IT Operations Lead

Join AstraZeneca, a global leader in the pharmaceutical industry, as our new IT/OT Operations Lead. This role is pivotal in bridging the organisational teams and technologies between IT and OT domains, operating models, Service Excellence and risk & compliance ensuring alignment with our business goals. You will be at the forefront of driving digital transformation across our IT, manufacturing and production environments.

What you’ll do:
As our IT/OT Operations Lead, you will be responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive IT/OT strategy/operations aligned with business objectives and operational needs. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment between IT/OT, and business strategies. The role also means managing service levels across the I&O organization as well as mitigating IT risk and compliance issues.

The responsibilities also include:

• Leading the integration of IT/OT systems to enhance operational efficiency, data visibility, and decision-making capabilities.

• Overseeing all aspects of cybersecurity implementation to safeguard IT/OT infrastructure from internal and external threats.

• Facilitating the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies, including IoT, machine learning, and predictive analytics.

• Managing external vendor and partner relationships to ensure timely and cost-effective delivery of IT-OT solutions.

• Keeping abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends to maintain competitiveness and drive innovation.

• Championing organizational change initiatives to facilitate seamless transition and adoption of new IT-OT systems and processes.

• Providing expert mentorship and support to IT-OT teams, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and excellence.

Essential Skills/Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field.

• Minimum of 10 years of experience overall in IT, with a strong focus on IT strategy development, execution and operations.

• 5 years of experience in OT, with a focus on OT strategy development and execution.

• Experience or knowledge of legacy manufacturing standards and infrastructure technologies and architecture followed across different continents/countries.

• ITSM/ Service Excellence experience

• Demonstrated expertise in formulating and implementing strategies for IT-OT, HCI, or Zero Trust Architecture, preferably in a leadership capacity.

• Comprehensive understanding of IT-OT architectures, hyper-converged infrastructure systems, Zero Trust Architecture technologies, including Hybrid cloud computing, networking, cybersecurity, and industrial automation.

• Knowledge and Experience in risk management, compliance, incident response, change management, vendor management, and performance monitoring and optimization in IT, OT, and Zero Trust Architecture environments.

• Strong social and communication skills with the ability to effectively convey intricate technical concepts related to IT-OT, HCI, or Zero Trust Architecture to Business stakeholders.

• Strategic thinking and proactive problem-solving abilities.

• Knowledge and experience with standards and regulations such as NIST, IEC 62443, PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR and GxP standards within the context of IT, OT and Zero Trust Architecture implementations.

• Professional certifications in relevant domains such as IT-OT, HCI, Zero Trust Architecture, or cybersecurity are highly advantageous.

• Preferred experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.

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.

Why AstraZeneca?
At AstraZeneca, we are committed to making a meaningful impact on patients' lives. Our work has a direct impact on patients, transforming our ability to develop life-changing medicines. We empower the business to perform at its peak and lead a new way of working, combining ground breaking science with leading digital technology platforms and data. All with a passion to impact lives through data, analytics, AI, machine learning and more. Join us at a crucial stage of our journey in becoming a digital and data-led enterprise.

AstraZeneca offers competitive salaries and excellent benefits, such as extra paid Holiday, Private Medical Benefit, on-site Work Out and much, much more.

Ready to make a difference? Apply now and join us in our mission to revolutionize the pharmaceutical industry!

We welcome your application, no later than September 27th.

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.