Director, Alliance Management

At AstraZeneca, we pride ourselves on crafting a collaborative culture that champions knowledge-sharing, ambitious thinking and innovation – ultimately providing employees with the opportunity to work across teams, functions and even the globe.

Recognizing the importance of individualized flexibility, our ways of working allow employees to balance personal and work commitments while ensuring we continue to create a strong culture of collaboration and teamwork by engaging face-to-face in our offices 3 days a week. Our head office and BlueSky Hub in downtown Toronto are purposely designed with collaboration in mind, providing space where teams can come together to strategize, brainstorm and connect on key projects.

Our dedication to sustainability is also central to our culture and part of what makes AstraZeneca a great place to work. We know the health of people, the planet and our business are interconnected which is why we’re taking ambitious action to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, from climate change to access to healthcare and disease prevention.

The Alliance Management (AM) group sits within BioPharma Clinical Operations and is accountable for setting the sourcing strategy across R&D and managing adherence to it. They ensure our suppliers deliver to the needs of the organisations; and develop strong, beneficial partnerships with key suppliers.

The role of the Alliance Management Director is to act as the Alliance Lead for one or more supplier(s) within outsourcing model(s) / service line(s). They will be responsible for ensuring the supplier(s) within the model(s) are meeting the operational needs of the customers; ensuring alliance effectiveness, appropriate communications, ensuring that selected partners deliver to contract; and that strong relationships with the external suppliers are created and maintained.

Supplier / Model Governance

• Accountable for the alliance management of one or more supplier(s) within or across model(s) / service line(s)
• Proactively identifies and manages risks at the supplier / model/service line level
• Serves as point of contact for issue escalation to AM for their assigned supplier (s), and key in ensuring solutions are identified in collaboration with the business stakeholders. Facilitates resolution of any operational issues that impact delivery
• Leads operational governance of the supplier(s) / model(s) / service line(s)
• In collaboration with the AM Group Lead, contributes to executive level governance meetings; and contributes to or leads model level governance and supplier council forums, as required
• Acts as audit Sponsor and/or audit co-ordinator for AZ led supplier audits as applicable

Supplier / Model Quality and Performance

• With the AM Group Lead ensures definition of appropriate Metrics and SLAs for the supplier within the MSA
• Monitors quality and performance of service deliverables in alignment with the MSA
• Ensure that selected suppliers deliver to contract and that strong relationships with the external suppliers and internal customers are created and maintained
• Ensures effective visibility of supplier performance to relevant stakeholders
• Ensures ongoing assessment and integration of Lessons Learned for suppliers / models/service lines
• Seeks opportunities to drive efficiencies and continuous improvement within supplier and model/service lines

Study Team Support

• Ensures understanding of roles and responsibilities across delivery teams for assigned delivery model(s) / service line(s)
• Works with AM Process Integration Lead, internal subject matter experts and counterparts in supplier organisations to ensure the effective use and maintenance of interface processes / ways of working (e.g. Alliance Handbooks)

Stakeholder Engagement

• Fosters development of a collaborative, organizational culture; and ensures successful relationships by building trust, demonstrating proactive partnership management, and holding internal and external stakeholders to account
• Role models partnering behaviours and expected ways of working

Portfolio / Capacity Management

• Monitors capacity within the supplier and model / service line to support the portfolio

Alliance Management Development

• May have responsibility for line management or coaching of junior members of the team
• Serves as a delegate for the AM Group Lead for specific tasks or activities, as necessary

• May support or lead key strategic initiatives within AM and contribute to initiatives outside of AM

Essential Requirements:

• University degree in related discipline, or equivalent
• Strong experience from within the pharmaceutical industry or clinical research organization
• Detailed knowledge of clinical and pharmaceutical drug development process at various phases of development
• Experience of working successfully with external partners / managing relationships
• Experience of directing alliance governance frameworks and processes (incl performance metrics)
• Ability to network and collaborate with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders (incl senior stakeholders)
• Strong leadership and influencing skills, especially without authority
• Strong collaboration skills across global and functional boundaries
• Strategic mindset and innovative thinker with affinity toward experimentation and appropriate risk taking
• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal
• Excellent conflict resolution, mediation and negotiation skills
• Strong project management skills
• Able to see the full picture and understand impact of actions
• Ability to work with agility to solve problems that involve many decision makers, and develop multiple options/recommendations
• Excellent collaboration skills required to work across global and functional boundaries
• Familiar with ICH GCP and related guidelines and practices

Desirables:

• Experience of partner selection and qualification
• Proven ability to deal with complex situations holistically
• Technical understanding of service deliverables and subject matter expertise (e.g. study management, data management, analysis and reporting)
• Knowledge of existing AstraZeneca external suppliers & models
• Knowledge of AstraZeneca policies, procedures and guidelines

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Are you interested in working at AZ, apply today!

AstraZeneca is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion and providing a workplace that is free from discrimination.

AstraZeneca is committed to accommodating persons with disabilities. Such accommodation is available on request in respect of all aspects of the recruitment, assessment and selection process and may be requested by emailing .

Date Posted 23-May-2024

Closing Date 06-Jun-2024

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.

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