Job Title: Chemical Registration & Substances of Concern Director
Introduction to role:
Join AstraZeneca as a global technical expert leading a team delivering chemical registration and REACH activities across the enterprise. You will provide expert technical advice on chemical registration 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:
1. Global technical expert leading and directing a team responsible for the delivery of chemical registration and REACH activities across the enterprise.
2. Lead AstraZeneca processes relating to chemical registration required during development, commercialisation and manufacturing of final products and ensuring licence to operate.
3. Provide expert technical advice in the area of chemical registration in relation to complex and novel issues to the global business.
4. Responsible for compliance with external regulation and legal requirements.
5. Represent AstraZeneca externally with regulators, key industry groups or with relevant professional bodies influencing external regulations and benchmarking AstraZeneca performance and practices.
6. Engaging with senior level leadership, contributing to leading, managing and developing important initiatives.
7. May be part of cross functional multi-disciplinary teams undertaking projects and tasks to meet our strategic objectives.
8. Investigate current and future regulatory needs, communicating them appropriately and translating them into specific requirements.
9. 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
10. Identify and lead improvement initiatives in support of longer-term business strategy within own specialism.
11. Develop, manage or support in developing training programmes for own area expertise.
12. Build strong relationships with key stakeholders to ensure best practices are integrated internally and collaborates closely with external specialised bodies and advisory councils.
13. Monitor regulatory changes, ensuring foresight, actively engaging with industry counterparts to support specific regulation lobbying for minimal impact and risk mitigation.
Essential Skills/Experience:
14. University degree; Graduate in the biological/chemical sciences or equivalent
15. Significant expertise in Global Chemical Legislation, in particular REACH, CLP and GHS
16. Extensive experience in chemical regulations
17. Project management, change management and people management skills
18. Demonstrated ability to build, lead, and develop high‑performing teams.
19. Strong people management skills, with a track record of coaching, mentoring, and talent development
20. Ability to effectively interface with senior executive management level of the company
21. Good working knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry
22. Communication skills and ability to influence others
23. Comfortable with risk and ambiguous situations
24. Excellent written and verbal communication skills
25. Influencing and negotiating skills
26. Leadership skills, including proven leadership of global cross-functional project teams
Desirable Skills/Experience:
27. Strong Pharmaceutical experience
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.
Why AstraZeneca:
We are a science-led, patient-focused company where bold ideas become real-world impact, powered by collaboration, data and technology. You will work with diverse experts who combine different perspectives to solve complex problems quickly, supported by constructive feedback, coaching and the tools to act at pace. Your leadership in chemical registration will help shape global standards, protect our license to operate and enable innovative medicines to reach more patients worldwide.
Date Posted
05-Jan-2026
Closing Date
19-Jan-2026Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.