Executive Director, Business Transformation

AstraZeneca • Gaithersburg, MD

12d • $246,069 - $344,397

About The Position

At AstraZeneca, we are proud of our ground-breaking pipeline and continue to look for new ways to bring the best medicines to patients. We are building and fostering high-performing collaborative teams across the organization to help us deliver on our ambition. There’s no better time to join our global, growing enterprise as we lead the way for patients, healthcare and broader society. Enterprise Business Transformation team Our team sits at the center of the enterprise, identifying and driving transformative opportunities for the entire organization. We lead cross-functional and enterprise-wide initiative to deliver transformative value and ensure we are at our best in delivering life saving medicines to patients. In this role, you will report to the Head of Business Transformation and be accountable for the strategic and operational design and delivery of organizational transformation and change management projects. You’ll play a pivotal role collaborating with teams across the enterprise, while driving operational excellence, owning process improvements, optimizing strategic planning, and implementing change plans for the successful adoption and integration of the transformation.

Requirements

• Minimum 7-10 years professional experience in management consultancy and/or leading transformation programs
• Graduate degree (MBA, Masters, MD or PhD preferred)
• Excellent analytical and communication skills
• Effective interpersonal and relationship management skills with consultative approach and ability to interact and build trust
• Operational effectiveness, structured & critical thinking, highly organized process with follow through
• Strong initiative to understand our core business goals and establish processes or programs to set direction, generate alignment and push forward
• Financial background and understanding of forecasts, budgets, financial activities and tools
• Resourceful, motivated, influential and proactive; able to prioritize in a fast-growing organization
• Experience in strategic planning processes and tools and/or project management tools

Nice To Haves

• Background/ experience in life sciences
• Understanding of the pharmaceutical business (including R&D, Operations, Commercial)
• Experience in leading and managing alliances or strategic partnerships
• Experience in translating business needs into a coordinated business proposal and plan for cross-functional senior leadership team
• Ability to develop creative and simple solutions to complex problems

Responsibilities

• Proactively identify and shape new enterprise initiatives: Actively monitor internal and external environments to spot emerging trends, technologies, and inefficiencies, turning insights into actionable initiatives that drive future value. Build strong connection with functional leadership teams and act as a thought partner in shaping new cross-functional initiatives and opportunities.
• Stay ahead of industry shifts, market dynamics, and innovation trends.
• Provide structured overviews and updates on opportunities and strategic implications of emerging trends.
• Encourage curiosity and experimentation to uncover new ways of creating impact.
• Drive strategic priorities and deliver impact for transformation: Actively define the desired outcome-based future state, articulate the purpose and driving factors behind the change, and ensure every initiative directly supports the organization’s long-term objectives.
• Build and oversee the business case for change, including quantitative and qualitative assessments for senior executive level presentations to make the case for investment
• See the “big picture” and understand how different parts of the organization interconnect.
• Identify long-term opportunities and anticipate future challenges.
• Lead and manage change through effective stakeholder engagement: Build trust by listening to concerns, aligning diverse perspectives, and guiding people through uncertainty using structured change management approaches.
• Quickly build trusted thought partnerships with senior and executive stakeholders
• Apply proven change management frameworks (e.g., ADKAR, Kotter’s 8 Steps).
• Develop and manage stakeholder engagement plan, building trust and alignment at all levels of the organization
• Shape and communicate the change narratives: Translate complex transformation goals into clear, inspiring messages that motivate teams, reinforce progress, and sustain belief in the vision.
• Build and oversee communication and engagement plan in line with change management and delivery roadmap
• Tailor communication to different audiences, from executives to frontline teams.
• Create consistent, compelling narratives to maintain momentum and buy-in.
• Drive execution through rigorous project and program management: Organize cross-functional efforts, monitor progress against key milestones, and ensure that resources, risks, and dependencies are effectively managed to deliver measurable outcomes.
• Own and drive complex transformational programs and workstreams
• Apply appropriate project management methodologies (Agile, Lean, PMBOK).
• Define KPIs and methodology for continuous monitoring and evaluation, taking action where needed to pivot and ensure ongoing progress
• Manage budgets, timelines, dependencies, and risks with precision.
• Adapt quickly and make data-informed decisions: Continuously assess progress, learn from results, and use data insights to pivot strategies, ensuring the transformation stays relevant and impactful in a changing environment.
• Embrace ambiguity and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
• Analyze performance data to guide actions and demonstrate progress.
• Demonstrate resilience by sustaining momentum through setbacks, rapidly adapting plans with data-driven decisions, and role‑modeling transparent, trust‑building communication to maintain delivery confidence.
• Lead in building a transformation community of practice: Create spaces for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and capability building, fostering a culture where transformation expertise is shared and continuously developed across the organization.
• Actively engage in talent strategy and development plan for business transformation at AZ (across SET areas, in partnership with other functional leadership)
• Oversee forums or networks to connect practitioners and share best practices
• Embed upskilling opportunities, coach and mentor more junior colleagues to help strengthen collective transformation capability

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: Executive
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees