: Lead and develop staff by setting clear expectations, building accountability, coaching performance, supporting professional growth, and creating a culture of trust, service, and continuous improvement. Safety and regulatory application: The ability to interpret and apply safety standards in complex environments, including OSHA-related requirements and other applicable laws, rules, policies, or technical guidance relevant to workplace safety and compliance. Strategic and operational leadership: Translate goals into action by planning work, setting priorities, balancing resources, and keeping statewide operations aligned with bureau and department objectives. Customer-focused communication: Communicate clearly and effectively with varied audiences, including executives, public officials, employers, staff, and community partners, using plain language and sound judgment. Problem solving and decision making: Analyze complex situations and make well-supported decisions that balance risk, compliance, service expectations, and practical business or operational needs. Data-informed leadership: Use data and performance measures to monitor trends, identify opportunities, improve processes, and guide decisions that strengthen safety outcomes and team effectiveness. Program and grant oversight: Manage public programs responsibly by aligning work with grant requirements, tracking deliverables, maintaining accurate documentation, and supporting accountability in program operations. Operational planning and oversight: Manage inspection schedules that cover the entire state, ensure inspections are completed and follow up on corrective actions. Regulatory knowledge and application: Interpret and apply safety best practices, policies and relevant regulations in complex or sensitive situations. Visual Communication: Skilled in developing professional presentation materials that convey complex information in an accessible and visually compelling manner, ensuring audience understanding and engagement. Presentation Expertise: Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in public settings by delivering clear, engaging, and informative presentations tailored to diverse audiences, including staff, leadership, and external stakeholders.

Preferred Skills and Competencies: Safety and program experience: Experience in occupational safety, compliance, risk management, inspections, workforce training, or a closely related field is preferred but not required, and broad safety program experience, regulatory knowledge, and strong communication skills are valued in both public and private sector organizations. Regulatory analysis and application: Experience interpreting and applying laws, regulations, policies, standards, or technical requirements and integrating them into day-to-day decision making. Training ability: Have OSHA Authorization Card to teach the Construction or General Industry OSHA 10-hour class, OR experience required to get an OSHA Authorization Card preferred but not required. Have MSHA blue card OR experience required to get a blue card is preferred but not required. Change management and adaptability: Help staff adjust to new laws, system changes, or updated procedures while maintaining service levels and consistent application of requirements. Use data systems effectively: Monitors dashboards, Accela database reports, and inspection scheduling and workflows to identify technology improvements to create efficiencies.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (Education and Experience) Demonstrated experience leading teams, projects, or programs in environments where safety, compliance, accountability, customer service, or operational excellence are central expectations. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience explaining complex expectations, influencing others, and building productive working relationships with diverse stakeholders. Experience using databases, reporting tools, dashboards, or other systems to track work, monitor performance, and support informed decision making. Demonstrated ability to identify problems, improve processes, and implement practical solutions in dynamic or service-oriented environments. A bachelor's degree in occupational health and safety or related field, may supplement relevant professional experience but is not a substitute for demonstrated skills and competencies in the areas noted above. Equivalent combinations of education and directly related experience will be considered.

HOW TO APPLY FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY: A complete state application is not required; however, you will need to initiate the application and attach the resume, cover letter or other required documents at time of application to be considered for this position. Resume will auto fill the application, but the application will not be scored or reviewed. Failure to attach the cover letter and resume will result in your application being considered incomplete and will not be considered further. Materials submitted but not requested will not be considered in the selection process. Tip: When attaching your resume, cover letter or other required documents you must mark the attachments as "RELEVANT" or we will be unable to view your documents. Required application materials: Cover Letter - Your Cover Letter should explain how your experience and education meet the identified required skills and competencies, with examples that demonstrate your qualifications. Resume - include all work experience you have held that would help you qualify for this position, including duties, dates of employment. Only online applications will be accepted. By applying online, you can receive updates and monitor the status of your application. All documents for Veteran or Disability preference must be received or date stamped by the closing date. You will receive an application confirmation email with instructions on acceptable preference documents and how to submit such documents. If you need an accommodation with the application process, please contact the HR office.

BENEFITS: Being able to enjoy the quality of life in the beautiful state of Montana is one of the benefits you will love about this opportunity! Our mountains, waterways and open spaces provide not only beautiful scenery but year-round recreational opportunities including hiking, camping, biking, fishing, boating, hunting, skiing and snowmobiling. Montana boasts a high-quality education system and a variety of entertainment including fairs, rodeos, and theaters. Read more about our great state