Safety Consultant, Principal

Position Description

The City of Tacoma is seeking a Principal Safety Consultant to provide safety leadership and partnership to the Environmental Services Department. This position reports to the Office of Health and Safety and directly to the Enterprise Safety Manager - Field and Training Division. This position will lead a team that consists of Senior Safety Consultants, Specialists and Coordinators, to assist in management of the department safety program.

The best candidate will need to be proactive, results driven leader that will provide a key role that works to secure and maintain the City of Tacoma's vision to operate free of injuries and vehicle incidents.

As the Principal Safety Consultant you will be responsible for implementing, supporting and monitoring workplace safety programs in a large department with multiple divisions to include; Waste Water Treatment, Solid Waste, Science and Engineering and Urban Waters. You will be part of a large community of safety professionals within the City of Tacoma.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Building relationships with department leadership, supervisors and employees, to bring awareness of current safety issues and topics; seek employee involvement at all levels of the department, to create an engaging and effective Safety Culture.
• Develop and execute health and safety plans in the workplace according to local, state and federal rules and regulations including to Washington State Labor and Industries and the Department of Transportation legal guidelines.
• Manage the creation and implementation of quality training and to establish and enhance the Safety Culture that leads to a reduction in injuries.
• Manage and support the implementation of Key Performance Indicators.
• Manage and support the implementation of multiple Safety Committees.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Work Environment:
Work is mostly performed in a field environment with travel to various departments and utility sites across the region. Occasionally requires work to be performed in a semi-hazardous area or exposure to outdoor elements. The position may handle or be exposed to moderate risk in different working environments.

Qualifications

Minimum Education*
Bachelor's degree in safety or directly related field

Minimum Experience*
5 years of experience administering health, safety, or loss prevention programs including 1 year prior at senior, lead and/or supervisory level

Licensing, Certifications and Other Requirements
Washington State Driver's License
Some positions may require additional licenses and certifications

*Equivalency: 1 year of experience = 1 year of education

Knowledge & Skills

• Create a long term strategy to reduce workplace injuries and vehicle incidents for Environmental Services.
• Initiates and implements Safety culture and compliance programs.
• Direct, plan and coordinate work assignments, monitoring work quality, and resolving issues.
• Interprets federal and state regulations and provides recommendations to senior leadership and operational personnel on Labor & Industries. and DOT, regulatory requirements.
• Assist the Office of Health and Safety with creation and updating of policies, procedures and training.
• Investigate incidents to determine root cause and build a plan to mitigate future occurrences.
• Initiates department committees to address critical issues.
• Participates in budget development, procurement of equipment and purchases.

Selection Process & Supplemental Information

A Commitment to Equity & Diversity

At the City of Tacoma, we're on a mission to make our workforce as diverse and inclusive as the community we serve. We actively seek out candidates from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. Join our team at the City of Tacoma and help us build a more vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community for all.

If you have a less traditional background, we want to hear about your transferrable skills and experience. We value a variety of perspectives and are excited to see what you bring to the table.

The Community

Tacoma is centrally located just 32 miles south of the city of Seattle and 31 miles north of the state capital, Olympia. The City of Tacoma is also home to the Port of Tacoma, which is among the largest container ports in the United States. Like most cities in the northwest, Tacoma is surrounded by beautiful nature, offering residents many opportunities for outdoor adventures.

Largely suburban in nature with a small, but dense, urban core, Tacoma is home to numerous institutes of higher learning that attract students from across the country. The University of Washington Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University, University of Puget Sound, a satellite campus of the Evergreen State College, three community/technical colleges, and several trade and business schools are within Tacoma's geographic area. Downtown's Cultural District is the site of the Washington State History Museum, Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum, and America's Car Museum.

With its affordable housing and distinctive neighborhoods and business districts, the city has been recognized numerous times as a best city to live in the nation. To see a few of the great things Tacoma has to offer, view this YouTube Video!

View this exciting video to learn more about the City of Tacoma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n5MWl8KFvI
Apply

Interested individuals should apply online by completing the application and attaching a resume and cover letter by the closing date and time listed on the job announcement. Applications received without attaching the required materials may not progress in the selection process.
Supplemental Questions
This is a competitive selection process. Applicants will be required to respond to written questions outlining their experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the essential functions of this position. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will have their responses to Supplemental Questions #3 through #5 reviewed and scored by a committee of subject matter experts. These questions will be scored based on the information provided. It is the responsibility of the applicants to adequately describe all pertinent experience and training. Please make sure you read the questions and provide complete informative answers, including your roles in the position and key activities. DO NOT respond with ‘see resume’ in lieu of answering these questions; this will result in a failing score. Providing false information will result in disqualification.

Accommodations: We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation during this process, please contact Human Resources at (253) 591-5400.

Get Assistance

For assistance with the application process or questions regarding this job announcement please contact the Human Resources office at (253) 591-5400 by 4:00 p.m. of the closing date of the job announcement.

For technical difficulties using the Neogov system, call the applicant support line at 1-855-524-5627 between 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. This will allow us to assist you before the job announcement closes.

Communication from the City of Tacoma:

We primarily communicate via e-mail during the application process. E-mails from tacoma.gov and/or governmentjobs.com must be placed on your safe domain list to ensure that you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk e-mail folders.

Compensation & Benefits

Pay Details:

Hourly Rate: $54.60 - $76.88

Annual Salary: $113,568.00 - $159,910.40

Employee Benefits | City of Tacoma

The City of Tacoma provides excellent medical, dental and vision plans for the whole family; paid holidays and paid leave; participation in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System (alternate plan for Police/Fire); continuing education and advancement opportunities and a growing variety of City-sponsored health and wellness opportunities and incentives.

Medical Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age26 or younger.

Dental Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age26 or younger.

Vision Coverage: For eligible employees and their eligible dependents.

Paid Leave: City employees are entitled to received paid holidays, sick/vacation leave or personal time off (PTO), depending upon union affiliation and appointment type.

Insurance Plans: Employees are covered by a long-term disability plan. Short-term and expanded long-term disability insurance plans are also available to employees. The State Industrial Insurance Act also covers employees.

Deferred Compensation: Income can be set aside on a pretax basis and invested for supplementation of normal retirement income.

Retirement: All employees of the City, except members of the Police and Fire services, Tacoma Rail and certain project employees, are included in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System. Information on the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System can be found at www.cityoftacoma.org or by calling (253) 502-8200.

Other Employment Information

Direct Deposit: Employees are paid on a bi-weekly schedule by direct deposit.

Salary Increases: Based on satisfactory job performance, the City provides for a regular progression of salary increases for most classifications according to the salary schedule.

Union Affiliation: Many job classifications are covered by union security provisions which require union membership, dues, or payment of equivalent service fees.

Note: The provisions of this job announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provision contained herein may be modified and/or revoked without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 1/28/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

• 

• City of Tacoma

• 253-591-5400

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