AstraZeneca UK HR Director

Job Title: AstraZeneca UK HR Director

Location: London

AstraZenecais one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, with a broad range of medicines designed to fight disease in important areas of healthcare: cardiovascular, diabetes, respiratory and cancer.

At AstraZeneca, we turn ideas into life changing medicines. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big and working together to make the impossible a reality. We believe in the potential of our people, and you’ll develop beyond what you thought possible. We make the most of your skills and passion by actively supporting you to achieve our shared goals no matter where you start with us. When we see an opportunity for change, we seize it and make it happen, because an opportunity no matter how small can be the start of something big. Delivering life changing medicines is about being entrepreneurial finding those moments and recognising their potential!

AstraZeneca’s HR function has the objective of delivering excellence in HR business partnering, centres of expertise and services. As this strategy continues to drive the effectiveness and performance of the business, to the benefit of millions of patients worldwide, best in class HR support and leadership becomes ever more important.

The role:

As the HR Director for AstraZeneca UK, you will develop and drive a cross-functional HR strategy that supports our high-performing organisation in meeting its objectives. You will hold a crucial position as a part of the Senior Leadership Team and as a vital collaborator with EUCAN HRLT.

You will develop and implement a people and organisation strategy for the business that delivers the criticalcapabilitiesrequired for continued future success.

You will establish and implement policies, practices and initiatives that shape an inclusiveculture, engage and inspire our employees, and support the delivery of our company strategy and vision.

You will also maintain and develop our external employment brand, ensuring we remain attractive as a leading employer and implement initiatives that develop and accelerate ourtalent.

You will lead and develop the HR Team and work across the HR enterprise to ensure the effective delivery of Business Partnering, Reward, Talent Acquisition, Talent & Development, Employee Relations, and HR Services support.

You will also form an integral part of our EUCAN HR community and contribute to shaping and driving the People Strategy for AZ EUCAN.

Responsibilities:

As a valued member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will shape strategic direction, inspire high-performing colleagues, and champion excellence throughout the organisation by:

• Contributing to the development and delivery of the business strategy andcreate and implement an aligned, future-facing people and organisation strategy.
• Building strong partnerships with business teams and leaders to maximise the contribution of the HR function.

3 key focus areas:

• Talent. Ensure AstraZeneca UK attracts and retains the best talent. Having an early view on future talent/capability needs, current trends, drive best in class talent acquisition, engagement & retention, as well as development into next roles with higher impact for AZ.
• Culture.Driving a sense of purpose and belonging, coupled with excitement for the AZ mission and the ambition to embrace innovation and pioneer. Empowerment with accountability.
• Capabilities.Demonstrating a deep understanding of the capabilities essential to advancing our mission, you will proactively monitor emerging external trends impacting the healthcare sector. Leveraging these insights, you will help to design and implement optimal organisational structures and develop the capabilities needed to ensure our continued competitiveness and delivery of outstanding results.
• Coach, influence, guide, and challenge business executives to ensure strong business performance.
• Create a framework for assessing, attracting, developing, and retaining key talent, internally and externally.
• Provide specialist knowledge on such areas as organisation design and development, change and communications.
• Reinforce employee engagement and Great Place to Work strategy via key initiatives, leadership capability building and overall shaping of the business agenda.
• Build a high-performance culture through the implementation of an effective performance management system, incorporating effective reward and recognition practices.
• Drive a culture of accountability, empowerment, inclusion, development, and innovation.
• Ability/agility (leadership and content) to manage the relationship with local employee forums and representative bodies.
• Ensure the application of all people related policies is fair and consistent and assures compliance with local legislation.
• Provide leadership, direction, and development to the HR team to ensure that they are recognised as a highly valued function.
• Set and manage all HR budgets.
• As a pivotal member of the EUCAN HR Leadership Team, you will serve as an inspirational leader and play an integral role in driving strategic initiatives and delivering impactful contributions across the region.

Essential requirements:

• Previous experience in a senior HR position, working with senior leadership teams and contributing to the overall business agenda.
• Previous experience working in a global, matrixed organisation and able to operate with an enterprise perspective.
• Understanding of the UK market and employee-relations environment.
• Proven record in business partnering to deliver organizational transformation, workforce planning, capability and talent development, culture change and performance management.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with high degree of integrity and trust, and an ability to influence and achieve results through others.
• Experience of employee relations management and compensation and benefits management.
• Proven experience in developing and implementing HR strategy and managing employee representative bodies.
• Proven track record of leading and developing a team

Desirable:

• Experience of partnering with a commercial organisation, supporting sales and marketing teams to develop effective strategies that drive performance and support new growth.
• Postgraduate HR degree and/or professional HR qualification
• Breadth of HR experience e.g., regional / global responsibility
• Experience in the life sciences sector

Hybrid Working Model

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire 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 unique and ambitious world.

AstraZeneca offers an environment where innovation thrives. With constant new products and launches, you'll have the opportunity to contribute significantly to life-changing medicines. Our resilience drives us forward as we continuously seek new ways to deliver medicines to patients. Here you'll find a safe space where ideas are welcomed and rewarded. We foster a positive environment where diverse teams collaborate to push boundaries. If you're driven by challenges and eager to make an impact, AstraZeneca is where you can thrive.

Ready to take on this exciting challenge? Apply now to join AstraZeneca's dynamic HR team!

Date Posted

20-Oct-2025

Closing Date

31-Oct-2025

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.