Director, EHS&S Americas

The Opportunity:

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 lea