Director of Safety and Fleet

Summary

Join Sunnova as the Director of Safety and Fleet, a pivotal leadership role responsible for building and scaling a national safety program and managing a fleet of 500+ vehicles. You will develop comprehensive safety programs, optimize fleet operations, and achieve targeted cost savings while maintaining exceptional compliance standards. This position requires end-to-end ownership of safety program development and fleet management, demanding a deep understanding of DOT regulations, fleet management systems, and safety program administration. You will drive safety culture, ensure efficient fleet operations, and maintain OSHA incident rates below the industry average. Success requires a methodical approach, strong operational acumen, and the ability to influence across all organizational levels. This is an opportunity to shape the future of operational excellence and build strong partnerships with key stakeholders.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in safety management, Operations, Engineering, or related field
• 15+ years' experience in safety and/or fleet operations management
• 6-8 years' experience leading safety programs or fleet operations
• Certified Safety Professional (CSP) or comparable certification
• Strong analytical and strategic planning capabilities
• Up to 25% travel required
• Demonstrated experience managing large-scale fleet operations (minimum 250+ vehicles)
• Track record of developing successful safety programs
• Experience with DOT regulations and OSHA compliance
• Proven success in cost optimization and operational efficiency
• Experience managing crisis response operations
• Track record of developing emergency management programs
• Incident Command System (ICS) certification
• Experience leading emergency operations centers

Responsibilities

• Develops and executes comprehensive safety strategy and programs across all operations
• Drives safety metrics and maintains OSHA incident rates 50% below industry average
• Leads safety training programs and certification processes
• Manages and scales safety team and safety ambassador network
• Creates and implements safety policies and procedures
• Sets and drives safety KPIs across the organization
• Develops and maintains OSHA compliance programs
• Establishes and maintains 24/7 emergency response capability
• Develops comprehensive crisis management protocols
• Creates and leads emergency operations center
• Implements emergency communication systems
• Develops and maintains comprehensive crisis management program
• Establishes emergency operations center with 24/7 coverage capabilities
• Creates and implements emergency response protocols and procedures
• Leads incident command system during critical events
• Coordinates with external emergency response agencies
• Conducts regular emergency response drills and training
• Manages emergency communications systems and protocols
• Develops and maintains business continuity plans
• Ensures rapid response to critical safety incidents
• Oversees national fleet operations of 500+ vehicles with 99%+ uptime
• Manages fleet acquisition, maintenance, and retirement strategies
• Leads telematics implementation and optimization
• Drives 20%+ reduction in fleet operational costs
• Develops and maintains fleet policies and procedures
• Coordinates with vendors and maintenance providers
• Optimizes route planning and fleet utilization
• Manages fuel programs and efficiency initiatives
• Implements sustainability initiatives for fleet operations
• Partners with Operations to ensure seamless field execution
• Collaborates with HR on safety training and certification programs
• Works closely with Risk Management on insurance and claims
• Aligns with Finance on budgeting and cost optimization
• Coordinates with Legal on regulatory compliance
• Establishes systems and procedures for program management
• Maintains DOT compliance with 100% rating
• Drives safety culture throughout the organization
• Optimizes operational costs through automation and process improvement
• Partners with Communications team on crisis messaging
• Coordinates with executive team during critical events
• Develops relationships with emergency response agencies
• Identifies and implements safety and fleet innovation strategies
• Develops and maintains vendor partnerships
• Measures program effectiveness through analytics and insights
• Provides data-driven recommendations for optimization
• Drives cultural transformation around safety excellence
• Leads integration of fleet management platforms
• Creates scalable systems for program growth
• Develops technology roadmap for safety and fleet operations
• Establishes and monitors key operational metrics
• Implements crisis management technology solutions
• Develops emergency response capabilities assessment
• Creates crisis simulation and training programs

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or advanced degree
• Additional safety certifications (CHMM, CEM, etc.)
• Experience with telematics and fleet management platforms
• Strong understanding of vehicle maintenance programs
• Advanced knowledge of safety management systems
• Experience in managing national operations
• Deep knowledge of regulatory requirements
• Experience with sustainability initiatives
• Background in process improvement
• Track record of program development and scaling
• Crisis Management certification
• Experience with emergency management software platforms
• Background in business continuity planning
• Experience managing large-scale emergency response

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, healthcare flexible spending account, and 401(k) with employer match
• Competitive compensation & annual bonus
• Paid time off, including 11 holidays and Paid Parental Leave
• Cell phone allowance for many roles
• Free access to onsite fitness center in Houston and/or discounted fitness memberships through health provider
• Complimentary garage parking in Houston