Director of Workplace Safety

About the Team:

At CookUnity, we’re on a mission to reinvent mealtime by connecting eaters with talented chefs from across the country. Our distributed network of culinary hubs powers a high-quality, personalized food experience at scale. Behind the scenes, our Workplace Operations and Safety team plays a crucial role in ensuring that every kitchen, facility, and field operation is a safe, compliant, and thriving environment for our teams to do their best work. As we grow, so does our commitment to building a culture of safety—one that goes beyond compliance and empowers proactive, people-centered practices.

The role:

We’re looking for a Director of Workplace Safety to lead our health and safety programs across all CookUnity facilities and field operations, starting with our New York hub and expanding nationally.

You will drive the strategic direction of our safety programs, ensuring full compliance with federal (OSHA) as well as state-specific regulations.

This role requires a proactive leader who can cultivate a strong safety culture while navigating the distinct regulatory environments of each state. You'll work cross-functionally with teams in Operations, HR, Legal, and Facilities to reduce incidents, strengthen compliance, and lead continuous improvement across a fast-paced, complex operation.

Open Locations: This role is based in either New York City or Los Angeles. We welcome candidates located in or willing to relocate to either location.

Responsibilities:

• Design and lead comprehensive workplace safety programs across multiple sites, including kitchens, production facilities, and delivery operations.
• Ensure compliance with federal (OSHA) and state/local regulations, with particular attention to the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) and New York State Department of Labor (NYS DOL) requirements.
• Prioritize mitigation strategies in California and New York, tailoring interventions accordingly.
• Conduct regular risk assessments, audits, and inspections to identify hazards and implement corrective actions.
• Develop safety KPIs and reporting dashboards to track performance and identify trends.
• Lead incident investigations and root cause analyses; drive corrective and preventive action plans.
• Build and deliver engaging safety training programs for all levels of the organization.
• Serve as a strategic partner to site leaders and functional heads in driving a culture of safety and operational excellence.
• Manage documentation and reporting related to incidents, near misses, and regulatory compliance.
• Act as the primary liaison with regulatory agencies and external safety consultants.
• Stay ahead of industry trends and changes in legislation to proactively adapt policies and practices.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
• 8–12 years of experience in workplace safety, with 3+ years in a leadership or multi-site role.
• Expertise in OSHA regulations, with in-depth working knowledge of California and New York workplace safety laws.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 30% of the time, as needed for team meetings, events, or location-based initiatives.
• Experience in high-risk, fast-paced environments such as food manufacturing, distribution, or logistics.
• Strong project management, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels.
• Demonstrated ability to build programs that drive behavior change and measurable results.

Preferred requirements:

• Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), or equivalent credential.
• Experience leading safety programs during periods of rapid growth, particularly across multiple states with diverse regulatory landscapes.
• Familiarity with digital safety management systems or EHS software is a plus.

Learn More About CookUnity

We believe great leadership starts with alignment on vision, values, and ways of working. To give you deeper insight into who we are and what we’re looking for, we invite you to explore: CookUnity's Leadership Principles – The values and behaviors that guide how we operate, collaborate, and scale.

We hope this provides valuable insight into our culture and product vision. If this excites you, we’d love to connect!

Benefits

🩺  Health Insurance coverage

🌅 401k Plan

📈 We grow, you grow: Stock Options Plan granted on Day 1

🌟 Eligible for a bi-annual performance bonus

⛱  Unlimited PTO and paid sick days

🗓️ 5- year Sabbatical: After 5 years with CookUnity, you get a 4-week paid sabbatical

🐣 Paid Family leave

🕯 Compassionate Leave: 3-5 days each time the need arises

🥘 A generous amount of CookUnity credits to enjoy our amazing meals, added to your account, monthly

🧘🏽‍♀️ Wellness perks: access to fitness subsidies to build a healthy lifestyle

👩🏾‍🏫 Personalized Spanish coach

🚀 Awesome opportunity to join a company that is looking to change how we eat and how chefs work!