Global Director – Environmental Sustainability

The core mission is to make Ipsen a leader in environmental sustainability. That starts with defining a global ES strategy and then translating it into concrete programmes across climate, waste, water and biodiversity. You’ll partner with industrial and tertiary sites to implement initiatives, set targets and track performance, while also leading public disclosures, CSRD reporting and external recognition efforts.
Day to day, this means managing environmental data systems, overseeing assurance processes, and ensuring the company’s EHS platform supports the ES agenda. You’ll chair internal committees, develop policies and standards, and stay ahead of regulatory horizons. A significant part of the role is influence: aligning senior management, building cross-functional relationships, and representing Ipsen in external forums like EFPIA.
Longer term, you’re responsible for embedding climate action into Ipsen’s business strategy, managing enterprise risk, and contributing to budget planning so resources match ambition. It’s a role that blends strategic vision with operational delivery, and you’re accountable for both.

You’ll deepen your expertise in science-based carbon reduction, climate resilience and environmental risk management within a complex, global organisation. Because Ipsen is a biopharma, you’ll gain insight into sector-specific challenges like pharmaceuticals in the environment and the interplay between EHS and ES, knowledge that’s increasingly valuable across industries.
The role also offers exposure to high-level strategy and governance. You’ll work directly with ELT members, contribute to enterprise risk management, and lead public disclosures, which builds fluency in CSRD, ESG ratings and investor expectations. Managing the EHS information platform will sharpen your data and assurance skills.
On the leadership side, you’ll develop talent, chair committees and represent the company externally, all of which hone influence and communication. If you’re looking to move into a broader CSO or COO track, this is a strong platform.

The ideal candidate has 8–10 years in environmental sustainability or EHS, ideally with some exposure to pharmaceuticals or another regulated industry. You need deep expertise in climate (carbon reporting, decarbonisation, resilience) and a track record of leading teams. A bachelor’s in science or engineering plus a relevant environmental certification is expected, and fluency in French and English is essential.
Beyond technical skills, this role demands strong influencing and collaboration abilities. You’ll be working with senior leaders and external partners, so you must be credible, diplomatic and able to drive change without direct control. Experience managing budgets and enterprise risk is a plus.
Personally, you’re likely a strategic thinker who’s also hands-on, comfortable switching between boardroom discussions and data deep-dives. A genuine passion for environmental stewardship and a commitment to Ipsen’s mission in healthcare will set you apart.

To stand out, tailor your application to show you understand Ipsen’s specific environmental context as a biopharmaceutical company. Highlight any experience with pharmaceuticals in the environment, carbon reduction in manufacturing, or CSRD reporting. Quantify your achievements (tonnes of CO2 reduced, water saved, disclosures delivered) to demonstrate impact.
In your cover letter, connect your personal motivation to Ipsen’s mission in oncology, rare disease and neuroscience. The company values innovation and patient focus, so frame environmental sustainability as part of that broader purpose. Mention your ability to influence without authority and give examples of cross-functional projects you’ve led.
For interviews, prepare to discuss how you’d balance strategic ambition with operational realities. Be ready with concrete ideas for quick wins and long-term transformation. Research Ipsen’s existing sustainability commitments and external recognitions, showing you’ve done homework signals genuine interest. Finally, emphasise your bilingual French-English capability, as it’s essential for this role.

The role sits at the heart of Ipsen’s environmental sustainability strategy, with direct accountability for the climate action pillar. That means a heavy focus on science-based carbon reduction, decarbonisation pathways, and climate resilience across a global manufacturing and R&D footprint. You’ll also steer programmes on waste management, water stewardship, biodiversity and pharmaceuticals in the environment, issues that are especially material for a biopharma company.
On the disclosure side, you’ll lead global ES reporting, including contributions to CSRD, and manage external indices and recognition efforts. This is not a peripheral role; it’s about embedding environmental performance into Ipsen’s business strategy and ensuring the company meets both regulatory expectations and its own public commitments.
You’ll also align the EHS strategy with environmental goals, so the sustainability agenda is reflected in day-to-day operations, not just annual reports.

One challenge is the sheer breadth of the role: you’re responsible for strategy, implementation, data, reporting, and team leadership, all in a highly regulated industry. Balancing long-term climate ambitions with quarterly reporting cycles and budget constraints could be demanding. Ipsen’s global footprint means coordinating across multiple sites, each with its own operational realities and regulatory contexts.
Another hurdle is influence without direct authority. Many of the people you need to deliver results (site managers, functional leads) don’t report to you, so you’ll rely on persuasion and relationship-building. The pharmaceutical sector is also under intense scrutiny on environmental issues, from carbon emissions to pharmaceuticals in the environment, so external expectations are high and evolving.
Finally, data integrity and assurance for CSRD and other disclosures can be painstaking. You’ll need to ensure accuracy while pushing for progress, which sometimes means making tough trade-offs.

Days will likely vary between internal alignment and external representation. You might spend mornings with the EHS and site operations teams reviewing carbon reduction projects or troubleshooting data issues in the EHS platform, then join a call with the Sustainability & CSR team to prepare a disclosure or board update. Afternoons could be dedicated to one-on-one mentoring with team members or prepping for an external forum where you represent Ipsen on climate or pharmaceuticals-in-the-environment topics.
Because the role spans strategy and execution, you’ll toggle between high-level planning and hands-on problem-solving, reviewing a CSRD draft one hour and discussing waste management best practices with a manufacturing site the next. Budget reviews and capital planning sessions will also punctuate the calendar, especially around quarterly cycles.
The pace is likely fast, but the mix of people, data and strategy keeps it varied. You won’t be stuck in one lane.

This is a senior, high-visibility role, so growth often comes through expanding scope and impact rather than a traditional ladder. Success could lead to a broader Chief Sustainability Officer position or a move into general management, especially given the exposure to ELT and enterprise risk. You’ll build a strong external network through industry forums and recognition efforts.
Within Ipsen, you might take on additional CSR or ESG responsibilities, or lead cross-functional initiatives that touch on social and governance pillars. The company’s focus on innovation and external partnerships means opportunities to work on advanced sustainability projects.
If you’re interested in global roles, the experience of coordinating across 40+ countries is a strong credential. The role also offers a platform to develop others, which can lead to formal leadership development programmes.

You’ll interact with a broad set of stakeholders. Internally, the Executive Leadership Team is essential: you need their buy-in for strategy and resources. Site directors and manufacturing leads are your implementation partners, while the EHS function is a close ally, given the role’s responsibility for aligning EHS and ES. The Sustainability & CSR team is your home base, and you’ll work with finance on budgets and legal on disclosures.
Externally, you’ll engage with regulatory agencies, industry groups like EFPIA, and non-profit or educational entities. You may also represent Ipsen in investor-facing discussions on ESG performance.
The nature of these interactions ranges from collaborative problem-solving to persuasive advocacy. Your ability to listen, adapt and find common ground across diverse interests will be tested regularly.