Senior Director, AI-Ready Data Preparation

AstraZeneca; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

AstraZeneca is seeking a Senior Director to lead the enterprise capability for AI-ready data at scale, uniting data foundations, AI technology, and business-facing AI to accelerate results across the value chain.

The role drives reusable, self-service data products, DataOps practices, and robust end-to-end pipelines while ensuring security, compliance, and scalable orchestration across global platforms.

Qualifications

• Extensive data engineering leadership delivering production-grade data products and platforms for AI/ML and analytics.
• Data product contracts, lineage, SLAs, CI/CD for data, automated testing, and metadata-driven pipelines for self-service.
• Experience with batch/streaming data integration, orchestration, and cost-aware cloud storage/processing.
• Practical application of enterprise security controls and safe data transfer with obfuscation techniques.
• Strong habit of applying enterprise data patterns and microservices/event-driven designs.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy and execution for AI-ready data preparation across high-priority AI use cases.
• Build, own, and operate enterprise data products for AI/ML and analytics with defined data contracts and quality rules.
• Implement DataOps practices and automation to streamline ingestion, transformation, testing, and provisioning.
• Design and run end-to-end data pipelines with scalable orchestration and cost optimization on sanctioned cloud platforms.
• Apply obfuscation patterns to enable safe AI experimentation and compliant data transfer at scale.
• Lead and grow engineering teams across onshore and offshore locations; manage suppliers and ensure delivery quality.

Skills

Data engineering leadership

Data product & DataOps

Integration & orchestration

Security & obfuscation

Architecture & design patterns

Leadership & team inspiration

Innovation & external perspectives

Vendor & partner management

Job description

We're building a connected, end-to-end Enterprise AI engine - uniting data foundations, AI technology, process reinvention, and business-facing AI to accelerate results across the whole value chain. Success depends on being outstanding connectors: you'll actively harness existing capabilities, celebrate and promote reuse, export breakthrough ideas across geographies and functions, and obsess over scaling impact rather than building in isolation. If you thrive in high-collaboration environments where your role is to turn sophisticated, cross-functional problems into reusable, enterprise-wide capabilities - and where the measure of success is adoption and scale, not just innovation - you'll have the platform (and sponsorship) to make it real.

Introduction to role

This role leads the enterprise capability that prepares, processes, and provisions AI-ready data at scale, using approved standards, tooling, and guidelines. The team builds and operates next generation data preparation, integration, orchestration, transfer, and obfuscation capabilities, driving increasing automation and self service for data consumers. The Senior Director also delivers and owns priority enterprise data products, demonstrating how to apply enterprise patterns end to end to accelerate time to insight for AI/ML and analytics through compliant, reliable, and efficient pipelines. Ready to develop how AI-ready data is composed and consumed across a global organisation?

Accountabilities

Lead the strategy and execution for AI-ready data preparation across high priority AI use cases, shifting from custom solutions to reusable, self-serviceable data products with growing automation. Build, own, and operate high value enterprise data products for AI/ML and analytics, applying enterprise schemas, lineage models, SLAs/SLOs, data contracts, and quality rules that drive trust and adoption. Implement DataOps practices and AI-driven automation that streamline ingestion, transformation, testing, and deployment, while enabling self-serve discovery, access, and provisioning on approved enterprise platforms. Design and run robust end-to-end data pipelines (ingest/store → prepare → provision) with scalable orchestration, metadata-driven processing, performance tuning, and cost optimisation on sanctioned cloud platforms. Apply enterprise security controls and approved obfuscation patterns such as masking, tokenisation, and anonymisation to enable safe AI experimentation and compliant data transfer at scale. Build and maintain exemplar implementations and reusable components that showcase approved ways of working for data storage, preparation, provisioning, integration, orchestration, transfer, and obfuscation. Lead and grow high performing engineering teams across onshore and offshore locations, manage suppliers effective, and ensure on time, high quality delivery using enterprise tooling and delivery frameworks. Evaluate and pilot emerging capabilities within enterprise guardrails, make clear buy versus configure recommendations, and generate evidence of value and adoption to scale successful patterns. How will you push the boundaries of what AI-ready data can do here?

Essential Skills/Experience

• Extensive data engineering leadership with a track record delivering production grade data products and platforms supporting AI/ML and analytics.
• Data product and DataOps expertise: Hands on proficiency with data product contracts, lineage, quality SLAs, CI/CD for data, automated testing, and metadata driven pipelines that enable self service.
• Integration, orchestration, and storage: Deep experience with batch/streaming integration, workflow orchestration, and scalable storage/processing on modern cloud data platforms, including performance and cost optimisation.
• Security and obfuscation: Practical application of enterprise security controls, secure data transfer, and approved obfuscation techniques in regulated environments.
• Architecture and design patterns: Strong command of applying enterprise data/application design patterns and microservices/event driven approaches using sanctioned tools and reference implementations.
• Able to move at pace and lead and inspire technical team, whilst working within a rapid evolving, often ambiguous business context.
• Innovates, experiments and brings external perspectives, with a track record of applying innovative technologies and approaches to increase speed, quality and compliance if data.
• Partner and vendor management: Ability to influence senior collaborators, manage partner ecosystems, and build high performing teams; clear communication of value, outcomes, and adoption metrics.

Desirable Skills/Experience

Experience leading large-scale AI/ML or analytics transformation programmes in sophisticated global organisations. Background in building or operating shared enterprise data platforms or internal data marketplaces. Familiarity with regulated industries such as life sciences, healthcare, or financial services. Proven track record to translate strategic business priorities into actionable roadmaps for AI-ready data capabilities. Track record of nurturing engineering excellence through coaching, standards, and communities of practice.

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power toinspire 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!

#EAI

Date Posted

11-Sept-2026

Closing Date

01-Oct-2026

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.