Director, EHS&S Americas

Avantor is looking for a Director, EHS&S – Americas to join our Global Environmental, Health, Safety & Sustainability team.

The Director is a strategic leader responsible for advancing environmental, health, safety, and sustainability (EHS&S) programs across North America. Leading regional teams, this position drives compliance, risk management, safety excellence, and operational performance while aligning EHS&S priorities with business objectives. The role reports directly to the VP of EHS&S.

What we’re looking for

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in EHS, Engineering, or related field 
• Experience: 10–15+ years of EHS experience 
  • Multi-site and multi-country experience required 
  • Strong regulatory knowledge across America 
  • Proven leadership and cultural transformation experience
• Preferred Certification(s):
  • Certified Safety Professional (CSP)  
  • Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH)   
  • Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) 

How you will thrive and create an impact

The Director develops and executes EHS&S strategies across the Americas, driving regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, sustainability objectives, and business performance. Leading regional teams and partnering with executive leadership, this role oversees EHS&S programs and enterprise-wide initiatives that strengthen safety culture, enhance environmental stewardship, improve operational excellence, and advance the organization's long-term sustainability goals.

• Develop and execute the Americas EHS&S strategy, ensuring full alignment with global EHS&S objectives and the organization’s broader business goals. 
• Provide leadership and direction to regional EHS&S teams, building capability, driving accountability, and fostering a high-performance culture focused on safety excellence. 
• Ensure consistent compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations (e.g., OSHA, EPA), while proactively identifying and mitigating risks across all North American sites. 
• Lead the design and implementation of programs that strengthen safety culture, promote employee engagement, and embed EHS&S principles into daily operations. 
• Oversee audits, inspections, and incident investigations, ensuring root cause analysis is conducted and corrective actions are effectively implemented and sustained. 
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance environmental, health, and safety performance, leveraging data, metrics, and best practices to achieve measurable results. 
• Direct emergency preparedness, business continuity, and crisis management efforts to ensure organizational readiness and resilience. 
• Partner cross-functionally with operations, HR, and leadership teams to integrate EHS&S priorities into operational planning and decision-making. 
• Advance sustainability and ESG initiatives by supporting environmental stewardship, compliance, and reporting aligned with corporate commitments. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (Those necessary to perform the job competently)

• Strategic leadership 
• Regulatory expertise 
• Communication and stakeholder engagement
• Data-driven decision making 
• Change management 

ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING CONDITIONS & PHYSICAL EFFORT (Under Typical Positions)

• New alternatives may be developed to resolve problems.   
• A frequent volume of work and deadlines impose strain on routine basis.   
• Up to 35% travel across the Americas.
• Minimal physical effort is required. Work is mostly sedentary but does require walking, standing, bending, reaching, lifting or carrying objects that typically weigh less than 10 lbs. 

#LI-Remote

Disclaimer:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position. Avantor is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Why Avantor?

Dare to go further in your career. Join our global team of 14,000+ associates whose passion for discovery and determination to overcome challenges relentlessly advances life-changing science.
 
The work we do changes people's lives for the better. It brings new patient treatments and therapies to market, giving a cancer survivor the chance to walk his daughter down the aisle. It enables medical devices that help a little boy hear his mom's voice for the first time. Outcomes such as these create unlimited opportunities for you to contribute your talents, learn new skills and grow your career at Avantor.
 
We are committed to helping you on this journey through our diverse, equitable and inclusive culture which includes learning experiences to support your career growth and success. At Avantor, dare to go further and see how the impact of your contributions set science in motion to create a better world. Apply today!

Pay Transparency:

The expected pre-tax pay for this position is

Actual pay may differ depending on relevant factors such as prior experience and geographic location.

EEO Statement:

We are an Equal Employment/Affirmative Action employer and VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/province, or local law.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at [email protected] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.

For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the Know Your Rights poster.

Privacy Policy:

We will use the personal information that you have submitted to us in order to consider your application for the relevant role.
 

Your privacy is important to us. Please click here for our Privacy Policy which explains the purposes for which we will use your personal information and the ways in which we will handle and retain your information. It also explains the rights you have in relation to your information, and how to contact us with any queries or requests.

3rd Party Non-Solicitation Policy:

By submitting candidates without having been formally assigned on and contracted for a specific job requisition by Avantor, or by failing to comply with the Avantor recruitment process, you forfeit any fee on the submitted candidates, regardless of your usual terms and conditions. Avantor works with a preferred supplier list and will take the initiative to engage with recruitment agencies based on its needs and will not be accepting any form of solicitation.

Avantor offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage, wellness programs, health savings and flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) plan with company match, and an employee stock purchase program. Employees also receive 11 paid holidays, accrue 18 PTO days annually, are eligible for volunteer time off and 6 weeks of 100% paid parental leave (except in states that offer paid family leave). These benefits may not apply to employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement or those subject to other eligibility rules.