Associate Director, Chemical Development

ASTRAZENECA UK LIMITED; Macclesfield; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading biopharmaceutical company is seeking an Associate Director for Chemistry in Macclesfield. This role involves leading a team focused on synthetic drug substance process development, mentoring scientists, and driving regulatory submissions. The ideal candidate has a degree in Chemistry with demonstrated people leadership skills and experience in developing commercially viable manufacturing processes. The company fosters innovation and offers a flexible working environment to support impactful contributions towards life-changing medicines.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in synthetic drug substance process development.
• Evidence of people leadership skills through previous responsibilities.
• Track record of leading development and scale-up of synthetic chemistry.
• Good understanding of the drug development process.
• Proven experience in authoring module 3.2 regulatory submissions.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team in synthetic process development and scale-up assessment.
• Drive CMC regulatory submissions and act as reviewer.
• Coach and mentor team members for professional development.
• Contribute to the Chemistry development strategy and improve capabilities.

Skills

Leadership of scientists

Synthetic drug substance process development

Coaching and mentoring

Project management skills

Education

Degree in Chemistry or equivalent experience

Tools

Regulatory submission authoring

Analytical chemistry knowledge

Job description

You will be responsible for leading a team within the Chemistry function developing synthetic manufacturing processes and supporting regulatory documentation. Working closely with the Senior Director for Chemistry to deliver aspects of the Small Molecule development strategy and drive successful delivery of the projects portfolio through Phase 3-enabling clinical development to commercialisation. Do you thrive when you can mentor scientists, deliver strategic goals, and see tangible impact on medicines reaching patients faster?

Responsibilities

• Synthetic process development with associated scale‑up assessment, and control strategy development
• Technology transfer and support of clinical drug substance manufacture and process validation
• Delivery of CMC regulatory submissions for clinical and marketing – acting as reviewer
• Driving effective collaboration with other skill groups to deliver drug substance projects
  • Line management of Synthetic Chemists, including:
    • Coaching and mentoring to support professional development, including onboarding of new starters
    • Performance management – goal setting and regular feed‑forward to drive impactful contributions
    • Driving SHE and compliance for team
  • Contribute to the Chemistry development strategy:
    • Lead improvement projects to enhance the capability and capacity of the Chemistry function to deliver their contribution to drug substance projects
    • Drive uptake of improved standards and ways of working within the Chemistry function

Here, your leadership turns complex science into dependable supply for patients worldwide. You will work with pioneering chemistry, digital technologies, and lean principles, side by side with colleagues who put unexpected teams in the same room to crack tough problems. With a truly global network and strong investment in people and modern facilities, you will grow your impact and your career‑learning from diverse teams, shaping standards across sites, and contributing to a more sustainable future. We value kindness alongside ambition, and we back decisive leaders who take ownership and deliver outcomes that matter.

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated leader to join the Chemistry function in AstraZeneca's Chemical Development department as Associate Director - Chemistry.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent experience in Chemistry + demonstrated experience in synthetic drug substance process development
• Evidence of people leadership skills through previous responsibilities, including coaching and mentoring of scientists
• Track record of leading development and scale‑up of synthetic chemistry to deliver commercially viable manufacturing processes, including understanding of the contribution of analytical chemistry, chemical engineering, and particle science
• Good understanding of the drug development process, especially late‑stage development to support Phase 3 clinical studies and launch including control strategy development
• Proven experience in authoring module 3.2 regulatory submissions

Desirable Skills/Experience

• Previous people management experience, including performance management and individual development
• Experience of reviewing module 3.2 regulatory submissions
• Evidence of driving the introduction of digital approaches and new synthetic manufacturing technology
• Good project management skills and the ability to drive multiple projects simultaneously within the team
• Experience of driving change and continuous improvement to improve overall efficiency with measurable impact at team level

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold 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're united by a bold ambition: to push the boundaries of science and deliver life‑changing medicines to patients worldwide. As a global, science‑led biopharmaceutical company, we transform pioneering research into breakthrough treatments across oncology, cardiovascular, respiratory, and rare diseases. Here, your talent will contribute to innovations that truly matter—helping us reimagine healthcare and create a healthier future for all!

Introduction to Role

Are you ready to lead world‑class small molecule chemistry development that turns bold science into reliable medicines for patients? In this role, you will set the technical direction for your team and elevate how we design, scale, and validate robust drug substance processes—reducing risk, shortening timelines, and enabling confident clinical supply and launch! Small molecule Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) remain a powerful modality for tackling disease. The complexity of small molecule therapeutics continues to grow, necessitating innovative and efficient means for their synthesis and manufacture to meet volume, cost and sustainability goals.