Director, Operations IT - Program Delivery Management

Job Description

The IT Senior Program Manager is responsible for guiding the success and delivery of strategic technology programs, from conception to operation.

The role creates a compelling program vision and drives business value. This position bridges technology, business, and user experience, blending a program-focused approach with agile methods to consistently deliver value and ensure that technology strategies match business objectives.

This role oversees program vision and execution, while promoting collaboration, innovation, and ongoing improvement across cross-functional delivery teams.

Typical Accountabilities

• Owner and driver of the IT Program Plan: Work closely with stakeholders to develop, articulate, and share the plan, dependencies, Risks and Issues, making sure all teams including engineering, design, and business - are aligned.

• Serves as the primary program orchestrator and is responsible for driving program and ensuring “value” delivery.

• Develops program-focused delivery teams and adopts agile methodologies to continually enhance the program through iterative improvements.

• Manage the program backlog, translate business needs into detailed requirements, and prioritize features based on business value, user feedback, and technical feasibility.

• Financial Accountability: Be accountable for Program finance, including forecasting, budget management, and timely accruals.

• Define and track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) including measuring both value and outcomes (as desired with investment case).

• Act as the primary point of contact between IT leaders and engineering/technical teams. Lead vendor management, including negotiation of deliverables, acceptance criteria, and costs.

• Risk & Compliance Management: Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate risks (technical, market, project) and ensure compliance with internal and external regulations (e.g., GxP, if applicable).

Education, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Essential

• Ability to manage senior stakeholders and build IT Program vision and roadmaps.

• Extensive experience delivering medium to large-scale IT Programs and programs (USD 5M+ or multi-disciplinary delivery teams >15).

• Proven accountability for IT Program finance, including forecasting and timely accruals.

• Hands-on, practical experience delivering programs and utilizing modern tools and methodologies such as Agile.

• Strong program-centric mindset with experience managing the program lifecycle (e.g., Concept to DevOps, backlog prioritization, KPI analysis).

• Background in manufacturing, supply chain, and/or quality domains (GxP, MES, etc.).

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills, with experience engaging C-level executives.

• Strong vendor management capabilities.

• Strategic & Analytical Thinking: Ability to use data and user feedback to make decisions.

• User Empathy: A customer-centric mindset.

Desirable

• Experience working in the pharmaceutical industry.

• Familiarity with GXP, GCP practices.

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.