Director- Operations Engineering

Job Title: Director- Operations Engineering

GCL- F

Introduction to role

As the Director of Operations Engineering, you will be responsible for all aspects of planning, analysis, design, configuration, testing, release, production, support, and implementation of IT4IT platform capabilities across all Commercial IT delivery teams. You will also support non-Commercial BTGs and Commercial business teams while working closely with third-party suppliers. This role involves providing leadership and oversight of platform strategic roadmaps, monitoring production performance and health, maintaining platform compliance aligned with AZ IT Cyber Security policies, and offering SME consultation across all Operations Engineering platform services.

Accountabilities

The Operations Engineering Lead will perform Line and people management responsibilities for a team of platform analysts, capability developers, integration, and platform success team operating within GITC locations.

- Lead, coach, and mentor other platform engineers in defining IT platform solutions, ensuring alignment with BTG and business strategies and priorities.
- Promote and ensure the effective use of AstraZeneca’s Software Development Lifecycle methodology and practices aligned with IT platform portfolio delivery.
- Provide technical expertise to AZ IT project and IT change implementation teams working on the development, configuration, testing, release, maintenance, and improvement of IT solutions.
- Work with IT solution delivery resources and IT Capability team counterparts to ensure validation of business and functional requirements at sufficient levels to enhance delivery team capacity utilization.
- Develop IT investment arguments, Request for Proposals, supplier selection, and evaluation of proposals.
- Maintain effective interoperability of services and technologies and assure alignment of platform capability designs with AstraZeneca standards, policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
- Accountable for operations engineering capacity and utilization management across demand portfolio.
- Maintain sole technical ownership accountability for platforms that includes partnering with platform vendors on capability strategies and roadmaps.
- Maintain effective relationships and communications with business and BTG collaborators.
- Maintain overall accountability for platform health that includes compliance, portfolio, upgrades, sustainability, innovation, and automation capabilities aligned with multi-functional governance strategic roadmaps.

Financial Management

- Establish operating budgets.
- Key partner in achieving recharge financial targets aligned with assigned portfolio.

Vendor Management

- Maintain vendor engagement ownership in influencing platform vendor strategies and roadmaps aligning to Commercial IT and non-Commercial IT business needs.
- Review third-party supplier impact assessments and delivery. Report high-level risks to management.

Continuous Improvement and Innovation

- Lead the Platform Success Lead(s) or/and Technical Leads to prioritize continuous improvement strategies and roadmap feeding into platform enhancement backlogs.
- Identify new software technologies and services to fit specialized business needs and configurations.
- Conduct performance analysis and document platform blueprints.
- Leverage qualitative and quantitative data, including SDLC and service delivery KPIs, SLAs, MTTR, and applicable metrics to drive continuous improvement backlog updates and maintain continuity of service level commitments.
- Identify issues with current processes and provide input on proposed changes to improve the efficiency of IT.

Operating Model

- Accountable for partnering with enterprise functions (ETS, IGNITE, ECS, etc.) on services performance supporting SSD delivery and maintain entry point role for services strategy and improvement discussions with enterprise teams.
- Partner with SSD Delivery teams (Solution Operations, Delivery Excellence, Application Engineering, Data Analysis & AI, and Software Engineering) and is responsible for effective rollout of agile, lean delivery framework practices to platform teams within the lead’s assigned portfolio.

Essential Skills/Experience

- Degree level education in computer science, life science technologies or similar
- Prior experience in an Information Services/Information Technology environment
- Proven experience of managing relationships with 3rd party suppliers
- Solid understanding of AWS Cloud Capabilities/Functions
- Experience with multiple different types of software risks
- Customer Experience
- Scrum Master Certified
- Solid understanding and experience with IT solution implementation requiring compliance with Industry Cyber-Security requirements (including OWASP, NIST…)
- Evidence of designing, shaping, and implementing innovative solutions and driving any changes
- Ability to interpret and communicate technical information into business language
- Expertise in Lean Practices and Agile Software Development
- Expertise in application design patterns and processes
- Expertise in Continuous Integration and Deployment methods delivered as part of an agile team
- Expertise with data and technical function Integration with cloud web services (AWS, etc.)

Desirable Skills/Experience

- Experience of working within a quality and compliance environment and application of policies, procedures, and guidelines
- ITIL/Lean Certification (foundation)
- Demonstrate initiative, strong customer orientation, and cross-cultural working
- Agile Engineering Practices
- Commercial Discernment

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we fuel 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.

At AstraZeneca, we connect across the whole business to power each function to better influence patient outcomes. Here you can play a crucial role in driving exciting transformation on our journey to becoming a digital and data-led enterprise. Work alongside leading experts using brand-new techniques to turn sophisticated information into life-changing insights. Our inclusive team brings together diverse areas to decode business needs and apply technical know-how to add greater value.

Ready to make a difference? Apply now!

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.