Associate Director - Nature Strategy, Sustainable Sourcing & Circularity

ASTRAZENECA UK LIMITED; Macclesfield; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading pharmaceutical company is seeking a Sustainability Expert in Macclesfield to drive sustainable sourcing practices and enhance risk management related to recycled materials. The ideal candidate will have a degree in environmental science and strong leadership skills. This role involves collaboration across global teams to implement effective sustainability strategies and ensure compliance with emerging legislation.

Qualifications

• Experience taking a risk-based approach to sustainability issues.
• Ability to interpret complex information for strategic clarity.
• Experience in translating strategies into actionable business benefits.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic efforts to enhance risk management related to sustainable sourcing.
• Act as a subject matter expert on key materials and circular economy.
• Support reporting of sustainability metrics and assurance activities.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Leadership skills

Understanding of sustainability

Education

Degree in scientific or environmental sustainability

Job description

Responsibilities

• Provide technical expertise and work cross-functionally to embed sustainable sourcing practices and our Circular Economy approach across the business.
• Lead strategic efforts to enhance risk management tied to AstraZeneca's use of recycled materials and those of natural origin and to progress against our enterprise-wide targets related to sustainable sourcing, waste, and circularity.
• Act as a subject matter expert (SME) by maintaining an in depth understanding and foresight of the sourcing of key materials and the circular economy and applying it to sustainability policies and standards.
• Drive for continuous improvement of available data and insights on the use of biobased feedstocks to enable colleagues to understand trade-offs between GHG reduction and risks of impacts on nature and make informed decisions.
• Provide technical guidance regarding emerging legislation relevant to sustainable sourcing and circularity, (e.g. deforestation and plastics), working closely with relevant functions to address a rapidly shifting regulatory environment.
• Support reporting of sustainable sourcing, waste, and circularity metrics, including assurance activities.
• Represent AstraZeneca on relevant cross-pharma industry groups and collaborations (e.g. PEG, EFPIA) to share best practice, define consistent approaches and advocate at sector level on emerging legislation concerning the Circular Economy and sourcing of key materials.

Qualifications

• A degree in a scientific, environmental sustainability or engineering discipline or equivalent experience
• Strong communication skills with a demonstrated ability to build positive relationships and lead complex change management across diverse global teams and external stakeholders
• Experience taking a risk-based approach to sustainability issues and their relevance to the healthcare sector, including impacts on nature and biodiversity
• Ability to interpret complex information to provide strategic clarity and action plans
• Desirable Skills/Experience: A comprehensive understanding of inflows and outflows of materials used within the pharmaceutical sector, including sustainable sourcing of high impact commodities
• Experience in translating strategies into action with demonstrated business benefits, ideally environmental performance
• Strong and resilient leadership skills and ability to work in a global, multi-stakeholder environment
• Good appreciation of wider environmental processes and policies, with ability to apply knowledge of relevant legislation and policy associated with environmental impacts of materials used within the pharma industry and/or wider healthcare sector
• Experience with life cycle assessment and/or following Nature-related frameworks and standards (e.g. TNFD, SBTN)

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That\'s why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn\'t mean we\'re not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.