Group Senior Manager Data & AI

Octapharma AG; Lachen; On-site; CHF 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Octapharma AG, headquartered in Lachen, Switzerland, seeks a Group Senior Manager Data & AI to lead the enterprise data and AI strategy, architecture and governance. You will drive adoption, scale AI across business units and guide a cross-functional team to deliver measurable outcomes.

You will partner with leaders to translate business needs into scalable data solutions, manage external partnerships, and coach a high-performing team in a dynamic, global environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Science, Engineering or a related field.
• Proven leadership experience in data/AI programs across organizations.
• Experience defining and executing enterprise data & AI strategies and delivering business value.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive the Group Data & AI portfolio, prioritizing investments and scaling solutions across Octapharma.
• Lead the Group AI Committee, aligning AI strategy and governance across the company.
• Drive practical adoption of AI, including generative and agentic AI, into scalable business processes.

Skills

Data leadership

AI strategy

Stakeholder mgmt

Team leadership

Cloud platforms

Databricks

Python

Power BI

Governance

Communication

Education

Bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Science, IT, Data Science, Engineering or related field

Tools

Azure Databricks

Power BI

Job description

Become part of a vital chain and contribute to our common goal of making people’s lives better. Headquartered in Lachen, Switzerland, Octapharma is one of the largest human protein manufacturers in the world, developing and producing medicines sourced from human plasma and human cell lines. We are a privately-owned company, where the warmth of family meets the scale of a global organisation.
Join us in shaping our vision to provide new health solutions advancing human life.

Group Senior Manager Data & AI

Your main tasks and responsibilities

• Own and drive the Group Data & AI portfolio, partnering with business leaders to prioritize investments, deliver measurable business value and scale successful solutions across Octapharma.
• Lead the Group AI Committee, driving cross-functional alignment on AI strategy, governance and priorities, and ensuring the responsible adoption of AI technologies across Octapharma.
• Drive the practical adoption of AI, including generative and agentic AI, translating emerging technologies into secure, scalable solutions that improve business processes and deliver measurable value.
• Lead and develop the Group Data & AI team, providing strategic direction, coaching and guidance while fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Define and drive the group-wide data and AI strategy, including the evolution of the enterprise data platform, data architecture, governance frameworks and adoption of emerging AI technologies.
• Partner with business leaders and cross-functional stakeholders to identify, prioritize and deliver high-value data, analytics and AI use cases, translating business needs into scalable solutions with measurable impact.
• Drive the adoption and democratization of data and AI technologies across Octapharma, building internal capabilities through training, knowledge sharing and communities of practice.
• Lead the introduction and scaling of generative AI and agentic AI solutions, ensuring their responsible adoption, integration into business processes and sustainable transition into production services.
• Manage strategic technology partnerships, external service providers and vendors, ensuring effective delivery, knowledge transfer and alignment with business priorities.

Your expertise and ideal skill set

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Science, Engineering or a related field.
• Significant experience in data architecture, data engineering, analytics or AI, combined with demonstrated leadership experience in managing technical teams and working across matrix organizations.
• Proven experience defining and executing enterprise data and AI strategies, balancing long-term technology vision with pragmatic delivery of business value.
• Strong understanding of modern cloud-based data platforms and architectures, including data integration, data engineering, data modelling, governance and platform operations, ideally with hands‑on experience in Databricks.
• Solid knowledge of machine learning, generative AI and emerging agentic AI technologies, with the ability to assess opportunities, guide implementation and oversee the operationalization of AI solutions.
• Familiarity with relevant technologies and tools such as Azure Databricks, Power BI, Python, GitHub and enterprise generative AI platforms, including ChatGPT.
• Experience managing enterprise technology platforms, including security, scalability, reliability, cost optimization and collaboration with external technology partners.
• Demonstrated ability to drive organizational adoption and change, build communities of practice and enable business users to leverage data and AI technologies effectively.
• Strong business acumen and stakeholder management skills, with a proven ability to translate complex business challenges into actionable technology initiatives and measurable outcomes.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and people leadership skills, with a collaborative, pragmatic and solution-oriented mindset.

Your department - where you make an impact

• The Data & AI function is part of Corporate IT / Business Applications and plays a key role in driving Octapharma's data-driven and AI-enabled transformation across the Group.
• Our team leads the development, operation and continuous evolution of the group-wide data platform, providing a scalable and trusted foundation for data engineering, advanced analytics and AI solutions.
• We collaborate closely with business functions across Octapharma to turn data and AI opportunities into tangible business value, supporting innovation, operational excellence and informed decision-making.
• We drive the adoption of emerging AI technologies, including generative AI and agentic AI, while promoting data governance, knowledge sharing and AI literacy throughout the organization.
• You will lead a team of data and AI professionals, working closely with business stakeholders, IT teams and external partners, and report directly to the Group Senior Director Business Applications.

“Data and AI offer tremendous opportunities to transform how we work. I am looking for a leader who combines strategic thinking with a pragmatic approach, builds strong teams and turns technology into measurable business value.”
- Martin Metzger, Group Senior DirectorBusiness Applications

Thrive with us

• You help save lives - Every day is meaningful as we produce life-saving medicines
• Family values - Long-term perspective for employees and relationships
• Be rewarded with market-related salary and benefits package
• You will have a high level of influence where you can make a difference and leave your footprint
• Work with skilled and fun colleagues in a relatively informal organization
• Skills development - We offer various internal and external employee and leadership trainings, trainee programs and digital solutions
  

It´s in our blood

We live diversity and stand for equal opportunities as an employer! We therefore look forward to receiving your application - regardless of age, gender, origin, sexual orientation, and religion.
Please apply in English.

Claudia Vignau
Senior Expert Talent & Acquisition

Octapharma AG

Seidenstrasse 2, 8853 Lachen

T: [phone]

About Octapharma

Octapharma is one of the largest human protein manufacturers in the world, developing and producing human proteins from human plasma and human cell lines. We employ more than 11,000 people worldwide to support the treatment of patients in 120 countries with products across three therapeutic areas: Immunotherapy, Haematology and Critical Care. With seven R&D sites and five state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Austria, France, Germany, and Sweden, Octapharma also operates over 200 plasma donation centres across Europe and the US. With four decades of experience, we are committed to advancing patient care worldwide.