Director, Capability & Change

AstraZeneca; Macclesfield; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Flexible benefits fund

Pension contributions

Share Save Plans

Performance recognition scheme

Holiday purchase & flexible time off

Job summary

AstraZeneca in Macclesfield seeks a Director of Capability & Change to shape and deliver capability and change aligned with GCD Strategy to 2030. This role will oversee planning, communication and embedding of change across the organisation, while strengthening capabilities for long-term success.

Indispensable are strong stakeholder management, strategic communications, and experience in scientific or R&D environments to drive adoption and benefits realization.

Qualifications

• Experience in delivering complex organisational change and capability activity in a large, matrixed environment.
• Demonstrable experience leading or delivering complex organisational change and capability-building initiatives within a large, matrixed organisation, including handling interdependencies, risks, and contending priorities.
• Experience working in a scientific, technical, R&D, or manufacturing environment with knowledge of the associated processes, collaborators, and constraints.
• Proven ability to develop and implement clear, targeted communication strategies and plans that build understanding, engagement, readiness, and adoption throughout periods of change.
• Experience supporting or contributing to benefits realisation, including defining measures of success, tracking outcomes, and demonstrating value from change initiatives.
• Demonstrable experience designing and delivering learning, enablement, or capability-building activities that support the adoption of new processes, technologies, or behaviours.
• Experience supporting the implementation or adoption of AI, digital, or data-driven solutions within a scientific, laboratory, R&D, technical, or similarly complex environment.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to work effectively across functions and seniority levels.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, showing proficiency in expressing complex information clearly and effectively.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Capability and Change: Develop and deliver an integrated change approach to implement the GCD Strategy to 2030, aligned with business priorities.
• Capability Development: Equip colleagues and leaders with the skills, knowledge and support to adopt new processes, technologies and behaviours.
• Change and Technology Adoption: Lead engagement and adoption for new processes, ways of working, digital tools, data solutions and AI-enabled capabilities.
• AI in Scientific Workflows: Support the implementation of AI & Technology across laboratory and development activities.
• Communications: Deliver clear, audience-focused communications that explain the case for change, expected outcomes and progress.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build alignment with senior leaders and cross-functional teams, particularly scientific stakeholders, to strengthen readiness
• Learning and Enablement: Identify learning needs and coordinate practical, timely capability-building support.
• Readiness and Continuous Improvement: Assess readiness, address adoption barriers and use data and feedback to improve delivery.
• Benefits Realisation: Define and track success measures, communicate value and maximise realised benefits.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Change management experience

AI / digital awareness

Education

Degree in change management, transformation or related field

Job description

Director Capability & Change

Macclesfield, UK (3 days on site per week)

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-focused biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious diseases. But we’re more than one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. At AstraZeneca, we are pioneering new frontiers by identifying and treating patients earlier, working towards the aim of eliminating cancer as a cause of death.

Director Capability & Change

Macclesfield, UK (3 days on site per week)

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-focused biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious diseases. But we’re more than one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. At AstraZeneca, we are pioneering new frontiers by identifying and treating patients earlier, working towards the aim of eliminating cancer as a cause of death.

Come and join our AZ team where you will play a pivotal role in this exciting period of development!!

The Director Capability & Change will play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering the capability and change activity required to support GCDs Strategy to 2030. This role will be responsible for developing and implementing a clear and effective approach to change, ensuring that change is well planned, communicated, and embedded across the organisation, while also strengthening the capabilities needed to enable long-term success.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Capability and Change: Develop and deliver an integrated change approach to implement the GCD Strategy to 2030, aligned with business priorities.
• Capability Development: Equip colleagues and leaders with the skills, knowledge and support to adopt new processes, technologies and behaviours.
• Change and Technology Adoption: Lead engagement and adoption for new processes, ways of working, digital tools, data solutions and AI-enabled capabilities.
• AI in Scientific Workflows: Support the implementation of AI & Technology across laboratory and development activities.
• Communications: Deliver clear, audience-focused communications that explain the case for change, expected outcomes and progress.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build alignment with senior leaders and cross-functional teams, particularly scientific stakeholders, to strengthen readiness
• Learning and Enablement: Identify learning needs and coordinate practical, timely capability-building support.
• Readiness and Continuous Improvement: Assess readiness, address adoption barriers and use data and feedback to improve delivery.
• Benefits Realisation: Define and track success measures, communicate value and maximise realised benefits.

Requirements

• Degree in change management, transformation, learning and development, business or related field.
• Experience in delivering complex organisational change and capability activity in a large, matrixed environment.
• Demonstrable experience leading or delivering complex organisational change and capability-building initiatives within a large, matrixed organisation, including handling interdependencies, risks, and contending priorities.
• Experience working in a scientific, technical, R&D, or manufacturing environment with knowledge of the associated processes, collaborators, and constraints.
• Proven ability to develop and implement clear, targeted communication strategies and plans that build understanding, engagement, readiness, and adoption throughout periods of change.
• Experience supporting or contributing to benefits realisation, including defining measures of success, tracking outcomes, and demonstrating value from change initiatives.
• Demonstrable experience designing and delivering learning, enablement, or capability-building activities that support the adoption of new processes, technologies, or behaviours.
• Experience supporting the implementation or adoption of AI, digital, or data-driven solutions within a scientific, laboratory, R&D, technical, or similarly complex environment.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to work effectively across functions and seniority levels.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, showing proficiency in expressing complex information clearly and effectively.

In Office Requirement

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.

Competitive salary and benefits package on offer!

The successful candidate will have access to a flexible employee benefits fund, including holiday purchase and flexible time off, pension contributions, Share Save Plans, A performance recognition scheme and a competitive, generous remuneration package.

Date Posted

16-Sept-2026

Closing Date

30-Sept-2026

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.