Senior Director, Axial Business Transformation GITC Lead

Introduction to role

The Senior Director, Axial Tower Lead GITC will be the main programme leader based in Chennai. They will represent Axial alongside the GITC Leadership Team and drive complex outcomes important to the business and programme. Axial is redefining how the enterprise operates, powered by SAP S/4HANA and a new digital backbone that will touch more than 20,000 colleagues worldwide. This role holds complete accountability for building, scaling, and sustaining Axial capability in the GITC. It supervises the entire Axial workforce directly and ensures adherence to international and regional HR and regulatory procedures. This position leads a large, diverse team from technology, financial management, business operations, and eventually Commercial and R&D. It invents how Axial talent is recruited, developed, retained, and rotated throughout the enterprise. Ready to influence a once-in-a-generation transformation while working at the heart of a global programme?

Accountabilities

Act as the senior Axial leader on the ground in Chennai, representing the programme within the GITC Leadership Team and championing its vision and priorities.

Serve as line manager for all Axial staff in GITC Chennai, being responsible for performance management, development planning, mandatory training, and adherence to global and local HR and Compliance processes.

Lead all aspects of multidisciplinary tracking of local Axial headcount, covering both internal employees and external sources. Supervise local Statements of Work plus other essential operational metrics. Guarantee clarity and control.

Build, scale, and evolve Axial capacity and capability in Chennai, partnering with HR to identify, attract, interview, hire, and onboard both internal and external talent across multiple business domains.

Develop a strong people agenda composed around morale, wellbeing, engagement, and retention, encouraging conditions that allow teams with multifaceted strengths to thrive and deliver at pace.

Ensure Axial staff are fully coordinated into local site activities and priorities, working seamlessly with Global IT, GBS, Finance, Operations and other local teams.

The role does not lead or direct the day-to-day activities of all of the Axial local teams (e.g. delivery execution) but Partner closely with dotted-line functional leaders (Data, Analytics, Technology, Process, Project Management and others) to align on priorities, resource deployment, and skills evolution without owning day-to-day task management. However this role is expected to serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) with clear accountability for at least one designated area of Axial delivery.

Drive strategic integration of Chennai-based teams into Axial’s global processes, ways of working, culture, and operating model, reinforcing consistency while enabling local strengths.

Collaborate with HR and business collaborators to ensure Axial capabilities are built for a smooth transition back into BAU organisations as the programme matures.

Lead relationships with local third-party partners and System Integrators, acting as the focal point for governance, performance management, and issue resolution.

Promote cross-tower collaboration within GITC to leverage shared capabilities, avoid redundancy, and accelerate delivery outcomes.

Safeguard compliance with relevant policies and regulations including data privacy, adherence to pharmaceutical quality standards and Sarbanes-Oxley mandates, embedding ethical considerations into everyday operations.

Facilitate effective communication flows between Chennai teams and global Axial leadership, ensuring risks, dependencies, and opportunities are surfaced early and addressed proactively.

Essential Experience & Capabilities

• Global leadership: 15+ years of collaborative leadership experience, successfully nurturing growth and encouraging connection within sophisticated, global matrix organisations.
• Scale and community: Demonstrated ability to guide and support large, hybrid teams (200+ colleagues), with recognised success in encouraging growth in in-house global technology centres.
• Transformation delivery: Experience facilitating large-scale, technology-enabled business transformations (ideally SAP), enriched by a deep understanding of data and analytics.
• Strategic partnerships: Expertise in building significant partnerships with local and global systems integrators to co-create and deliver complex global programmes.
• Regulatory mindfulness: Thoughtful operational understanding of validated environments, ensuring our teams maintain a shared commitment to GxP and SOX standards.
• Technological innovation: An imaginative approach to embracing AI and emerging tools to empower colleagues and elevate programme outcomes.
• Enterprise mindset: Adaptable and open-minded, naturally connecting the bigger picture to align local operations with AstraZeneca’s shared strategic ambitions.
• Collaborative influence: Engaging communication and networking skills, capable of building trust, harmonising expectations, and guiding sensitive discussions toward shared solutions.
• Delivery excellence: Considerate planning, project delivery, and change management capabilities to fully support colleagues through seamless programme implementation.
• SME Knowledge in at least one area of Axial GITC delivery

Desirable Skills/Experience

Life Sciences Expertise : Prior leadership experience within the biopharmaceutical industry, encompassing a strong understanding of Commercial and R&D functions.

BAU Transitioning: Proven success in transitioning large, agile transformation teams back into steady-state Business As Usual (BAU) operating models post-programme.

SAP Knowledge: Strategic exposure to complex SAP Business Suite global deployments, driving innovation and performance.

Workforce Scaling: Advanced capabilities in rapid talent acquisition, capability mapping, and managing talent rotation between dedicated programmes and the wider enterprise.

Business Acumen: A strong cross-functional understanding bridging IT, Finance, Operations, Commercial, and R&D.

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash ambitious thinking with the power to encourage life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That's why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we're not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our outstanding and bold world.

AstraZeneca brings together people who want to push the boundaries of science and technology to deliver life-changing medicines for some of the world’s most complex diseases. Work here connects directly to patients through a transformation that spans data, digital platforms and end-to-end supply chains. With a strong pipeline and a clear ambition to pioneer the next wave of therapeutics, this is an environment where bold ideas are encouraged, collaboration across borders is standard practice, and every colleague can see how their contribution helps shape the future of healthcare!

If this opportunity to lead a pivotal tower in a global transformation programme excites you, apply now to take the next step in your career with AstraZeneca.

Date Posted

Closing Date

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 authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.