Director, Process Safety and SIF (Serious Injury & Fatality) Prevention

Director, Process Safety & SIF (Serious Injury & Fatality) Prevention

Location: Gaithersburg, MD
Function: Global SHE (Safety, Health & Environment)

Why This Role Matters

As one of the architects of AstraZeneca’s global Process Safety and SIF strategy, you will reshape our global safety culture, influence senior executives, and accelerate our transition to pioneering digital, human‑centric, and design‑for‑safety practices. Your work will not only protect people, it will directly enable AstraZeneca’s ability to deliver medicines safely, sustainably, and at scale.

If you want to leave a lasting legacy across a global enterprise, this is your opportunity.

About the Role

The Director, Process Safety & SIF Prevention is a high‑impact global leadership position accountable for designing, governing, and delivering the enterprise-wide strategy to eliminate serious injuries and fatalities across Operations, R&D, and Commercial environments.

You will lead a global transformation agenda that sets new standards for risk reduction, competency, technology integration, and safety‑critical decision making. This role partners broadly—across senior business leaders, engineering, manufacturing, R&D, and SHE teams—to embed a unified, risk‑intelligent operating framework.

Scope, Governance & Decision Rights

Global Span & Authority

• 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).
• Serves as a member of the Global SHE Leadership Team.

Team Leadership

• Direct leadership of a global team of Process Safety and SIF subject matter experts (approx. 6–10 direct reports; 40–60 indirect contributors across regions and sites).
• Oversight of cross‑functional working groups, networks, and communities of practice.

Budget Accountability

• Owns or influences a multi‑million‑dollar global investment portfolio for Process Safety technology, training, standards development, and capability building.
• 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
• Support to innovate, reimagine, and design future‑focused risk‑reduction systems
• Global career growth and exposure across Operations, Science, and Engineering
• A collaborative environment where bold thinking is encouraged

Key Accountabilities

• Lead the global Process Safety & SIF strategy and deliver a multiyear transformation that proactively eliminates catastrophic risk across the enterprise.
• Influence senior executives and functional leaders to prioritize high‑risk reduction, embed hierarchy‑of‑controls thinking, and advance human‑centric design.
• Own and enhance the global Process Safety Management framework, ensuring consistent implementation of high‑hazard activity controls and world‑class standards, competencies, and assurance systems.
• Deploy digital, analytical, and sensor‑based technologies while building internal/external technical networks, developing predictive indicators, and strengthening organizational capability through training and leadership engagement.
• Serve as the senior technical authority for major incident investigations, Safety‑in‑Design integration, and global SHE audit support to drive systemic learning and sustained improvement.

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.
• 10+ years leading or overseeing high‑risk or high‑hazard work programs across multi‑site or global operations.
• Demonstrated capability to influence senior executives and drive enterprise‑level transformation.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to inspire, motivate, an