Director, Process Safety (SHE)

About the role

The Global Director of Process Safety will provide visionary leadership and set the global strategy for Process Safety. This highly visible role will lead the transformation and continuous improvement programs that protect colleagues and drive innovation across the company. This role will engage with all levels of the organization influencing executive stakeholders and operational teams alike.

Scope, Governance & Decision Rights

• Enterprise-wide remit across all AstraZeneca Operations, R&D sites, engineering projects, and commercial environments.
• Authority to set global Process Safety and SIF standards, expectations, and minimum technical requirements.
• Strategic decision rights on global policies, frameworks, and risk controls.

Reporting Line

Reports to the Senior Director, Global SHE (Safety, Health & Environment).

Team Leadership

Oversight of cross-functional working groups, networks, and communities of practice.

Budget Accountability

Decision-making input on capital projects and safety-critical expenditures.

What You Can Expect at AstraZeneca

• A purposeful culture where safety is a strategic priority, not a compliance activity
• Opportunities to influence the organization at the highest levels of the

Key Accountabilities

• Influence and lead enterprise-wide risk reduction by partnering across Operations, Commercial, and R&D to eliminate hazards and apply the hierarchy of controls to high-risk activities.
• Drive global process safety excellence by setting standards, embedding best practices, and continuously improving frameworks for high-hazard work and management of change (MOC).
• Champion innovation and digital advancement by deploying data-driven insights and emerging technologies to strengthen process safety and decision-making.
• Build and leverage influential networks internally and externally to accelerate adoption of technical solutions and elevate industry-leading practices.
• Strengthen safety culture and performance by challenging normalization of deviation, promoting psychological safety, and enabling transparent, blameless reporting and learning.
• Deliver assurance, capability, and continuous improvement through KPIs, incident investigation leadership, audit support, competency development, and integration of safety-by-design and emergency preparedness.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or related field, or equivalent senior-level Process Safety experience.
• 8+ years of senior SHE leadership experience with proven global scope and achievement in high-hazard environments.
• Deep expertise in Process Safety and major hazards legislation, with advanced understanding of PHA, LOPA, Bowtie, and hazardous area classification to lead global technical governance.
• Practical knowledge of hazardous area classification and requirements electrical and mechanical equipment in hazardous areas
• 8+ years leading or overseeing high-risk or high-hazard work programs across multi-site or global operations.
• Competent in risk analysis techniques: PHA, What-if, Bow Tie analysis, LOPA etc.
• Demonstrated capability to influence senior executives and drive enterprise-level transformation.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to inspire, motivate, and unify global teams.
• Proven experience leading global programs, budgets, and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel internationally.

Desired Qualifications

• Advanced Degree: Masters + STEM
• Advanced professional certifications (e.g., CSP, CCPS, PE, or equivalent global credentials).
• Executive-level communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders on complex risk topics.
• Experience engaging with regulatory authorities across multiple international jurisdictions.
• Familiarity with emerging process safety technologies (AI/ML analytics, sensing technologies, digital twins) and Human & Organizational Performance research.
• Demonstrated experience leading global transformation or safety-culture change programs.
• Experience integrating Process Safety into Engineering and major capital project design.
• Proven ability to build global capability frameworks, training programs, and technical competency development.
• Success navigating and influencing in highly matrixed, multicultural global environments.

Pay Transparency/ On-Site Office policy

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $175,572- $213,538 USD

Benefits

• Qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]
• Paid vacation and holidays
• Paid leaves
• Health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans.

Additional Details

• Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
• In addition, our positions offer a short-term incentive bonus opportunity; eligibility to participate in our equity-based long-term incentive program (salaried roles), to receive a retirement contribution (hourly roles), and commission payment eligibility (sales roles).
• Join our Talent Network

Contact Information

• For more information about this position, please visit our careers website.