Senior IT Business Analyst

Job Description: Senior IT Business Analyst  

Position Summary 

We are seeking an experienced and self-driven Senior IT Business Analyst to serve as the IT Partner for our scientific and R&D functions, with a focus on bioinformatics, data science, and development science (experience with early discovery is a plus). Acting as the strategic bridge between IT and the business, this role works closely with scientific teams to understand their requirements and long-term plans, then translates them into an actionable IT roadmap, technology stack, and associated budget. The ideal candidate combines deep understanding of pharmaceutical R&D with strong IT and digital expertise, excellent communication and coordination skills, and the ability to independently manage multiple projects. 

Key Responsibilities 

Business Partnering & Demand Management 

• Serve as the primary IT point of contact for bioinformatics, data science, and development science teams; build trusted relationships with business stakeholders and scientific leaders 

• Work closely with business teams to understand their scientific workflows, business requirements, pain points, and long-term strategic plans 

• Translate business needs into clear IT demands, requirements, and business cases; manage demand intake and prioritization 

• Proactively identify opportunities where IT, data, and AI capabilities can accelerate scientific outcomes 

IT Strategy, Roadmap & Technology Stack 

• Develop and maintain the IT roadmap for supported business areas, aligned with the business's long-term plans and the overall IT strategy 

• Define and evolve the technology stack for bioinformatics, data science, and development science domains (e.g., scientific computing, data platforms, analytics and AI tools, workflow and informatics systems) 

• Evaluate emerging technologies and vendor solutions; make build/buy recommendations and drive architecture alignment with enterprise standards 

Budget & Financial Planning 

• Develop and manage the IT budget related to the supported portfolio, including annual planning, forecasting, and investment prioritization 

• Track budget execution against plan, analyze variances, and report to IT and business leadership 

• Ensure IT investments deliver measurable business value and support long-term scientific strategy 

Project & Portfolio Delivery 

• Lead or oversee multiple IT projects and initiatives simultaneously, from initiation through delivery and adoption 

• Coordinate across IT teams (infrastructure, data, security, applications), vendors, and business stakeholders to ensure successful delivery 

• Support portfolio governance: prepare materials, track milestones and decisions, and manage risks and dependencies 

• Drive user adoption and change management for new solutions within the scientific community 

Qualifications & Skills 

Required: 

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Life Sciences, or a related field 

• Experience in the pharmaceutical industry combined with solid IT experience (e.g., IT business partnering, business analysis, or IT project delivery in a pharma/biotech environment) 

• Strong understanding of scientific and R&D domains, particularly bioinformatics, data science, and development science 

• Proven experience developing IT roadmaps, technology stacks, and related budgets 

• Solid knowledge of IT infrastructure, cloud platforms, data platforms, and AI/analytics technologies 

• Excellent communication and stakeholder coordination skills; able to engage effectively with both scientists and technologists, from working level to senior leadership 

• High autonomy and strong self-motivation; able to operate with minimal supervision 

• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously 

Preferred: 

• Master's degree or PhD in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Data Science, or a related field 

• Experience supporting early discovery research 

• Familiarity with scientific computing environments (e.g., HPC, cloud-based analysis pipelines) and common bioinformatics/data science tools 

• Certifications such as PMP, ITIL, CBAP, TOGAF, or cloud certifications (e.g., AWS) 

• International or cross-functional experience 

Key Competencies 

• Strategic thinking and business acumen 

• Domain fluency in pharma R&D and scientific data 

• Stakeholder management and influencing skills 

• Financial planning and budget discipline 

• Organizational and coordination excellence 

• Ownership mindset, adaptability, and results orientation 

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.