Chemical Registration & Substances of Concern Director - Global Sustainability and Safety, Health and Environment (SHE)

Everything we do is to make people’s lives better. To us it’s personal, as we invent, make, deliver and support. Taking our cutting-edge innovations from our science labs to patients.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Chemical Registration & Substances of Concern team within AstraZeneca’s Global Sustainability and Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) function. As a people leader in a role at the heart of AstraZeneca’s licence to operate, you will shape global standards for chemical regulatory compliance and solve complex, novel challenges that enable medicines to be developed, manufactured, and supplied worldwide.

You will lead a highly specialised global team with strong senior visibility, setting clear direction, enabling great performance, championing AI and automation to improve efficiency, quality and compliance across the enterprise.

The role is based in Sweden, preferably in Södertälje, although Göteborg may also be considered depending on the location of the best-qualified candidate.

Your role
As the global technical expert you lead a team delivering chemical registration and REACH activities across the enterprise.

You will provide expert technical advice on chemical regulations for complex and novel issues across the global business, while ensuring compliance with external regulations and legal requirements.

You will translate evolving regulatory needs into clear requirements, drive improvement initiatives, develop training programmes, build strong stakeholder relationships, and monitor regulatory changes to support risk mitigation.

Accountabilities

• Global technical expert leading and directing a team responsible for the delivery of chemical registration and REACH activities across the enterprise.

• Lead AstraZeneca processes relating to chemical registration required during development, commercialisation and manufacturing of final products and ensuring licence to operate.

• Provide expert technical advice in the area of chemical registration in relation to complex and novel issues to the global business.

• Responsible for compliance with external regulation and legal requirements.

• Represent AstraZeneca externally with regulators, key industry groups or with relevant professional bodies influencing external regulations and benchmarking AstraZeneca performance and practices.

• Engaging with senior level leadership, contributing to leading, managing and developing important initiatives.

• May be part of cross functional multi-disciplinary teams undertaking projects and tasks to meet our strategic objectives.

• Investigate current and future regulatory needs, communicating them appropriately and translating them into specific requirements.

• Lead or support the provision of advice and acts as a source of knowledge in area of expertise, interpreting, defining and communicating across department and functions, recommending improved approaches.

• Identify and lead improvement initiatives in support of longer-term business strategy within own specialism.

• Develop, manage or support in developing training programmes for own area expertise.

• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders to ensure best practices are integrated internally and collaborates closely with external specialised bodies and advisory councils.

• Monitor regulatory changes, ensuring foresight, actively engaging with industry counterparts to support specific regulation lobbying for minimal impact and risk mitigation.

• Champion the use of AI and automation within Chemical Registration and Substances of Concern processes to enhance efficiency, quality and compliance.

Essential Skills/Experience

• University degree; Graduate in the biological/chemical sciences or equivalent.

• Significant expertise in Global Chemical Legislation, in particular REACH, CLP and GHS.

• Extensive experience in chemical regulations.

• Project management, change management and people management skills.

• Demonstrated ability to build, lead, and develop high‑performing teams.

• Strong people management skills, with a track record of coaching, mentoring, and talent development.

• Ability to effectively interface with senior executive management level of the company.

• Good working knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry.

• Communication skills and ability to influence others.

• Comfortable with risk and ambiguous situations.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Influencing and negotiating skills.

• Leadership skills, including proven leadership