Manager I, Business Management & Operations

Typical Accountabilities

• Independently manages business and operational priorities across departmental initiatives, ensuring milestones, deliverables, and timelines are actively tracked and progressed. The individual identifies risks and drives timely resolution or escalation where needed to maintain momentum and delivery quality.
• Drives cross-functional stakeholder engagement across projects and operational activities, aligning parties on priorities, clarifying expectations, and ensuring decisions and actions are followed in a timely and effective manner.
• Manage resources and operational tracking activities, including maintaining visibility of team capacity, monitoring resource requirements, and generating insights to inform leadership discussions on prioritization, allocation, and planning.
• Manage external alliance-related activities, including driving follow-up of actions and decisions, monitoring timelines, and maintaining effective communication with both internal and external stakeholders to ensure execution remains on track.
• Take responsibility for selected laboratory operational and administrative activities, including implementation and optimization of technical tools, systems, or platforms that strengthen bioanalytical capability, operational efficiency, and team capacity.
• Beyond core project and operational responsibilities, the role contributes proactively to departmental effectiveness through governance, reporting, process improvement, team engagement initiatives, and development of more efficient and scalable ways of working.
• Take on additional responsobilities or other assignments as agreed with line manager and Development Science team leaders.  

Education, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Essential

• A bachelor’s degree in life sciences, project management, or a related field is preferred.
• Candidates should bring 8+ years of relevant experience in business operations, project management, operational excellence, or a similar function, ideally within the pharmaceutical industry.
• Experience of working independently across cross-functional teams and managing multiple priorities is essential.
• The successful candidate should demonstrate strong ownership, sound judgment, and the ability to independently manage assignments from planning through execution.
• The role requires strong organizational, communication, and stakeholder management skills, as well as the confidence to navigate ambiguity, challenge constructively, and drive progress across teams.
• A practical understanding of project management, operational planning, budget tracking, and resource management is important. Candidates should be able to synthesize information, identify key risks or bottlenecks, and propose actionable solutions to support decision-making.
• Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and general business systems is expected. The ability to use AI tools for reporting, data management, analysis, and operational updates is also important. Fluent written and spoken English is required.

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 authorisation and employment eligibility verification requirements.