GBS Project Services – Senior Director Project Services

At AstraZeneca, we pride ourselves on crafting a collaborative culture that champions knowledge-sharing, ambitious thinking and innovation – ultimately providing employees with the opportunity to work across teams, functions and even the globe.

Recognizing the importance of individualized flexibility, our ways of working allow employees to balance personal and work commitments while ensuring we continue to create a strong culture of collaboration and teamwork by engaging face-to-face in our offices 3 days a week. Our offices are purposely designed with collaboration in mind, providing space where teams can come together to strategize, brainstorm and connect on key projects.

Our position:

The Sr. Director Project Services is a key leadership role in our Project Delivery Team, globally.  The role encompasses providing senior leadership to projects within AZ, as well as leading a team of Project Directors and Managers, with planned potential to scale.  You will deliver a 5-star service to your AstraZeneca colleagues, and foster a Great Place to Work for your team.  You will be responsible for hiring and developing the team, the approach, and ensuring service delivery quality.  You will also effectively engage and communicate with key senior stakeholders.

Reporting to the Head of Productivity and Project Services, and part of the Project Services Leadership Team, you will need to establish rapport quickly, build a strong network at pace, and be able to act as a liaison between GBS Project Services and the AZ leaders. The ideal candidate will be proactive, have experience of simultaneously supporting projects, and a large team.  Understanding the importance of high-quality delivery, and build and motivate a global team. 

What you will do in this role:

• Run the Project Management service on an ongoing basis to ensure it meets its objectives against quantitative and qualitative measures.
• Responsible for providing project leadership to one or more internal business projects, relying on technical knowledge and expertise to steer the largest and most complex initiatives from conception to implementation.
• Measure key service metrics, and evolve project management methodologies, tools, templates and processes to reduce costs and improve effectiveness.
• Manage resource allocation to projects, ensuring relevant experience and good cultural fit with business requirements.
• Line manage, coach, support performance and professional growth of Project Directors and Managers.  Ensure a collaborative and ‘open door’ culture.
• Contribute to business planning and financial requirements including the long term plan, annual budget, forecasts.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key senior customers and stakeholders
• Maximise the benefit of the service to AZ, ensuring internal customers are receiving excellent value for money.
• Escalate and mitigate high impact risks and issues as they relate to the service.
• Drive, support, and prioritize broad awareness of the service, benefits, and value across the AZ enterprise through frequent and comprehensive communication.
• In partnership with the Talent Acquisition Team, be responsible for recruiting and hiring a team of talented project delivery professionals.
• Partner with Procurement leadership to properly engage and manage third party suppliers to support the service with additional capacity or specialized skills.
• Partner with the Programme Director to define ways of working and team operating model/management structure to drive optimized productivity.

Essential Skills/Experience:

- Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting/Finance, Business, or Healthcare-related major
- 10+ years proven experience in effectively leading a department of senior, experienced people and in programme / project management for large, complex projects within a distributed workforce
- Management consulting experience
- Experience in building high-performing teams through effective recruitment and professional development
- Demonstration of strong communication and relationship building skills with experience in collaborating and sharing knowledge between teams
- Experience of managing and controlling a department budget
- Significant experience and skill presenting in front of C-suite/executive level clients through written and verbal channels

Desirable Skills/Experience:

- Project Management Certification
- Pharmaceutical or equivalent global & complex organization experience; experience of working within a quality and compliance environment and application of policies, procedures and guidelines

At AstraZeneca, we're on a journey of growth and evolution. We're reimagining how we work, driving new ways of working and operating models, process simplification, and innovative solutions. We're always adapting and challenging the status quo because it's what helps us succeed. As part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to make a real difference at one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. 

Ready to make a difference? Apply now and join our mission to do more and be more!

Why AstraZeneca?

Meaningful work that makes a bigger impact - we're a team that helps make excellence and breakthroughs possible. Here, you can apply your skills and abilities to genuinely impact patients' lives. Join us at an exciting time of growth through innovation for AstraZeneca. Shape this journey by reimagining the way we work, at every turn we're innovating and taking intelligent risks.

Great People want to Work with us! Find out why:

• GTAA Top Employer Award for 10 years
• Learn about our culture
• Learn more about working with us in Canada
• View our YouTube channel

Ready to make a difference? Apply now and join our mission to do more and be more!

AstraZeneca is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion and providing a workplace that is free from discrimination. AstraZeneca is committed to accommodating persons with disabilities. Such accommodation is available on request in respect of all aspects of the recruitment, assessment and selection process and may be requested by emailing AZCHumanResources@astrazeneca.com.

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.