Director Construction Safety Global Engineering

Introduction to role:
Are you ready to set the global standard for construction safety that safeguards individuals and keeps life‑changing medicines moving? This is a chance to shape how we build the next generation of advanced manufacturing and R&D facilities that bring therapies to patients faster and more reliably. AstraZeneca has a large and exciting portfolio of capital investments across our manufacturing network and our Global Engineering team is leading the delivery of these projects.

Working with the Head of Capital Projects, you will lead construction health and safety strategy and performance across a diverse, multinational capital portfolio. You will partner with Global Engineering Project Delivery teams, Global Operations Safety Health and Environment (SHE), Procurement, Site Leadership and our design and construction partners to embed safe‑by‑design thinking and provide construction SHE leadership from concept through handover.

You will create the framework, capability and culture that enable our projects to deliver safely, compliantly and at pace—so patients receive the medicines they need without disruption.

• Strategy and Governance:
  Lead the global construction health and safety strategy across the capital portfolio, aligning with corporate Safety, Health & Environment expectations and business objectives to protect people and ensure continuity.
• Standards and Critical Risk Control:
  Develop and maintain global standards for high‑risk work, contractor management, assurance and incident management; drive consistent control of activities such as work at height, lifting operations, excavation, electrical safety, temporary works, confined space entry, hot work, traffic management and permit‑to‑work.
• Safe‑by‑Design Integration:
  Partner with engineering and project teams to eliminate or reduce risk early through concept and design decisions, planning and procurement.
• Contractor Safety Excellence:
  Set clear expectations for prequalification, selection support, onboarding, performance monitoring and intervention; improve on contractor safety performance worldwide.
• Assurance and Continuous Improvement:
  Lead or oversee audits, inspections, maturity assessments and management reviews; use leading and lagging indicators, trends and lessons learned to improve controls and outcomes.
• Incident Response and Learning:
  Provide timely, calm and measured escalation for incidents that happen. If necessary, provide support and guidance for project teams dealing with incidents. Lead serious incident reviews and investigations to root cause; ensure corrective actions are effective and learning is shared across regions and projects.
• Leadership and Influence:
  Coach senior leaders and project teams to demonstrate visible safety leadership, make risk‑based decisions and own construction safety outcomes.
• Capability and Team Development:
  Recruit, develop and deploy a diverse group of construction safety professionals; define capability needs, build succession and enable consistent ways of working.
• Regulatory Compliance and Pragmatic
  
  Risk Management:
  
  Ensure compliance across jurisdictions while maintaining a globally consistent, risk‑based approach that works in the field.
• Portfolio Oversight and Issue Management:
  Represent construction safety in governance forums and project evaluations; provide clear recommendations and raise concerns when standards are not met.
• Emergency Preparedness:
  Contribute to planning and response for major construction projects and significant events.

• Degree or equivalent experience in Occupational Health and Safety, Construction Management, Environmental Health and Safety, Engineering, or a related field.
• A recognised advanced health and safety qualification such as NEBOSH International Diploma or equivalent international certification.
• Significant experience in construction health and safety leadership, typically gained over 10 or more years, within large, complex, and multinational project environments.
• Demonstrated success leading health and safety across major capital projects in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, life sciences, advanced…