AstraZeneca

Director Process Management

US - Durham - NC Full time

Join our Biopharma Clinical Operations team, where we are responsible for delivering clinical studies across our portfolio. As a Director of Process Management with the Process, Quality, Learning & Transformation function, you'll be a key player in the Business Process and Optimization Team. Our mission is to drive process excellence by partnering cross-functionally, applying lean methodology and data insights to continuously improve and optimize clinical processes for the future.

Accountabilities

As a member of the Business Process Management Leadership Team, you will design, develop, maintain, and optimize key clinical processes and procedural documents. You will advocate for lean approaches, use tools and techniques for continuous improvement, identify problems, and serve as a change agent to implement necessary changes. Additionally, you may lead staff responsible for business process management, document management, and business improvement. Your strategic activities will enable process excellence across Clinical Operations.

What you'll do:

  • Business Process Management:
  • Collaborate with SMEs to design and own clinical processes within an assigned area.
  • Document processes to meet regulatory requirements.
  • Lead forums to encourage standard methodologies.
  • Define KPIs and monitor performance.
  • Lead continuous improvement and change.
  • Share good practices within and across functions.
  • Monitor trends and provide insights into future possibilities.
  • Identify issues and raise as needed.
  • Maintain relationships with key partners.
  • Global Line Management (for some Directors):
  • Lead a team of process or document managers.
  • Provide global management and leadership.
  • Attract, develop, and retain top talent.
  • Offer mentoring, career guidance, and coaching.
  • Propose performance management and recognition for direct reports.
  • Develop future leaders and drive capability development.

Essential Skills/Experience

  • Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate field with 7 plus years of experience
  • Experience within a pharmaceutical company or a clinical background
  • High level of business process knowledge
  • Demonstrated project management skills to deliver to time, cost, and quality in large scale complex projects
  • Leadership skills promoting motivation and empowerment of others in order to accomplish individual, team, and organizational objectives
  • Experience in working successfully and collaboratively with external and global partners delivering mutual benefits
  • Ability to find opportunities, lead and foster cross-functional collaboration and to work across boundaries
  • Demonstrated excellent written and verbal communication and influencing skills, negotiations, presentation, knowledge transfer, problem solving, conflict management, and interpersonal skills

Desirable Skills/Experience

  • Advanced degree in a scientific discipline
  • Expert reputation within the business and industry
  • Experience of applying standard process improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean Six Sigma) to identify root causes of process issues
  • Extensive experience in the development and management of business processes to deliver business performance
  • Demonstrated ability to set and manage priorities, resources, performance targets, and project initiatives in a global and regional environment
  • Demonstrated ability to lead through change and see change as an opportunity to improve performance and contribute to the business

At AstraZeneca, we are driven by our passion for science. We are committed to making a difference by fusing data and technology with scientific innovations to achieve breakthroughs. Our inclusive environment encourages collaboration across academia, biotechs, and industry to create the greatest impact on disease. We empower our teams to explore new ways of handling diseases, always pushing the boundaries of science to deliver life-changing medicines.

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash ambitious 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.

If you're ready to make a significant impact on patients' lives by joining a team that follows the science with curiosity and courage, apply today!

Date Posted

04-Dec-2025

Closing Date

Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.