Associate Director, Capability & Operations

At AstraZeneca, we pride ourselves on crafting a collaborative culture that champions knowledge-sharing, ambitious thinking and innovation – ultimately providing employees with the opportunity to work across teams, functions and even the globe.

Recognizing the importance of individualized flexibility, our ways of working allow employees to balance personal and work commitments while ensuring we continue to create a strong culture of collaboration and teamwork by engaging face-to-face in our offices 3 days a week. Our head office and BlueSky Hub in downtown Toronto are purposely designed with collaboration in mind, providing space where teams can come together to strategize, brainstorm and connect on key projects.

Our dedication to sustainability is also central to our culture and part of what makes AstraZeneca a great place to work. We know the health of people, the planet and our business are interconnected which is why we’re taking ambitious action to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, from climate change to access to healthcare and disease prevention.

Note: This is an 18-month contract role.

Introduction to role:

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Associate Director to join our Capability & Operations (C&O) team. The C&O team plays a vital role in the Portfolio and Enabling Function, aiding in planning and implementing initiatives within BioPharma Clinical Operations. The C&O team administers and manages key business processes and tools to support the annual planning cycle, strategic project execution, and day-to-day workflow of Clinical Operations. This role will report into the Senior Director of C&O and will support the Business Planning and Operation Directors (i.e. Chiefs of Staff) across Clinical Operations, including capacity management for the Clinical Data & Insights function. This role will lead capacity management improvement across different groups to achieve AstraZeneca's ambitious goals. The C&O team is an enabling team for the Business Planning and Operations/Chief of Staff network. The Associate Director will be a key contributor in developing the enabling processes and tools to amplify the strategic bandwidth of this network. If you aspire to become a strategy operations leader, this role will help you hone your skills in facilitation, strategy enablement, and execution.

Accountabilities

• Reporting & Monitoring: Create monthly and quarterly financial and capacity result reports for Clinical Data & Insights leadership discussion and re-prioritization.
• Capacity Management: Manage and optimize capacity management processes for the Clinical Data & Insights function to ensure alignment with AstraZeneca's strategic objectives and pipeline ambitions.
• Data Analytics: Manage and optimize PowerBI dashboards to support decision-making and business planning, providing actionable insights and recommendations to collaborators.
• Business Planning: Assist the Senior Director with crafting and leading the annual business planning cycle activities and outputs.
• Process and Continuous Improvement: Identify and implement opportunities for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of capacity management processes and tools. At times, lead strategic projects to drive process improvements that align with our priorities.
• Facilitation and Communication: Engage with various groups to foster collaboration and drive continuous improvement in planning and execution efforts. Build communication bridges across enabling functions to ensure consistency and strategic alignment.

Essential Skills/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, health sciences or a related field. An MBA or other advanced degree is highly desirable.
• 3+ years’ experience in business planning, financial analysis, and capacity management.
• Strong background in quantitative analysis and the ability to work with large datasets to extract actionable insights.
• Proven track record in developing analytical tools and frameworks to improve resource allocation and operational planning.
• Experience working in a confidential environment with senior leaders.
• Excellent collaboration required – needs the energy to work across global & functional boundaries both internally and externally.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Advanced proficiency in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Desirable Skills/Experience

• Experience with planning processes in a healthcare or biopharma clinical operations setting.
• Proficient in using tools and software for planning purposes.
• Proficiency in crafting and deploying Power BI reports to improve operational efficiency.
• Familiarity with additional data analytics tools and software (e.g., SQL, R, Python) that complement Power BI and support comprehensive data manipulation and reporting capabilities.
• Knowledge of Data Management, Programming, Statistics or Information Practice.

Great People want to Work with us! Find out why:

• GTAA Top Employer Award for 10 years
• Top 100 Employers Award
• Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Culture
• Learn more about working with us in Canada
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Are you interested in working at AZ, apply today!

AstraZeneca is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion and providing a workplace that is free from discrimination. AstraZeneca is committed to accommodating persons with disabilities. Such accommodation is available on request in respect of all aspects of the recruitment, assessment and selection process and may be requested by emailing AZCHumanResources@astrazeneca.com.

#LI-Hybrid

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorisation and employment eligibility verification requirements.