Senior Director, Business Planning & Operations, SMM

AstraZeneca seeks a Senior Director of Business Planning & Operations for Site Management & Monitoring (SMM) to serve as Chief of Staff to the VP and Global Head of SMM. The role involves translating clinical strategy into executable plans, managing business operations for a 2,300+ person function, and leading cross-functional initiatives across global clinical study delivery.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Chief of Staff and trusted adviser to VP & Global Head of SMM; design and run leadership team cadence with clear decision logs and action tracking
• Lead annual and medium-term business planning for SMM function; translate Clinical Operations 2030 strategy into goals, scorecards and actionable objectives
• Coordinate SMM budget, capacity and productivity proposals; link resourcing to portfolio demand and track performance metrics
• Monitor scorecard progress and convert complex performance data into clear insights and risk mitigation recommendations
• Lead organizational change initiatives, communications and engagement strategies for major transformation projects across BPCO and R&D

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in life sciences, business administration, engineering, or related field
• Minimum 12 years pharmaceutical industry or clinical operations experience
• Proven expertise in business planning, strategy translation, and portfolio management
• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills for performance reporting and insights
• Demonstrated ability to lead through matrix, build trusted relationships, and influence senior stakeholders
• Experience in organizational change management and communications at enterprise scale
• Proficiency in budget, capacity planning, and workforce strategy