Role Purpose
The Senior Director, Safety & Risk will be the strategic and operational leader for Health, Safety, and Risk Management across the Africa Operating Unit (AOU), shaping the future safety culture for The Coca-Cola System in the region. This pivotal role will advance operational excellence while embedding safety as a core business value, influencing across a complex network of bottling partners, internal leaders, and global stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Health & Safety Leadership
Define, execute, and continuously evolve the AOU's Occupational Health & Safety (H&S) strategy, ensuring alignment with global frameworks, Long Range Plans (LRP), and Annual Business Plans (ABP).
Champion safety culture transformation through visionary leadership, ensuring a "Zero is Possible" mindset and embedding H&S as a competitive advantage.
Integrate safety into business outcomes, influencing investment decisions, innovation pipelines, and operational design.
Implement global H&S systems and governance structures, ensuring compliance with KORE requirements and occupational license-to-operate regulations.
Lead the adoption of cutting-edge safety technologies and process innovations from high performing external industries (e.g., oil & gas, chemical, automotive, pharma).
Risk & Crisis Management
Lead Incident Management & Crisis Resolution (IMCR) processes for the AOU, ensuring preparedness, proactive risk identification, and rapid response to protect people, operations, and brand reputation.
Maintain robust Technical Risk Management Framework (TRMF) and Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) integration, with actionable mitigation plans across manufacturing, logistics, innovation, and marketplace operations.
Partner with PACS, Strategic Security, and franchise system leadership on risk mitigation, scenario planning, and high impact decision making.
Business Continuity
Own and implement the AOU Business Continuity Plan (BCP) to ensure operational recovery during disruptions.
Coordinate cross functional recovery teams and external bottler partners for synchronized effective responses.
Keep leadership informed via clear, concise, and timely status reporting.
Stakeholder Engagement & Influence
Engage with senior internal and external leaders, industry associations, and regulatory bodies to drive alignment and share best practices.
Communicate with impact across multiple levels — from executive boardrooms to plant floor teams — adjusting style and messaging accordingly.
Negotiate and align on safety priorities where strategic or operational interests may differ.
People & Capability Development
Build and empower a high performing H&S team; mentor, coach, and enable others to lead safety effectively at all levels.
Establish the AOU as a regional center of excellence for safety knowledge, benchmarking, and capability development.
Foster cross system, cross functional collaboration to ensure "One Team" execution and shared accountability for safety goals.
Experience & Expertise
8 - 10+ years senior leadership in Technical/H&S operations, with proven success in cultural transformation and change leadership.
Background from high safety maturity industries (energy, chemicals, manufacturing, automotive, pharma) strongly preferred.
End to end Occupational Health & Safety leadership, covering manufacturing, logistics, and marketplace environments.
Experience influencing in a complex, global, and matrixed system without direct authority.
Proven track record of cross regional, cross functional leadership and delivering strategic plans in alignment with global business objectives.
Strong knowledge of H&S management systems, risk management frameworks, compliance requirements, and crisis response best practices.
Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with executives, franchise partners, and regulatory or industry bodies.