Director of Compliance / Chief Compliance Officer (CCO), RFAAP

STS Technical Services is hiring a Director of Compliance / Chief Compliance Officer in Radford, Virginia. This senior leadership role supports the Radford Army Ammunition Plant and is accountable for the integrated Environmental, Safety, Occupational Health & Quality and regulatory compliance framework that supports safe, reliable munitions production in service of U.S. national security.

This position operates in a highly regulated, government-owned, contractor-operated environment and ensures that all operations, processes and products comply with applicable laws, regulations, Army and DoW requirements, contract specifications and strict quality and technical standards for energetics and ammunition.

Position Summary

The Director of Compliance / Chief Compliance Officer leads a multi-disciplinary compliance and ESH&Q organization. This role develops, implements and maintains comprehensive compliance and ESH&Q systems while serving as a primary interface with regulators, customers and external stakeholders.

The CCO will partner closely with Production, Plant Support, Growth & Modernization and Business organizations while fostering a culture of integrity, transparency, safety, environmental stewardship and continuous improvement across the plant.

Compliance and ESH&Q Program Leadership

• Lead an integrated compliance and ESH&Q management system across all RFAAP activities
• Align quality, specifications and regulatory requirements
• Develop, issue and maintain policies, procedures and work instructions that meet federal, state, local, DoW/Army and contract requirements
• Drive plant-wide ESH&Q programs that support a safe, compliant and environmentally sustainable workplace
• Oversee and continuously improve the quality management framework to ensure products meet all applicable specifications and customer requirements

Risk Management, Assessment and Training

• Lead multi-discipline risk assessments across safety, environmental, health, quality and regulatory functions
• Drive prioritized mitigation and corrective/preventive actions
• Direct development and delivery of compliance and ESH&Q training
• Ensure employees and contractors understand regulatory, permit, contract and safe work expectations

Audits, Investigations and Corrective Actions

• Plan and coordinate internal and external audits and inspections for compliance and ESH&Q
• Ensure timely and sustainable closure of findings
• Oversee incident and near-miss investigations
• Lead root cause analyses for safety, health, environmental, quality and compliance events
• Ensure effective corrective actions are implemented and verified
• Maintain complete and accurate records of compliance and ESH&Q activities, audits, inspections, incidents, corrective actions and regulatory interactions

Environmental, NEPA and Permitting Compliance

• Ensure operations comply with all environmental regulations and permits
• Support compliance related to waste, emissions, hazardous materials, pollution prevention and required monitoring/reporting
• Lead NEPA compliance for construction and modernization projects
• Support environmental reviews, documentation and required public or stakeholder engagement
• Partner with Production, Plant Support and Business to obtain, maintain and comply with all environmental, explosives, operating and security-related permits and licenses

Integration with Operations, Plant Support and Modernization

• Collaborate with Production, Plant Support and Growth & Modernization to embed PSM, explosives safety, hazard controls and quality requirements into process design, operations, maintenance and modernization changes
• Ensure vendors, suppliers and subcontractors meet regulatory and internal ESH&Q and compliance standards
• Support due diligence, qualification and performance monitoring for third-party partners

Metrics, Reporting, Controls and Governance

• Establish and manage compliance and ESH&Q metrics, dashboards and reports
• Brief senior leadership on performance, trends, risks and recommended actions
• Coordinate with Finance, Legal and Business to integrate internal controls and compliance checks into contracts, purchasing, financial processes and government property management
• Monitor proposed legislation, regulations and policy changes affecting ESH&Q and compliance
• Advise leadership on regulatory impacts and response options

External Relations, Policy and Culture

• Build and maintain strong relationships with regulators, customers and industry associations
• Serve as a primary point of contact for ESH&Q and compliance matters
• Support development of RFAAP’s positions on ESH&Q-related public policy and regulatory frameworks
• Represent plant interests with corporate and government stakeholders
• Model ethical leadership
• Champion a strong culture of safety, environmental stewardship, health, quality, operational excellence and integrity
• Ensure employees are empowered to raise concerns and that issues are addressed promptly and transparently

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Health & Safety Management, Engineering, Chemistry, Quality, Law or a closely related technical field
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in compliance, ESH&Q or quality management within highly regulated industries
• Experience in defense manufacturing, energetics, chemical processing or heavy industrial operations preferred
• Significant leadership experience, typically 8 to 10+ years, managing professional staff and multi-disciplinary teams in compliance and/or ESH&Q oversight and reporting
• Demonstrated exemplary safety, delivery, environmental and regulatory compliance record
• Experience with lean manufacturing principles and Six Sigma methodologies
• Demonstrated experience with federal and state regulatory frameworks, including OSHA, EPA, DoW/Army regulations and state environmental agencies such as Virginia DEQ or equivalent
• Experience with defense or industrial production processes
• Exposure to ammunition, explosives, energetics or chemical manufacturing operations preferred
• Demonstrated ability to design and manage compliance and ESH&Q programs
• Experience with risk assessments, audits, incident investigations and corrective/preventive action systems
• Practical experience with quality systems and standards, including ISO/AS or equivalent
• Experience integrating quality requirements into manufacturing and compliance frameworks
• Proven ability to interpret complex regulations, technical specifications and contractual requirements
• Ability to translate requirements into practical plant-level procedures, controls and training
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Track record of implementing effective compliance and risk-reduction solutions
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to communicate ESH&Q and compliance requirements to all levels of the organization and external stakeholders
• U.S. Citizenship required
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoW security clearance required
• Active clearance preferred

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a relevant field such as Environmental/Occupational Health, Safety, Engineering, Quality or an MBA
• Juris Doctor preferred
• Professional certifications such as Certified Safety Professional, Certified Industrial Hygienist, Certified Hazardous Materials Manager, Environmental Management System Auditor, Six Sigma/Lean or recognized quality certifications such as ASQ
• Formal compliance credentials such as CRCP or similar preferred
• Extensive experience within the defense industrial base
• Experience at ammunition, energetics or chemical manufacturing facilities preferred
• Direct responsibility for explosives, munitions or energetic materials regulations and associated ESH&Q requirements preferred
• Demonstrated familiarity with Virginia DEQ environmental programs or equivalent state programs
• Experience with state and local permitting and reporting requirements
• Experience implementing and managing compliance and ESH&Q management systems and software tools
• Experience with document control, incident management, audit tracking and performance analytics

Authorization

Candidates must be U.S. citizens and able to obtain and maintain a DoW security clearance. Active clearance is preferred.

About STS Technical Services

STS Technical Services is a Top 100 Staffing Firm that partners with some of the largest names in the aerospace, manufacturing, defense and industrial industries. Our professional recruitment teams connect experienced professionals with high-impact career opportunities at client locations throughout the United States and around the world.

If you want to speak with a Recruiting Professional directly, call 1-800-359-4787.

STS Technical Services is an equal opportunity employer.

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