Safety Manager

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Grand Rapids, MI, USA

Posted on Jun 18, 2026
Position: Safety Manager
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Job Id: 843
# of Openings: 1
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Safety Manager

Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Department: Safety & Security
Reports To: Director of Safety & Security
Classification: Full-Time, Salary, Exempt. May require occasional evenings, weekends, holidays, or events, and extended hours during peak seasons

Be Part of a World-Class Experience
At Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, safety is foundational to everything we do. From internationally recognized exhibitions and concerts to educational programs, gardens, culinary operations, and community events, our team creates experiences that welcome millions of guests while maintaining the highest standards of safety and preparedness.

As the Safety Manager, you’ll play a critical role in protecting people, supporting operations, and fostering a culture of safety across one of the nation’s premier cultural institutions. This position offers the opportunity to partner with leaders across the organization while helping ensure a safe, compliant, and welcoming environment for guests, employees, volunteers, contractors, and community partners.


Why This Role Matters
The Safety Manager serves as a key operational and strategic partner responsible for advancing workplace safety, regulatory compliance, emergency preparedness, and risk mitigation throughout the organization.

This role helps ensure that safety remains integrated into every aspect of the guest and employee experience—from public gardens and exhibitions to concerts, classrooms, culinary operations, and behind-the-scenes workspaces. Through proactive planning, training, incident management, and collaboration, the Safety Manager helps protect people while supporting the mission and long-term success of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.


What You’ll Do
Safety Leadership & Risk Management
  • Conduct safety assessments and walkthroughs across public spaces, gardens, facilities, exhibitions, and operational areas.
  • Identify hazards and partner with departments to implement practical risk mitigation strategies.
  • Review exhibits, installations, events, and operational plans to ensure safety, accessibility, and regulatory compliance.
Regulatory Compliance & Documentation
  • Lead and support OSHA/MIOSHA compliance efforts across the organization.
  • Maintain required safety records, documentation, SDS files, and inspection readiness programs.
  • Monitor regulatory changes and recommend updates to policies, procedures, and training programs.
Training & Safety Culture
  • Develop and deliver engaging safety training programs for employees and seasonal staff.
  • Coordinate onboarding, certification tracking, refresher training, and required compliance education.
  • Foster a culture of accountability, hazard awareness, and proactive safety engagement.
Incident Response & Continuous Improvement
  • Investigate incidents, near-misses, and safety concerns involving staff, volunteers, contractors, and guests.
  • Conduct root cause analyses and partner with leaders to implement corrective actions.
  • Analyze safety data and trends to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
Emergency Preparedness & Event Safety
  • Support emergency response planning, drills, tabletop exercises, and preparedness initiatives.
  • Assist with management of emergency equipment, supplies, and compliance programs.
  • Provide safety planning and operational support for concerts, festivals, rentals, field trips, and other high-profile events.

What You Bring
  • Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Emergency management, or a related field; equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
  • 5+ years of experience in safety, risk management, regulatory compliance, EHS, or a related field.
  • Working knowledge of OSHA/MIOSHA regulations, workplace safety programs, and compliance requirements.
  • Experience conducting safety inspections, risk assessments, incident investigations, and root cause analysis/CAPA.
  • Ability to develop, deliver, and facilitate safety training programs for diverse employee and volunteer groups.
  • Strong written nad verbal communication skills
  • Experience maintaining safety records, reports, regulatory documentation, and compliance programs
  • Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and recommend practical solutions to reduce risk and improve safety
  • Experience supporting emergency preparedness, drills, incident response, and business continuity initiatives.
  • Preferred Qualifications: OSHA 30, OSHA 510, CSP, CHST, or other relevant professional certifications. CPR, First Aid, and AED instructor certification. Experience leading emergency exercises, tabletop drills, or emergency response planning. Experience working in a public venue or similarly complex public-facing organization. Experience supporting safety programs across multiple operational areas.

What Makes This Opportunity Unique
  • Help shape safety practices across one of the nation’s leading cultural and horticultural institutions.
  • Partner with teams spanning horticulture, culinary, facilities, exhibitions, education, events, and security.
  • Support nationally recognized exhibitions, concerts, festivals, and public programs.
  • Balance regulatory compliance with guest experience in a highly visible public environment.
  • Make a meaningful impact on the safety and wellbeing of employees, volunteers, guests, and community partners.

Our Values
We seek team members who embody our shared values:
Welcoming: Fostering joy and an inclusive, accessible environment for everyone
Excellence: Approaching all we do with world-class intentionality
Innovation: Creating engaging experiences in art, culture, and nature
Integrity: Operating with honesty, transparency, and accountability
Stewardship: Preserving and enhancing our community and resources

If you enjoy building a proactive culture of safety and preparedness while balancing compliance requirements and supporting large-scale public events, we'd love to hear from you!


Working Conditions: This position operates in both indoor and outdoor environments across a large public campus that includes gardens, exhibition spaces, classrooms, culinary operations, event venues, maintenance areas, and administrative offices. The role requires regular interaction with employees, volunteers, contractors, vendors, and guests. Occasional exposure to varying weather conditions, noise, chemicals, construction activities, and operational hazards may occur. The Safety Manager may be required to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events as business needs dictate and may participate in emergency response activities outside of normal business hours.

Physical Requirements: This position requires the ability to walk extensively throughout the campus, conduct inspections in a variety of indoor and outdoor environments, and occasionally climb stairs, ladders, or elevated platforms. The role requires the ability to observe and assess safety conditions, communicate effectively, operate standard office technology, and occasionally move or transport training materials, safety equipment, and supplies. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals to perform the essential functions of the position.​


As part of our onboarding process, all new hires are required to complete our background check.
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
We believe in fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.

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