Purchasing Manager Jobs in Waterloo, IA (NOW HIRING)

At Cedar Falls Utilities, we are committed to creating a workplace where safety, reliability, and continuous improvement are at the forefront of everything we do. In 2026, we proudly earned the APPA RP3 Diamond Designation, the highest level awarded through the American Public Power Association's Reliable Public Power Provider program. The RP3 designation recognizes utilities that demonstrate excellence in safety, reliability, workforce development, and system improvement, and Diamond status represents the highest level of achievement.We provide electric, natural gas, water, and communications services, allowing our teams to make an impact across multiple critical infrastructure operations. We also operate our own power generation, giving employees exposure to a broad range of utility operations.We are seeking an experienced and proactive Health & Safety Manager to lead and enhance our safety, compliance, workers' compensation, and emergency preparedness programs. This position plays a critical role in fostering a culture of safety, ensuring regulatory compliance, reducing workplace risk, and supporting employees across the entire organization.The ideal candidate is a strong leader who can effectively partner with employees, supervisors, and senior leaders to create a safe, healthy, and compliant work environment while driving continuous improvement initiatives.As our next Health & Safety Manager, you'll be equally comfortable in steel-toed boots and the boardroom. You'll spend time in the field working alongside operations employees, identifying hazards, coaching safe work practices, and building relationships. You'll also partner with senior leaders to analyze safety trends, evaluate safety performance, and drive continuous improvement initiatives that support our award-winning culture of safety and operational excellence.We believe the best safety programs prevent incidents before they occur. Our culture encourages employees to identify hazards, share "Good Catches" and learn from near misses so risks can be addressed pro-actively.Interested applicants should submit completed applications by Monday, August 31, 2026 at 11:59PM. Compensation & Benefits

• Annual Salary Range: $99,820 - $136,896. Starting salary is based upon individual qualifications.  
• Work schedule is Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:30pm. Must be willing to respond to emergency situations. 
• Full-time benefits package including IPERS retirement benefits, health, dental, vision and life insurance. Click here for more information on CFU's benefits.
  • Health, Dental, Vision (Single or Family) - Eligible 1st of the Month Following 30 Days of Hire Date
  • Paid Vacation, Holidays, Sick Days, Bereavement Leave, and Flexible Days
  • IPERS and 457 Retirement
  • EAP Services Free to CFU Employees and Immediate Family Members
  • Educational Assistance and Professional Development
  • Employee Wellness Program and On-site Fitness Center
  • Employee Recognition Program - Service Anniversaries
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Employer

• Lead and promote a proactive safety culture through coaching, engaging with employees, promoting "good catch" program, training, recognition and continuous improvement initiatives. 
• Collaborate with leaders to analyze safety trends, establish safety performance metrics and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Stay current on industry trends, emerging risks, regulatory developments and best practices; recommend enhancements to safety programs, policies, training and procedures. 
• Develop, implement, maintain and continuously improve comprehensive health and safety programs, policies, procedures and training to ensure a safe work environment. 
• Manage safety onboarding and orientation programs for new employees and contractors, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and CFU safety expectations. 
• Administer contractor safety qualification, onboarding, monitoring, auditing and compliance programs to ensure safe execution of contracted work. 
• Perform audits, inspections, hazard assessments, incident investigations and root cause analyses; develop and monitor corrective and preventative action plans to reduce and prevent future incidents. 
• Maintain compliance with OSHA and other applicable federal, state and local regulations; coordinate inspections, audits, record-keeping and regulatory reporting activities. 
• Develop and manage the annual O&M safety budget and monitor expenditures. Provide deviations to Finance monthly.
• Evaluate and recommend purchases for safety equipment, technology, training and services.
• Oversee workers' compensation claims, injury management, return-to-work programs and related initiatives to reduce risk and claim costs. 
• Develop, maintain and coordinate emergency response plans, drills, training, business continuity activities and incident response efforts.
• Coordinate with local emergency responders, medical providers and regulatory agencies as needed.

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health, Industrial Hygiene, Risk Management, Human Resources, or a related field; equivalent relevant work experience, training and/or professional certifications may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• 5+ years of progressively responsible health and safety experience.
• Experience managing workers' compensation and regulatory compliance programs.
• Strong knowledge of OSHA regulations, safety management systems, and risk assessment methodologies.
• Excellent leadership, communication, training, and problem-solving skills.
• First Aid/CPR/AED Certification

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Safety Professional (CSP) or Associate Safety Professional (ASP)
• Certified Utility Safety Professional (CUSP)
• OSHA 30-Hour General Industry Certification
• SafeStart Facilitation Certification or prior experience facilitating human performance, personal safety, and behavior-based safety programs

• Frequently sit, stand, walk, bend, reach, climb stairs, and navigate active work environments.
• Conduct field inspections, safety observations, incident investigations, and worksite assessments in a variety of indoor and outdoor settings.
• Occasionally climb ladders, access elevated work areas, and traverse uneven terrain.
• Lift and carry materials, equipment, or training resources up to 25 pounds; heavier lifting may be required infrequently with appropriate assistance.
• Visually inspect facilities, equipment, work practices, and potential hazards.
• Effectively communicate verbally and in writing with employees, contractors, leadership, regulatory agencies, and emergency responders.
• Utilize computers, mobile devices, and related technology for reporting, training, analysis, and documentation.

• Work in both office and field environments, including power generation, water, natural gas, communications, warehouse and construction-related settings.
• Regular exposure to varying weather conditions, including heat, cold, rain, wind, and humidity during outdoor inspections and field activities.
• May be exposed to noise, dust, vibration, confined spaces, energized equipment, moving machinery, traffic, excavation areas, and other operational hazards.
• Required to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when visiting operational worksites and performing field-related activities.
• May be required to respond to emergencies, incident investigations or other events outside of normal business hours.
• Occasional travel within the service territory and to training, conferences, or professional development activities may be required.

Cedar Falls Utilities is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position and to participate in the application and employment process. Pre-employment physical and drug test is required.