EHS Manager Recruiters
Manufacturing Headhunters recruits manufacturing professionals nationwide.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
No postings. No stacks of resumes. No chasing. You interview a short list.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.
EHS managers who earn trust on the floor and with regulators. No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
- No upfront fee
- Pay only if you hire
- Manufacturing only
- We reach people who aren't on job boards
- Replacement guarantee on standard searches
The hiring decision
What makes this hire work on your plant floor?
An EHS manager has to enforce rules that interrupt production and still be welcomed on the floor. Plants with a poor record often have a safety program that exists as binders, with supervisors treating it as someone else's job. The hire has to change daily behavior through investigations that find system causes, coaching of supervisors and visible follow-through on hazards.
EHS managers who earn trust on the floor and with regulators.
An EHS manager has to enforce rules that interrupt production and still be welcomed on the floor. Plants with a poor record often have a safety program that exists as binders, with supervisors treating it as someone else's job. The hire has to change daily behavior through investigations that find system causes, coaching of supervisors and visible follow-through on hazards. At the same time, the manager handles permits, audits and inspector visits. Owners tell us the problem is rarely knowledge of the standards. It is whether the person can earn enough trust to change what happens on second shift.
Hazards differ sharply by process, so fit goes beyond the title. A metal fabrication plant brings press guarding, welding fumes, lockout and forklift traffic. A chemical plant adds process safety management, containment and emergency response. A food plant introduces ammonia refrigeration, sanitation chemicals and wet floors. We check hazard exposure against your plant, and whether the candidate has handled it themselves.
Before an introduction
What do we check before you interview?
We ask what they built, including lockout, machine guarding, hazard communication, training and incident investigation. We ask about trends in recordable incidents and serious injury potential, but we care more about how the number was achieved than the number itself.
Qualification in practice
We ask what they built, including lockout, machine guarding, hazard communication, training and incident investigation. We ask about trends in recordable incidents and serious injury potential, but we care more about how the number was achieved than the number itself. We ask about regulator interactions, including how an inspection was handled. Certifications such as OSHA 30 hour training or a professional safety credential are common and worth confirming. A union plant background matters when safety committees are contractual.
Investigation quality
The simplest test of an EHS manager is how they investigate. A near miss or injury can end with a form that blames the operator, or it can lead to a change in guarding, procedure or staffing. We ask for a specific investigation the candidate led, the cause identified, the corrective action and how follow-up was tracked. We listen for whether supervisors were part of the process. Candidates who describe changes to equipment and work design usually have deeper practice than those who describe retraining. The answer also shows how the person treats workers who report hazards.
Union and non-union differences
In a union plant, safety committees, grievance procedures and contract language shape how rules are introduced. A new lockout procedure or discipline policy may require discussion with stewards. A candidate who has worked there understands that cooperation is earned and that safety can be a shared interest. In non-union plants the manager has more freedom but often less structure, and has to create employee involvement voluntarily. We ask candidates how they gained participation, and what happened when production pressure and safety conflicted. The honest answers include a time they stopped a job and what it cost.
How the search runs
We begin by walking through your hazards, incident history, regulatory contacts and the reporting line. A manager who reports to the plant manager can be pressured; one with a dotted line to corporate EHS has more independence. We approach candidates with comparable process exposure and screen with scenario questions. References from plant managers, supervisors and sometimes inspectors or insurance consultants help us see how they worked. Owners receive a short summary of fit, program evidence and concerns, so the decision rests on what the candidate has actually done.
Need a EHS Manager? Tell us the plant and the seat.
Direct search
Where are qualified people working now?
EHS managers work at single plants of mid-size manufacturers, often as the lead or the only EHS professional on site, and in larger groups where they report into a corporate EHS function. Some came from safety coordinator roles, some from environmental compliance, and some from the military or consulting.
A candidate from a large site with a staff may be used to specialists handling industrial hygiene and permitting, while a lean-staffed plant needs a generalist. We map experience to your staffing and make sure the candidate understands what they will do alone.
Which hiring mistakes should you avoid?
Responsibilities behind the title. Candidates from low-hazard assembly may not be ready for combustible dust or confined space entry. Responsibilities behind the title. Environmental duties, such as air permits and wastewater, may or may not be part of the job.
- Responsibilities behind the title. Candidates from low-hazard assembly may not be ready for combustible dust or confined space entry.
- Responsibilities behind the title. Environmental duties, such as air permits and wastewater, may or may not be part of the job.
- Qualification in practice. Qualified means a program the candidate can describe and defend.
The search
How the search runs?
EHS managers work at single plants of mid-size manufacturers, often as the lead or the only EHS professional on site, and in larger groups where they report into a corporate EHS function. Some came from safety coordinator roles, some from environmental compliance, and some from the military or consulting.
Agree the brief
Hazards differ sharply by process, so fit goes beyond the title. A metal fabrication plant brings press guarding, welding fumes, lockout and forklift traffic.
Approach relevant people
EHS managers work at single plants of mid-size manufacturers, often as the lead or the only EHS professional on site, and in larger groups where they report into a corporate EHS function. Some came from safety coordinator roles, some from environmental compliance, and some from the military or consulting.
Qualify the work and support the hire
We ask what they built, including lockout, machine guarding, hazard communication, training and incident investigation. We ask about trends in recordable incidents and serious injury potential, but we care more about how the number was achieved than the number itself.
Need a EHS Manager? Tell us the plant and the seat.
Which manufacturing settings need this role?
- Food Manufacturing
- Beverage
- Meat, Poultry & Protein
- Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)
- Packaging
- Plastics & Rubber
- Metals & Fabrication
- Automotive (OEM, Tier 1, Tier 2)
- EV & Battery Manufacturing
- Aerospace & Defense
- Medical Devices
- Pharmaceutical & Biotech Manufacturing
- Chemicals & Specialty Materials
- Electronics & Electrical Manufacturing
- Semiconductors
- Building Products & Construction Materials
- Industrial Machinery & Equipment
- Energy & Power Equipment
- Paper, Pulp & Forest Products
- Textiles & Nonwovens
What should you know about questions about EHS Manager searches?
Need a EHS Manager? Tell us the plant and the seat.
What should you know about start your EHS Manager search?
Which other roles should you consider?
Need a EHS Manager? Tell us the plant and the seat.
What should you know about hiring guidance for this work?
What should you know about pay snapshot?
$141,900 annual national median for SOC 11-9199 Managers, All Other.
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
May 2025 OEWS, released 2026-05-15. BLS release · Official occupation data
Open the full salary guideNeed a EHS Manager? Tell us the plant and the seat.
Get a talent snapshot for this roleHave your job description reviewed
What should you know about open jobs?
What else affects this EHS Manager hire?
Sometimes, but we test for the specific hazards, such as dust, confined space or process safety, before recommending. EHS managers work at single plants of mid-size manufacturers, often as the lead or the only EHS professional on site, and in larger groups where they report into a corporate EHS function.
Is OSHA 30 required?
It is common, but we weigh it with real program experience. We confirm what the credential means for your role.
How do you screen for union plants?
We ask about safety committees, grievance handling and how rules were introduced with steward involvement. In non-union plants the manager has more freedom but often less structure, and has to create employee involvement voluntarily.
Is this a plant or corporate role?
Most are plant roles with some corporate reporting. We confirm your structure before approaching candidates.
Can someone from low-hazard work move to a heavy plant?
Sometimes, but we test for the specific hazards, such as dust, confined space or process safety, before recommending. EHS managers work at single plants of mid-size manufacturers, often as the lead or the only EHS professional on site, and in larger groups where they report into a corporate EHS function.
How is the search fee agreed?
The fee is a percentage of first-year base salary, agreed in writing before we start. There is no upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
Need a EHS Manager? Tell us the plant and the seat.
The Six-Step Search
What do you get before interviewing?
1. Search CalibrationYou get a hiring brief that separates the work, reporting authority and non-negotiable requirements. We agree what would make a candidate worth an interview before contacting anyone. 2. Market MappingYou get a defined search pool, not a reposted vacancy.
1. Search Calibration
You get a hiring brief that separates the work, reporting authority and non-negotiable requirements. We agree what would make a candidate worth an interview before contacting anyone.
2. Market Mapping
You get a defined search pool, not a reposted vacancy. We identify the kinds of plants and teams where people already handle comparable equipment, processes and operating demands.
3. Professional Contact Intelligence
You get a way to reach working people directly. We check professional contact routes and approach candidates discreetly, without making your plant or vacancy public unless you approve.
4. Persistent Personalized Outreach
You get individual conversations about the actual opening. We explain the work, shift and location, ask whether a move makes sense, and follow up without pretending every person is interested.
5. Live Candidate Qualification
You get evidence of fit before spending interview time. We talk through decisions, equipment, results and reasons for moving, then distinguish direct experience from skills that would need support.
6. Candidate Intelligence and Process Support
You get a focused short list with the information behind it. We explain motivation, practical constraints and concerns, support interviews, and keep offer decisions with your hiring team.
What should we discuss first?
Does the role cover environmental compliance?
It can. We confirm whether permits, waste and reporting are part of your job and screen for that experience.
What should you know before sending ehs manager?
When do you pay a recruiting fee?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. The signed recruiting agreement sets the fee basis and payment terms. Sending an opening does not itself commit you to a fee or an exclusive arrangement.
How long does it take to see a short list?
We discuss the search conditions before describing a realistic next step. Shift, location, equipment match and the candidate's reasons for moving all matter. We do not promise a shortlist date before understanding the opening.
How do you handle counteroffers?
We ask what is driving the move before introducing a candidate. We discuss what might change if the current employer offers more money or a different job. Your team still decides whether that person's motivation fits the opening.
What replacement terms apply?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What do you not do?
We do not bill hourly for a standard permanent search, repost a job-board ad as a search, or supply high-volume general labor. Retainers are not the default. Any different arrangement must be agreed in writing.