Associate Director Facilities & SHE

AstraZeneca Nijmegen is expanding. To strengthen our site and prepare for future growth, we are recruiting an experienced Facilities & SHE Lead with an engineering background and strong commitment to safety, modern maintenance and sustainability. 

As our Lead you will be part of the Site Leadership Team (SLT). You will lead both the Facilities (Engineering & Maintenance) team and the SHE team. In total, you manage around 10-12 employees. You will play a central role in preparing the organisation and its systems for our new fill line.

Your responsibilities include:
 

Engineering & Maintenance Leadership
•    Develop and execute the long-term engineering and maintenance strategy for the site.
•    Modernise the maintenance organisation and build a capable team with clear ownership of day-to-day performance.
•    Ensure safe, reliable and compliant operation of equipment and utilities, including pressure systems and other critical assets.
•    Prepare the organisation, processes and skillet for the introduction of the new fill line.
 

SHE Management & Sustainability
•    Strengthen and further professionalise our SHE management systems with a focus on safety, compliance and risk control.
•    Lead the sustainability agenda for the site and drive initiatives that reduce environmental impact.
•    Identify sustainable improvement opportunities and translate these into practical actions and measurable progress.
 

Site Leadership & Strategic Projects
•    Contribute to strategic development of the site as a full SLT member.
•    Lead key site-wide projects, such as sustainability programs and work related to the new fill line.
•    Work closely with global engineering and facility colleagues across AstraZeneca on the new facility under construction.

What you bring:
•    A strong technical foundation: ideally a degree in Engineering or a related field. Chartered Engineer is an advantage.
•    Proven experience in modern maintenance management within pharmaceuticals, food, automotive or a comparable production environment.
•    Understanding of digital automation, data-driven maintenance and contemporary engineering practices.
•    Experience with maintenance contracts, technical compliance and critical systems.
•    Demonstrated leadership experience, with the ability to develop people, set direction and improve performance.
•    Comfortable working on the shop floor as well as operating at a strategic level.
•    Able to bring structure, set expectations and guide a team through change in a growing organisation.
•    Strong communication skills and the ability to represent the site at senior levels.
•    Genuine interest in sustainability and readiness to take the lead on this topic for the site.
•    Fluent in English, Dutch is an advantage. 

Leadership style
You are a practical and approachable leader who brings clarity and direction. You help teams grow, drive performance and introduce a modern way of working in maintenance and SHE. You balance short-term operational needs with long-term strategic development. You are digitally minded, forward thinking and committed to creating a safe, sustainable and reliable production environment.

What we offer
At AstraZeneca we support continuous learning and provide room to grow, both professionally and personally. In addition, we offer: 27 vacation days + option to buy 10 additional days, 1 paid volunteering day, €230 annual sports allowance 8% holiday allowance, 12.5% target bonus. 

About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca works to improve quality of life for patients with serious diseases. We develop medicines in oncology, cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases, respiratory and immune disorders, and vaccines.
Globally, 75,000 colleagues work across six continents. In Nijmegen, around 100 colleagues produce, test, and package biologics for early clinical development. Our site plays a crucial role in bringing new medicines into first-in-human and early-phase studies.

We follow the science, put patients first, and strive to do the right thing. We value curiosity, collaboration, and continuous improvement - creating an environment where people can grow and thrive.
A great opportunity to help shape the future of our site and contribute to meaningful work. 

Apply today by clicking on the apply button at the bottom of this page.
Questions? Our Recruitment Team, Karin Raadschelders or Caroline van Oppen, is available at info@werkenbijastrazeneca.nl or +31 (0)85 - 047 0244.

We don’t work with a fixed closing date; the vacancy will close as soon as we’ve found the right candidate. 

Date Posted

08-Dec-2025

Closing Date

07-Apr-2026

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity.  We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills.  We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.  We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics.  We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.