Insights and Forecasting Director

AstraZeneca•Wilmington, DE

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Insights and Forecasting Director provides strategic leadership across insights, analytics, forecasting, and AI-enabled decision support to help the business understand performance, find opportunities, and plan for future scenarios. The role integrates information from multiple sources and uses modern digital capabilities to generate clear, actionable recommendations that support both near-term execution and longer-term strategic choices. In addition to analytical and forecasting capabilities, the role requires excellent communication, collaborator management, and influencing skills, as well as strong digital fluency and sound judgment in the use of AI. The successful candidate will translate complex data into clear business implications, guide teams in adopting new tools and ways of working, and balance pace, innovation, and experimentation with appropriate governance, risk awareness, and business value. This position may manage external partners or project-based resources and is expected to continuously evaluate emerging analytical methods, digital tools, automation opportunities, AI capabilities, and data sources to improve decision support, operational efficiency, and interpersonal capability. The role also helps build adoption by embedding scalable, repeatable, and user-focused insight practices across the function. This role works closely with cross-functional partners across strategy, commercial, finance, operations, data and analytics, customer-facing teams, and other senior collaborators throughout the organization.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree
Minimum 7+ years of relevant experience
Significant experience in insights, analytics, forecasting, market research, business analysis, or a related strategic decision-support function
Experience applying qualitative and quantitative methods to answer business questions and support decision-making
Strong experience building, interpreting, and communicating forecasts, scenarios, performance analyses, and decision-support outputs
Demonstrated experience evaluating, adopting, or scaling digital and AI-enabled tools, methods, or data sources to enhance insight generation, analytics, or forecasting capabilities
Good understanding of data governance, model risk, and responsible AI principles, with the ability to apply sound judgment in business contexts
Ability to synthesize complex information from multiple data sources into clear, actionable recommendations
Strong attention to business, critical thinking, systems thinking, and problem-solving capability
Experience influencing customers and working effectively across functions and levels of seniority, including supporting adoption of new tools or ways of working
Ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, including the ability to communicate technical topics clearly to non-technical audiences
Comfortable working in a matrixed organization, navigating ambiguity, and leading through change

Nice To Haves

Experience evaluating new tools, methods, or data sources to improve analytical output and team effectiveness is preferred
Occasional travel may be required
Excellent communication, influencing, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage senior interested parties effectively
Strategic approach with the ability to connect detailed analysis, digital opportunities, and emerging technologies to broader business priorities
Strong project and customer management skills across multiple concurrent initiatives
Credibility in translating complex data, analytical outputs, and AI-enabled insights into practical recommendations and decisions
Collaborative leadership style with the ability to work across functions, teams, and external partners
Curiosity and learning agility, with a proactive approach to testing, adopting, and improving new methods, tools, and ways of working
Commitment to continuous improvement, capability building, high-quality execution, and responsible use of data and AI

Responsibilities

Lead the design and delivery of insight generation, analytics, forecasting, and AI-enabled decision support that support strategic and operational decision-making
Translate business questions into research, analysis, forecasting, and experimentation plans using relevant qualitative, quantitative, and digital approaches
Synthesize data from primary, secondary, internal, and external sources to generate actionable insights and identify trends, risks, and opportunities
Develop and maintain performance metrics, dashboards, and targets aligned to key business priorities and strategic goals, improving accessibility and self-service use of insights where appropriate
Build and refine forecasting models that incorporate key assumptions, scenarios, sensitivity analyses, and leading indicators to support planning and investment decisions
Drive adoption of digital and AI-enabled tools, methods, and workflows to enhance insight generation, forecasting speed, productivity, and decision support
Evaluate, test, and scale emerging tools and techniques that strengthen predictive accuracy, scenario planning, automation, and business readiness
Ensure analytical approaches, data usage, model assumptions, and outputs are objective, robust, clearly documented, and aligned with responsible AI and data governance expectations
Present findings, forecasts, and recommendations in a clear and compelling way for senior customers, translating technical concepts into business impact and decisions
Partner with cross-functional teams to align on priorities, assumptions, decision rights, and actions, driving shared accountability for outcomes
Support case development, planning for the future, and prioritization through forward-looking analysis, digital insight generation, and scenario-based thinking
Find opportunities to improve data quality, tooling, processes, operating rhythms, and analytical capabilities across the organization
Coach teams and customers on effective use of insights, digital tools, and AI-enabled outputs, building confidence, capability, and adoption
Manage external vendors or project partners where needed to deliver high-quality work on time, within scope, and in line with business and governance requirements
Promote a culture of continuous improvement, evidence-based decision-making, responsible innovation, and ongoing learning in analytical practices

Benefits

We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility.
We embrace 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 follow all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.
If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.
At AstraZeneca, we’re dedicated to being a Great Place to Work.
Where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science, challenge convention and unleash your entrepreneurial spirit.
To embrace differences and take bold actions to drive the change needed to meet global healthcare and sustainability challenges.
There is no better place to make a difference in medicine, patients, and society.
An inclusive culture where you will connect different thinking to generate new and valuable opportunities.
Where you will find a commitment to lifelong learning, growth and development for all.
Our Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) mission is to create an inclusive and equitable environment where people belong, using the power of our diversity to push the boundaries of science to deliver life-changing medicines to patients.
Inclusion and diversity are fundamental to the success of our company, because innovation requires breakthrough ideas that only come from a diverse workforce empowered to challenge conventional thinking.
We’re curious about science and the advancement of knowledge.
We find creative ways to approach new challenges.
We’re driven to make the right choices and be accountable for our actions.
As an organisation centred around what makes us human, we put a big focus on people.
Across our business, we want colleagues to wake up excited about their day at the office, in the field, or in the lab.
Along with our purpose to bring life-changing medicines to people across the globe, we have a promise to you: to help you realise the full breadth of your potential.
Here, you’ll do work that has the potential to change your life and improve countless others.
And, together with your team, you’ll shape a culture that unites and inspires us every day.
This is your life at AstraZeneca.