Vice President of Safety & Risk

Core Linen Services is a leader in hospital and hospitality laundry processing services around the country. Our focus is on service, quality and safety which enable our clients to provide essential services to their patients and guests. The Company operates across 20+ states and is a portfolio company of H.I.G. Capital, based in Miami, FL.

Position Summary
The Vice President of Safety & Risk is the enterprise senior leader responsible for Core Linen's fleet safety, motor carrier compliance, and enterprise risk strategy, with additional oversight of workplace safety and workers' compensation programs.

Reporting to the SVP of People & Employment Counsel, this role serves as the company's senior authority on DOT and FMCSA compliance, fleet safety performance, and transportation risk. The VP will build and lead a specialized safety leadership function, ensuring strong and complementary expertise across transportation safety and industrial plant safety.

Key Responsibilities

DOT, FMCSA & Fleet Safety Leadership

• Serve as the executive owner of fleet safety and DOT/FMCSA compliance for box trucks and tractor trailers operating across multiple states
• Lead a comprehensive motor carrier safety strategy, including driver qualification, road testing, hours of service, drug and alcohol programs, ELDs, inspections, accident investigation and reporting, and maintenance controls
• Monitor CSA scores, roadside inspections, audits, and enforcement actions; lead corrective actions as needed
• Counsel and support plant on-site transportation managers and leaders with regulatory and safety matters
• Lead the Company's dashboard camera and telematics programs, partnering with operators and vendors to leverage real time and trend data to drive safer driving behaviors and prevent incidents
• Build upon executive level fleet safety reporting, analytics, and governance

Enterprise Safety & Risk Leadership

• Set enterprise safety and risk management strategy aligned with operational performance, regulatory requirements, and company growth
• Serve as a strategic advisor to executive leadership on safety related risk, trends, and regulatory exposure
• Lead a safety and risk team, developing subject matter expertise and ability to influence through partnership and operational credibility
• Establish clear accountability, decision rights, and escalation models across the safety organization

OSHA, Plant Safety & Industrial Operations (Oversight & Integration)

• Provide senior level oversight of OSHA and plant safety programs across industrial laundry operations
• Partner with a Director level safety leader with deep OSHA expertise to ensure alignment and integration
• Ensure effective governance of lockout/tagout, machine guarding, ergonomics, confined space, and hazard communication programs
• Oversee inspections, audits, and corrective actions with a focus on sustainable compliance

Workers' Compensation, Auto Insurance & Risk Management

• Lead the company's multi state workers' compensation and commercial automobile insurance strategies, including claims management, cost control, and return to work programs
• Partner with the legal team on regulatory matters, litigation support, and risk mitigation
• Analyze injury, fleet incident, and claims data to identify systemic risk and prevention opportunities

Metrics, Analytics & Continuous Improvement

• Oversee enterprise safety dashboards and KPIs covering fleet incidents, DOT performance, workers' compensation costs, and OSHA trends
• Use data analytics to drive proactive risk reduction and leadership decision making
• Lead enterprise safety communication, training, and culture initiatives

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience leading fleet safety and DOT/FMCSA compliance in a multi state environment
• Senior level ownership of motor carrier safety programs, including CSA management, audits, and enforcement response
• 5+ years of experience leading and developing safety teams, including managers or directors
• Experience supporting manufacturing or industrial operations, including lockout/tagout requirements
• Strong working knowledge of workers' compensation programs and enterprise risk management
• Demonstrated ability to build complementary safety leadership teams
• Executive presence with the ability to influence senior leaders and operations

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Safety, Engineering, Risk Management, or related field;
  Master's preferred
• Professional certifications such as CSP, ARM, ASP, or similar
• Experience in regulated service, logistics, healthcare adjacent, or transportation intensive environments
• Experience partnering closely with legal, employment counsel, or compliance functions

Work Environment & Location
This is a hybrid role based in the Charlotte / Huntersville, NC area. Travel is required to support multi state plant and fleet operations.

Core Linen Services is an equal opportunity employer. At CLS, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience…