Senior Director Environmental Health Safety & Sustainability – Global Safety

Medtronic • Minneapolis, MN

13d • Onsite

About The Position

At Medtronic you can begin a life-long career of exploration and innovation, while helping champion healthcare access and equity for all. You’ll lead with purpose, breaking down barriers to innovation in a more connected, compassionate world. A career at Medtronic offers a distinctive and purpose-driven environment. Guided by our Mission to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life for millions of individuals globally, we are committed to innovation and valuing unique perspectives. Medtronic fosters an inclusive workplace that encourages problem-solving, progress, and meaningful advancements in medical technology. Our workforce is intentionally diverse, reflecting the patients and partners we serve, as we believe this is essential for advancing healthcare and maintaining our position as a global leader. The Senior Director of EHS&S - Global Safety reports to the VP of EHS&S and will be based at Medtronic Operational Headquarters (OHQ - South) located in Fridley, Minnesota. At Medtronic, we must work with a sense of purpose, and ownership, knowing there is a human life on the other side of every decision. At Medtronic, we bring bold ideas forward with speed and decisiveness to put patients first in everything we do. In-person exchanges are invaluable to our work. We’re working 5 days a week onsite as part of our commitment to fostering a culture of professional growth and cross-functional collaboration as we work together to engineer the extraordinary. The Senior Director EHS&S - Global Safety is the enterprise owner of Medtronic’s global safety strategy and operating framework across all businesses and work environments. This role establishes the long‑term vision, governance, standards, and assurance model for safety, ensuring consistent and effective risk management across manufacturing, supply chain, R&D, clinical environments, commercial operations, and the mobile workforce. This leader designs, deploys, and continuously improves Medtronic’s Environmental Health Safety and Sustainability Management System (EHS&S-MS) aligned with ISO 45001, including leadership accountability, worker participation, risk‑based auditing, and enterprise performance review. The role has global ownership of safety standards, contractor safety, construction and CapEx project safety governance, and enterprise learning from injuries, serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs), and significant incidents. Regional EHS&S Directors and business leaders are accountable for implementation; this role provides strategic direction, standards, assurance, and executive‑level visibility to enable consistent global execution and prevention of serious harm.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Industrial Hygiene, Safety or related technical discipline.
• 15+ years of progressive safety leadership experience in complex, multi‑site organizations with a minimum of 10 years of managerial experience.
• Or an advanced degree and 13+ years of progressive safety leadership experience in complex, multi‑site organizations with a minimum of 10 years of managerial experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading: Enterprise safety strategies.
• ISO 45001/14001/Z10 or equivalent management systems.
• Global standards and assurance programs.
• Strong executive communication and influence in matrixed organizations.
• Leadership experience – teams and program management.
• Proven track record of execution.
• CSP, or equivalent recognized professional safety certification.
• Must maintain a current and valid Passport, with availability to travel up to 30% annually.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in engineering, Industrial Hygiene, Safety or related technical discipline.
• Experience spanning manufacturing, supply chain, R&D, clinical, and commercial/mobile workforce environments.
• Demonstrated leadership of contractor safety and construction / CapEx safety governance.
• Experience operating at enterprise or global COE level.
• ISO 45001/14001 Lead Auditor or equivalent.
• Enterprise and systems thinking.
• Executive presence and risk storytelling.
• Prevention‑focused, not compliance‑only.
• Ability to lead through influence and governance.
• Technical credibility combined with people leadership.

Responsibilities

• Own and articulate Medtronic’s enterprise‑wide global safety strategy across all businesses and geographies.
• Define a 3–5+ year safety roadmap aligned to enterprise risk, growth strategy, and operational priorities.
• Serve as the global safety thought leader and strategic advisor to executive leadership, including active participation in Manufacturing & Supply Chain leadership forums.
• Lead a team of safety professionals to develop global safety strategy and programs.
• Serve as the Corporate EHS&S point of contact for the Global Manufacturing and Supply Chain organization.
• Support the design, deployment, and maturity of Medtronic’s ISO 45001/14001 ‑ aligned Management System.
• Ensure safety is integrated into enterprise management processes through: Leadership accountability and governance. Management review cadence and escalation. Risk‑based planning and performance evaluation. Worker participation and consultation mechanisms.
• Continuously strengthen system effectiveness using a Plan‑Do‑Check‑Act approach.
• Develop, maintain, and govern enterprise global safety standards (minimum required expectations) and enabling tools.
• Ensure standards comprehensively address risk across: Manufacturing and supply chain operations. R&D and laboratory environments. Clinical and healthcare settings. Commercial and mobile workforce activities.
• Establish lifecycle governance for standards (approval, review, exception, and change management).
• Own global contractor safety strategy, standards, and assurance expectations.
• Establish enterprise requirements for: Contractor prequalification and onboarding. Contractor oversight and performance management. Integration of contractors into site safety systems.
• Provide global guidance and assurance frameworks for construction and CapEx project safety, including: Design‑for‑safety principles. Contractor and construction risk controls. Project safety reviews and assurance expectations.
• Partner with Facilities, Engineering, and Procurement to embed safety expectations into contracting and capital execution.
• Support OI and automation departments in ensuring both internal and consensus standards for worker protection are implemented correctly on new products and processes.
• Support a risk‑based global audit and assurance program, aligned with ISO 45001 and Medtronic standards.
• Establish enterprise governance for corrective actions, including: Timely closure. Risk‑based escalation. Verification of effectiveness.
• Support external regulatory and certification audits as needed.
• Own Medtronic’s enterprise SIF prevention strategy, emphasizing high‑energy hazards, critical controls, and verification.
• Lead enterprise governance for: Serious injuries and fatalities (actual and potential). Severe and systemic incidents. Enterprise‑wide incident learning and knowledge transfer.
• Ensure consistent, high‑quality investigations focused on systemic root causes, not individual blame.
• Provide strategic direction, coaching, and governance to Regional EHS&S Directors who are responsible for local execution.
• Build global communities of practice and learning networks.
• Define “what good looks like” through tools, metrics, expectations, and examples.

Benefits

• Health, Dental and vision insurance
• Health Savings Account
• Healthcare Flexible Spending Account
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability leave
• Dependent daycare spending account
• Tuition assistance/reimbursement
• Simple Steps (global well-being program)
• Incentive plans
• 401(k) plan plus employer contribution and match
• Short-term disability
• Paid time off
• Paid holidays
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Employee Assistance Program
• Non-qualified Retirement Plan Supplement (subject to IRS earning minimums)
• Capital Accumulation Plan (available to Vice Presidents and above, or subject to IRS earning minimums)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior