SVP, Head of Sustainability

About Evotec:

At Evotec, we are driven by our purpose: Unleashing innovation in drug discovery to develop life-changing medicines. As a global leader in drug discovery and development, we bring together ambitious experts to change the face of modern medicine. Our unique business model, collaborative principles, and entrepreneurial mindset empower us to innovate beyond boundaries. With a strong sense of purpose and team spirit, we constantly evolve - and so will your career.

As part of our transformation journey, we are committed to embedding sustainability principles into every aspect of how we operate and grow.

The Role

As Head of Sustainability, you will play a pivotal role in advancing and scaling Evotec’s Sustainability strategy, including but not limited to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) topics. Reporting to the CPO, you will be responsible for defining, driving, and embedding Sustainability initiatives and advance ESG reporting to reflect our company values and support long-term value creation.

You will have the authority to shape Sustainability priorities across the company and ensure accountability through governance structures and performance metrics. This highly visible role partners closely with senior leadership, business functions, and external stakeholders to position Sustainability as a core pillar of Evotec’s corporate strategy and culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute Evotec’s sustainability strategy aligned with corporate objectives and stakeholder expectations.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the CPO and Management Board on sustainability matters, in close coordination with responsible topic owners as well as Communications and Investor Relations.

• Identify and drive innovation opportunities in sustainable science, operations, and product development, in collaboration with Evotec’s R&D, Operations, and BD teams.

• Drive integration of sustainability priorities into business operations, talent strategy, and cultural initiatives.

• Collaborate with Finance and Risk to integrate Sustainability into enterprise risk management (ERM), scenario planning, and capital allocation.

• Design and implement sustainability governance structures and policies across the organization.

• Lead sustainability materiality assessments and impact analyses in collaboration with key functions.

• Develop sustainability-specific KPIs and dashboards in coordination with Finance, Communications, and IT to ensure alignment, traceability, and audit-readiness.

• Oversee sustainability disclosures and reporting (e.g., CSRD/ESRS, SASB, TCFD, TNFD) in compliance with evolving global standards.

• Ensure Evotec remains ahead of regulatory developments by proactively adapting sustainability reporting practices and engaging with legal and compliance teams.

• Partner with Operations and Facilities to support Evotec’s climate strategy, including net-zero commitments, energy efficiency, sustainable resource management, and circular economy.

• Partner with Procurement, Quality and any other relevant functions on initiatives to embed sustainability across the value chain, including supplier engagement, sustainable procurement, and lifecycle assessments.

• Anticipate and respond to evolving customer expectations around sustainability performance, particularly in the context of project bids, partnerships, and procurement processes.

• Collaborate with Business Development, R&D and Operational teams to ensure Evotec’s sustainability credentials, metrics, and disclosures are proactively integrated into customer-facing materials and proposals.

• Develop tools, narratives, and data packages that demonstrate Evotec’s sustainability commitments and performance in alignment with customer requirements and industry benchmarks.

• Monitor market trends and customer feedback to continuously improve Evotec’s sustainability positioning as a competitive differentiator in commercial engagements

• Collaborate with HR and Talent teams to embed DE&I, employee wellbeing, and community engagement into Evotec’s culture.

• Support initiatives that enhance workforce engagement and create a positive societal impact.

• Partner with senior leaders to embed sustainability into business planning, risk management, and performance reviews.

• Collaborate with Investor Relations and Communications to ensure sustainability-related disclosures and messaging are integrated into investor communications.

• Represent Evotec in Sustainability forums, investor dialogues, partnerships, and industry collaborations to enhance transparency and reputation.

• Inspire a culture of sustainability and ESG accountability across all levels of the organization.

• Build internal sustainability awareness and capability through training, communication, and engagement initiatives, in collaboration with Communications.

• Lead and develop a high-performing sustainability team and network of functional Sustainability champions across the organization.

Qualifications & Experience

• Proven multi-year track record in ESG, sustainability, or corporate social responsibility within a global, complex organization.

• Experience leading cross-functional sustainability programs in a regulated, innovation-driven industry (e.g., life sciences, biotech, pharma, or chemicals) desireable.

• Familiarity with sustainable innovation frameworks (e.g., circular economy, green chemistry, sustainable R&D).

• Strong understanding of ESG frameworks, reporting standards (CSRD/ESRS, SASB, TCFD, TNFD), and regulatory requirements.

• Understanding of sustainability-related financial instruments and investor expectations (e.g., SFDR, ISSB, EU Taxonomy).

• Experience in integrating sustainability into business strategy and operations.

• Experience supporting commercial teams in integrating sustainability into customer proposals, RFPs, and partnership dialogues.

• Ability to translate sustainability strategy into compelling customer-facing narratives and metrics.

• Exceptional stakeholder management skills with the experience and ability to influence at senior levels.

• Clear and persuasive communication skills, with the ability to translate complex Sustainability concepts into actionable insights for diverse internal audiences.

• Strong collaboration and relationship-building abilities, especially across functions such as HR, Operations, Finance, Investor Relations and Communications.

• Empathy and cultural sensitivity, with the ability to engage stakeholders on social and environmental topics with authenticity and tact.

• Influence without authority, demonstrating the ability to drive change and embed Sustainability principles across a matrixed organization.

• Structured and analytical mindset, capable of aligning Sustainability initiatives with business priorities and interpreting data to inform decisions.

• Adaptability and resilience, with the ability to navigate evolving Sustainability  standards, regulatory landscapes, and organizational dynamics.

• Passionate about driving cultural change and embedding Sustainability  as a strategic business enabler.

FR : Dans le cadre de sa politique Diversité, Evotec étudie, à compétences égales, toutes les candidatures dont celles des personnes en situation de handicap.

ENG : In the frame of our Diversity policy, Evotec considers, with equal competences, all applications including people with disabilities.