Senior Director, Global Sustainability Corporate Affairs

The Senior Director, Global Sustainability Corporate Affairs will play a pivotal role in advancing our company’s leading sustainability position and demonstrating AstraZeneca’s commitment to addressing major societal issues (including climate change, health equity, health systems resilience).

The Senior Director will be accountable for the development, delivery and measurement of our global corporate affairs strategy for Sustainability. This will include internal and external communications including media, leveraging spokespersons, delivering digital-first campaigns and maximizing sustainability-related platforms and partnerships. They will work seamlessly and effectively across the matrixed organization, with global, regional and local teams including science and therapy area functions.

The role will work closely with an array of teams including: global sustainability, global media, corporate communications, brand and reputation, internal communications, policy, advocacy & health equity, government affairs & policy, therapy area, regional and in-market teams. This position will oversee the sustainability communications team on a day-to-day basis and will partner closely with the Senior Director, Health Equity Communications.

Detailed description

At AstraZeneca, our approach to sustainability comprises how we do business and how we make a positive impact on the health of people, society and the planet. By leveraging how we are embedding sustainability across our business (in support of our Ambition 2030 goals, licence to operate and business resilience) and how we are making a positive impact (through our interconnected approach to action on climate & nature, health equity and health systems resilience), we have the opportunity to contribute to society and shared priorities, to support the health of people, society and the planet.

Importantly, this role will oversee the development and implementation of our Sustainability strategy the enterprise including with regions/markets, TAs and functions to ensure consistent communications and the effective localisation of our strategy to support business and policy priorities. The Senior Director will act as counsel to senior leadership including country presidents and area leaders, as well as members of the Global Corporate Affairs Leadership Team.

The role will spotlight our flagship programmes and partnerships, including Ambition Zero Carbon, the Sustainable Markets Initiative Health Systems Task Force, Partnership for Health System Sustainability and Resilience (PHSSR), Healthy Heart Africa (HHA), Young Health Programme, and Lung Health programme.

This role will also plan and lead corporate affairs strategies on our Sustainability priorities at global platforms such as the UN General Assembly, World Health Assembly, New York Climate Week, COP etc. The role will be accountable for building and strengthening relationships with key external partners, advocates and influencers, in collaboration with local teams, to further strategic sustainability priorities and partnerships.

The role will partner with Therapy Area leaders (Oncology, Rare Diseases, and BioPharmaceuticals) to support communications and engagement on how we are advancing net zero, equitable and resilience healthcare, including by decarbonizing healthcare delivery while improving health outcomes, including through the latest innovations.

The role will also be accountable for all significant global sustainability announcements, campaigns, publications and milestones, while ensuring timely, impactful communications around quarterly reporting, disclosures and rankings through collaboration with Investor Relations Reporting teams.

There is the opportunity to make a huge difference in this role, shaping and showcasing the interconnection between climate and nature, health equity and health systems resilience, and the importance of innovation and collaboration to ensure a healthy future for people, society and the planet.

The role will report to the Global Head of Sustainability Corporate Affairs, Partnerships & Chair’s Office, whose team is accountable for best-in-class and consistent delivery of group-level external and internal communications, media, policy and public affairs on the sustainability agenda, the delivery of global platforms and partnerships and the Chair’s internal and external relations.

To be successful in this role, you will develop strong, trusted partnerships with a variety of stakeholders, both internal and external. You have solid knowledge in the field of healthcare and sustainability, a keen interest in current affairs, politics and policy, and an ability to upskill quickly on new areas. You are as passionate as we are about our work, have an entrepreneurial mindset and a proven ability to solve probl