Site EHS Manager
Abbott Laboratories · Witney
Lead Safety. Influence Culture. Enable Growth.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and influential Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Manager to join our Witney manufacturing and R&D site.
This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for shaping and delivering the site's EHS strategy, ensuring compliance, managing risk, and enabling safe, sustainable business growth. As the senior EHS leader for the site, you will provide both strategic direction and technical expertise while leading a multidisciplinary team of EHS professionals.
The successful candidate will be far more than a compliance expert. They will be a trusted business partner, a visible leadership presence across the site, and a catalyst for building a proactive safety culture that supports operational excellence, innovation, and employee wellbeing. You will work closely with leaders across Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Facilities, R&D and Support Functions to ensure EHS principles are fully embedded into every aspect of the business.
The Opportunity
Reporting directly into our Site Operations Manager, you will lead the EHS function for a complex manufacturing and research environment, translating divisional and site priorities into practical programmes that protect people, strengthen compliance, reduce risk, and support business objectives.
You will have responsibility for a team of approximately 9 direct reports, ensuring the development of organisational capability while fostering accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement across the site.
This position offers an exceptional opportunity to influence strategic decision-making, support significant operational and capital investment projects, and leave a lasting impact on both business performance and workplace culture.
What You'll Be Responsible For
Strategic Leadership & Business Partnership
- Develop and deliver the site's EHS strategy, aligned with divisional objectives and business priorities.
- Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, providing expert guidance on EHS risks, opportunities and requirements.
- Partner with site leadership to integrate EHS considerations into operational plans, growth initiatives and strategic decisions.
- Promote a high-performing safety culture that balances compliance, operational excellence and employee wellbeing.
- Lead, coach and develop the site EHS organisation, building capability and succession strength across the team.
Manufacturing, Operations & R&D Support
- Support manufacturing, engineering, laboratory and support functions through visible leadership and effective partnership.
- Ensure EHS requirements are embedded within operational activities, new technologies, process improvements and business change programmes.
- Provide leadership and oversight for major capital projects, facility modifications and expansion activities.
- Enable safe and sustainable growth by integrating EHS requirements into operations, R&D initiatives and investment projects.
Compliance, Governance & Assurance
- Ensure compliance with all applicable UK legislation, environmental permits, corporate standards and regulatory requirements.
- Maintain robust EHS management systems, governance processes and assurance programmes.
- Lead regulatory inspections, internal audits and external assessments.
- Drive sustainable corrective actions and continuous improvement following audits, inspections and compliance reviews.
- Monitor and report EHS performance metrics to site and divisional leadership teams.
Risk Management & Technical Leadership
- Provide expert EHS leadership across manufacturing, engineering, laboratories, facilities and business support functions.
- Lead risk assessment programmes, hazard identification initiatives and risk reduction strategies.
- Direct incident investigations and root cause analysis activities, ensuring learning is translated into meaningful improvement.
- Utilise data, operational insight and performance trends to proactively identify and mitigate emerging risks.
- Ensure effective emergency preparedness, crisis management and business continuity arrangements are maintained.
People Leadership & Capability Building
- Lead, inspire and develop a diverse team of EHS professionals.
- Build EHS competence and ownership across leaders, managers and employees.
- Create a culture of accountability, engagement and continuous improvement.
- Establish clear performance objectives, development plans and succession strategies.
- Build organisational capability that enables EHS excellence beyond the EHS function itself.
About You
You are an experienced EHS leader with the credibility, influence and leadership capability to operate at a senior level within a complex manufacturing and highly regulated environment.
You combine strong technical expertise with exceptional stakeholder management skills and are equally comfortable discussing regulatory compliance, strategic business priorities and organisational culture.
Most importantly, you are capable of influencing outcomes at every level of the organisation, from shop floor teams through to senior executives.
Essential Experience & Qualifications
- NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent professional health and safety qualification.
- Significant EHS leadership experience in manufacturing, medical device, pharmaceutical, engineering or similarly regulated industries.
- Demonstrable experience leading and developing professional teams.
- Strong understanding of UK environmental, health and safety legislation.
- Proven experience managing compliance programmes, regulatory inspections and audits.
- Strong risk management, incident investigation and governance experience.
- Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Experience supporting operational excellence, capital projects and business transformation initiatives.
- Ability to build credibility and trust across all organisational levels.
Desirable
- Degree qualified in Science, Engineering, Environmental Management or a related discipline.
- Experience working within ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 certified environments.
- Experience supporting manufacturing and R&D operations.
- Chartered or working towards Chartered professional status.
What Success Looks Like
The successful candidate will be:
- A credible technical EHS expert and trusted advisor.
- A strategic influencer capable of shaping business decisions.
- A leader who translates strategy into action and delivers measurable results.
- A builder of organisational capability, accountability and culture.
- A champion of proactive risk management and continuous improvement.
- A trusted business partner who enables safe, sustainable growth while ensuring regulatory compliance.
Why Join Us?
This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of EHS across a large, complex manufacturing and R&D operation. You will have genuine influence over business direction, culture, operational performance and employee wellbeing while leading a highly visible function critical to the site's long-term success.
If you are an accomplished EHS leader who can combine technical excellence with strategic leadership and organisational influence, we would be delighted to hear from you.
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