Head of HSE Europe

Location: Neuilly sur Seine (Paris), Budapest (Veres) and Milan (Origgio).
Opella is the self-care challenger with the purest and third-largest portfolio in the Over-The-Counter (OTC) & Vitamins, Minerals & Supplements (VMS) market globally.
Our mission is to bring health in people's hands by making self-care as simple as it should be. For half a billion consumers worldwide – and counting.
At the core of this mission is our 100 loved brands, our 11,000-strong global team, our 13 best-in-class manufacturing sites and 4 specialized science and innovation development centers. Headquartered in France, Opella is the proud maker of many of the world's most loved brands, including Allegra, Buscopan, Doliprane, Dulcolax, Enterogermina, Essentiale and Mucosolvan.
B Corp certified globally, we are active players in the journey towards healthier people and planet. Find out more about our mission at
About The Job
As the Head of HSE Europe & Latin America (EULA), you'll be responsible to drive and oversee the implementation of HSE programs across the Europe & LATAM region, within manufacturing sites and commercial operations (offices & sales). In scope will be 8 internal manufacturing sites, alongside a range of development centers, CMO's, commercial offices and other commercial operations, such as the field sales team. You will be the first point of contact for HSE related activities in the region, providing operational support, implementing projects/programs, and ensuring the ongoing adoption of Opella's embedded safety culture.
To do this, you will be a matrix-working master, developing impactful relationships with a diverse range of people from different countries, cultures, functional areas and more. You will create and maintain collaborative partnerships, enabling their effective day-to-day HSE, and the continuous improvement of their HSE practice and mindset.
You'll act as one of the leading figures in a global team, motivated by the opportunity to take what's already great and to personally contribute to our transformation towards the HSE culture of the future. Within your significant international scope, you'll help a large community deal with varied problems through a range of unique, and sometimes innovative, solutions – all while embedding a positive HSE mindset which empowers all in your scope.
Main Responsibilities
Actively contribute to the Opella Global HSE Leadership team – both in terms of operations and strategy
Supporting safety culture and risk reduction with the Leading Safety at the M&S sites and commercial operations throughout the region. Support and deploy various programs such as Safety Culture, Managerial Safety Visits, leadership safety trainings, ergonomics and industrial hygiene and more
With our Healthy Planet strategy, lead the programs to reduce the environmental footprint of our M&S sites, with various initiatives around CO2 reduction, wastewater management, water conservation, waste management, biodiversity
Provision of HSE support and first level expertise, facilitating contact with relevant internal/external experts and stakeholders
Training and coaching relevant in-network colleagues and partners
Rolling out global audit and review schemes including the HSE CMO audit program, annual site reviews, risk assessments etc, which assess and identify risks and develop solutions and mitigations
Directly, and through other site and people leadership, developing the HSE skills of your colleagues and other stakeholders
Monitor and follow up on HSE performance measures, identifying gaps, validating audit reports, action plans and other corrective actions
Develop successful relationships with individuals such as:
Manufacturing Excellence, Commercial, Quality, Engineering, Procurement and other relevant site and functional leaders
Representatives of external partners including CMOs and CDMOs
Global and local Real Estate and Facility Management (REFM) teams
About you:
10 years minimum experience in relevant regulated and high-output manufacturing.
Significant experience of an operational role in a manufacturing or R&D site. While we are flexible on industry, relevant examples would include other FMCG, Chemicals, Cosmetics, automotive and similar.
Relevant experience designing, driving and implementing HSE programs in a multi-site international environment.
Working knowledge of Health, Safety and Environmental regulations.
Degree level qualification, preferably Master's, in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline
Soft & technical skills
Thrives in a multicultural, international setting, collaborating across diverse sites and teams
Effective in a matrix structure, engaging multiple stakeholders with varied working styles
Brings strong business insight and works well with cross-functional teams
Influential leader and change agent, trusted by peers and senior stakeholders
Solid grasp of Opella HSE programs, with deep expertise in one or more HSE areas
Fluent English writing and speaking
Ideally, but not essentially, also with French language skills
Why us?
At Opella, you will enjoy doing challenging, purposeful work, empowered to develop consumer brands with passion and creativity. This is your chance to grow new skills and be part of a bold, collaborative, and inclusive culture where people can thrive and be at their best every day.
We Are Challengers.
We Are Dedicated To Making Self-care As Simple As It Should Be. That Starts With Our Culture. We Are Challengers By Nature, And This Is How We Do Things
All In Together: We keep each other honest and have each other's backs.
Courageous: We break boundaries and take thoughtful risks with creativity.
Outcome-Obsessed: We are personally accountable, driving sustainable impact and results with integrity.
Radically Simple: We strive to make things simple for us and simple for consumers, as it should be.
Join us on our mission. Health. In your hands.
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