Ops IT Asia Pacific Regional Lead

Role Purpose

The OpsIT Asia Pacific Regional Lead shapes and delivers region-wide digital, data and AI-enabled outcomes that accelerate Operations strategy, productivity, resilience, compliance and growth across Asia Pacific.

Based in China, the role is the senior technology integrator for the region, partnering with the Asia Pacific Regional SVP, China leadership, site leadership and the Regional Leadership Team to translate business ambition into executable roadmaps, measurable value and sustained performance.

The role holds end-to-end accountability for IT performance, digital value realisation, operational technology alignment and responsible adoption of global digital, data, automation and AI capabilities across the region.

Working with OpsIT Global Capabilities, Architecture, Analytics, Security, Portfolio, Service Delivery and local market teams, the role orchestrates deployment and exploitation of enterprise platforms while ensuring regional needs, cross-market dependencies, data considerations and regulatory expectations are met.

Asia Pacific is strategically important, diverse and complex. The role leverages digital, automation, analytics and AI technologies to drive productivity, simplification, resilience and competitive advantage in a highly regulated environment.

Function/Team/Location

• Member of the Asia Pacific Regional Leadership Team, providing IT leadership across regional sites, markets, processes and digital capabilities.

• Member of the OpsIT Regional Leadership Team, contributing to enterprise-wide Operations IT strategy, governance and AI-enabled transformation.

• Based in China, with proximity to senior business stakeholders, strategic manufacturing activity and Asia Pacific regional priorities.

• Direct leadership of a regional OpsIT leadership team, with broader accountability through a global, regional, market and site-based matrix organisation.

• Primary senior IT interface to the Operations APAC Regional SVP and Regional Leadership Team.

• Works closely with Global OpsIT and AZIT functions, including Capabilities, Architecture, Data & Analytics, Cyber Security, Portfolio, Service Delivery, AI governance and transformation teams.

Key Accountabilities

Regional Business & Technology Leadership

• Act as the senior IT business partner to the Asia Pacific Regional SVP, China leadership and Regional Leadership Team, shaping technology direction to enable Operations strategy, growth, resilience, compliance and competitiveness.

• Hold end-to-end accountability for IT performance, digital value realisation, operational technology alignment and service outcomes across Asia Pacific.

• Build trusted executive relationships through deep understanding of regional priorities, China context, site needs, cross-market risks and future direction.

Strategy, Roadmaps & Value Realisation

• Define and govern integrated digital, data, automation and AI roadmaps aligned to Operations outcomes, enterprise strategy, regional priorities and measurable KPIs.

• Translate ambition into investment plans, business cases and prioritised portfolios with clear benefits tracking, adoption metrics and value ownership.

• Coordinate regional, market and site demand with global OpsIT and AZIT partners to optimise sequencing, dependencies, localisation needs, regulatory fit and speed to value.

Digital, Data & AI Leadership

• Lead adoption of AI-enabled, data-driven and automated capabilities across manufacturing, supply chain, quality, engineering, operational excellence and regional decision-making.

• Build AI literacy and confidence across leadership teams, helping stakeholders understand practical use cases, responsible adoption, limitations, risk and value levers.

• Prioritise high-value AI, GenAI, automation and advanced analytics use cases that improve productivity, performance, compliance and decision-making.

• Ensure responsible, secure, ethical and compliant use of AI and data through strong governance, global partnership, model and data risk awareness and disciplined change management.

Delivery Excellence & Operational Stability

• Own regional delivery excellence for global deployments and locally led initiatives from mobilisation through adoption, stabilisation and benefits realisation.

• Ensure operational stability, cyber posture, data integrity and service performance meet or exceed expectations across a diverse regional footprint.

• Use data-driven insights and regional performance indicators to identify risks, delivery constraints, service gaps and improvement opportunities.

• Manage cross-market dependencies and escalation paths, ensuring regional priorities are represented in global governance forums.

Change, Engagement & Leadership

• Champion change management to drive adoption and sustained value from digital, data, automation and AI investments.

• Drive simplification, standardisation, reuse and continuous improvement while recognising legitimate local market and regulatory needs.

• Lead high-performing, inclusive and digitally confident teams, building capability in AI literacy, data-led decision-making, business partnering and transformation leadership.

• Contribute actively to broader Operations IT leadership priorities, role-modelling enterprise thinking, collaboration and accountable delivery.

Education, Qualifications, and Experience

Essential

• Extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical industry or similarly regulated environments, with strong manufacturing, quality, supply chain and operational technology understanding.

• Proven track record leading digital, data, automation or AI-enabled transformation across complex regional or global organisations, delivering measurable outcomes.

• Experience influencing senior leaders and shaping business and technology strategy across multiple markets, cultures and operating models.

• Success developing and governing business cases, investment plans, portfolios and benefits realisation approaches.

• Strong experience leading through matrix structures, including regional, site, functional and global capability teams.

• Consistent delivery at enterprise scale, including adoption, operational stability, compliance, cyber resilience and value creation.

Extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical industry or similarly regulated environments, with strong manufacturing, quality, supply chain and operational technology understanding.

• Proven track record leading digital, data, automation or AI-enabled transformation across complex regional or global organisations, delivering measurable outcomes.

• Experience influencing senior leaders and shaping business and technology strategy across multiple markets, cultures and operating models.

• Success developing and governing business cases, investment plans, portfolios and benefits realisation approaches.

• Strong experience leading through matrix structures, including regional, site, functional and global capability teams.

• Consistent delivery at enterprise scale, including adoption, operational stability, compliance, cyber resilience and value creation.

Desirable

• Degree-level education or equivalent experience in business, technology, engineering, manufacturing, data, AI or related fields.

• Experience with AI-enabled manufacturing, supply chain, quality, maintenance or operational excellence solutions.

• Experience operating in China and across Asia Pacific markets, including diverse cultural, regulatory and business environments.

• Active industry, academic or thought-leadership networks in pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, digital supply chain, AI or operational technology.

• Strong understanding of pharmaceutical manufacturing and how digital, data, automation and AI improve performance.

Skills and Capabilities

Essential：

• Strong understanding of digital, data, automation and AI trends and their application in regulated manufacturing and supply chain environments.

• Practical AI literacy: identifies valuable use cases, explains AI concepts clearly, understands limitations and risk, and guides responsible adoption.

• Translates complex technology, data, cyber and AI concepts into clear business outcomes, priorities, trade-offs and decisions.

• Experience in GxP or similarly regulated contexts, with awareness of data integrity, cyber security, validation and compliance expectations.

• Highly effective influencing, negotiation and stakeholder-management skills across senior leaders, regional teams, sites, global functions and partners.

• Data-driven decision-making mindset, using operational, service, adoption and value metrics to shape priorities and action.

• Excellent communication skills and confidence operating across cultures, markets and senior stakeholder groups.

Desirable：

• Familiarity with responsible-AI frameworks, AI governance, data governance, model risk management and emerging regulatory expectations.

• Ability to coach leaders and teams through AI-enabled transformation, workforce readiness, adoption and new ways of working.

• Strong capability operating in large global matrix organisations, balancing enterprise standards with regional and local market needs.

• Experience building digital, data, analytics, automation or AI literacy across business and IT teams.

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.