Director, Culture and Capability

AstraZeneca • Gaithersburg, MD

2d • $148,366 - $190,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

This director role sits within AstraZeneca's Enterprise AI Transformation Office (AITO), reporting to the Senior Director, Culture & Capability. You'll lead strategic communications and culture change for EAI, responsible for shaping narratives, driving engagement, and leading behavioral change across EAI teams while supporting both EAI-wide and team-specific communication needs. The Enterprise AI Transformation Office is a critical pillar of the new Enterprise AI (EAI) strategic business unit, ensuring success in delivering business impact through AI by identifying and driving transformative opportunities and shaping and delivering the AI transformation across the enterprise. The team sets the EAI strategic and operational direction and leads cross-functional and enterprise-wide AI initiatives to deliver transformative value and ensure the company is at its best in delivering life-saving medicines to patients. AstraZeneca is dedicated to being a Great Place to Work, where employees are empowered to push the boundaries of science and unleash their entrepreneurial spirit. With an ambitious goal of delivering 20 new medicines by 2030, there is no better place to make a difference in medicine, for patients, and in society. The company is becoming digitally-enabled to drive better outcomes for patients, and this role is key in making that change happen by partnering across functions to ensure people and the organization successfully adopt new ways of working. This is an enterprise-wide effort that breaks down silos and unites diverse teams, with the freedom to take smart risks and shape how transformation lands across the business. Recognizing the importance of individualized flexibility, ways of working allow employees to balance personal and work commitments while ensuring a strong culture of collaboration and teamwork by engaging face-to-face in offices 3 days a week. The head office is designed with collaboration in mind, providing space where teams can come together to strategize, brainstorm and connect on key projects.

Requirements

• Scientific degree (PhD, MD, or equivalent advanced scientific training preferred), with the ability to communicate complex scientific concepts credibly across research, clinical, and business audiences
• 10+ years in strategic communications, internal communications, or corporate affairs roles, with a proven track record of crafting compelling narratives and executing communication strategies in complex, matrixed organizations
• At least 5 years of leadership experience, including ability to coach leaders, manage execution through others and lead teams.
• Experience supporting organizational transformation with familiarity with change management methodologies (Prosci, Kotter, or equivalent) and a track record of driving behavioral change and culture transformation initiatives
• Strong stakeholder management and consultative skills, with demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships across multiple business units, gather needs, synthesize insights, and develop integrated communications and capability plans
• Experience in global organizations across multiple time zones and cultural contexts, with the ability to influence without direct authority at all organizational levels

Nice To Haves

• Pharmaceutical/biotech industry experience
• Technology or digital transformation experience
• Medical writing or scientific communications background
• Familiarity with AI technologies and their application to drive business value, with the ability to translate AI concepts into compelling narratives that support adoption and organizational transformation.

Responsibilities

• Craft EAI transformation narratives that resonate across all EAI units and organizational levels
• Design and execute EAI-wide communication strategies including townhalls and team events
• Partner with Global Corporate Affairs to align EAI communications with enterprise-wide AI messaging
• Translate complex AI concepts into accessible communications for diverse EAI audiences
• Support major EAI events (Connection Week, AI Symposium, cross-unit initiatives)
• Serve as primary communications point of contact for assigned EAI teams
• Build deep stakeholder relationships across EAI units, acting as trusted advisor for communication and change needs
• Gather intelligence on EAI team needs through regular engagement with unit leaders and members
• Translate stakeholder insights into comprehensive plans that integrate communications, change management, and capability development
• Facilitate cross-EAI collaboration and communication between units
• Support unit-specific communication needs while maintaining EAI-wide consistency
• Drive behavioral shifts that foster EAI culture and normalize AI as a core capability
• Design and launch EAI culture campaigns that reinforce experimentation, learning from failure, and AI confidence
• Build EAI community through social events, recognition programs, and team-building initiatives
• Embed EAI culture principles into team practices and recognition mechanisms
• Measure and track cultural indicators related to EAI team engagement and AI adoption
• Support structured change management approaches for major EAI initiatives
• Build trust and manage resistance within EAI teams during transformation
• Coach EAI leaders on change leadership tactics and communication strategies
• Track adoption metrics and feedback loops to monitor EAI transformation progress

Benefits

• qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]
• paid vacation and holidays
• paid leaves
• health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree