Strategy and Innovation & Business Excellence (IBEX) Director

AstraZeneca; London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading biopharmaceutical company in London is seeking a Strategy and Innovation & Business Excellence (IBEX) Director to lead enterprise-wide strategy and drive operational transformation. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, showcasing strong strategic leadership and business acumen. This role emphasizes collaboration across various teams and the development of analytical capabilities to enhance commercial models.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Professional development opportunities

Health benefits

Qualifications

• Breadth and depth of experience in pharmaceutical industry.
• Proven track record of strategic leadership.
• Experience managing people and processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of enterprise-wide strategy.
• Drive integrated business planning and performance governance.
• Champion operational transformation across the UK business.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Business acumen

Transformation programmes

Integrated business planning

Influencing skills

Collaboration

Job description

Strategy and Innovation & Business Excellence (IBEX) Director

London

Advert Closing Date: 26th August 2025

Introduction to role:

As the Strategy and Innovation & Business Excellence (IBEX) Director, you'll be at the forefront of revolutionising our UK organization. You'll use your understanding of the healthcare system, our go-to-market model, and crucial capabilities to succeed. This role is delivered as Strategy Director and through four dynamic Centres of Excellence in IBEX: Data, Insight & Analytics; Digital Customer Engagement; Commercial Operations; and Technology Transformation. As a key member of the AZ UK Senior Leadership Team, you'll report directly to the Country President AZ UK and represent AZUK on Global and Regional IBEX Forums.

Accountabilities:

Strategic Leadership and Enterprise Focus

• Lead the design and execution of enterprise-wide strategy, including business-critical projects and processes
• Drive integrated business planning, performance governance, and UK strategic scorecard accountability
• Champion simplification and operational transformation, embedding new ways of working across the UK business
• Shape strategic agendas and decision-making forums within the Senior Leadership Team, fostering a high-performing collaborative culture
• Drive cohesion across therapy areas and collaboration with regional and global teams

Data, Insight and Analytics

• Drive excellence across key business planning processes.
• Oversee data acquisition and market research plans to inform forecasts, strategies, and performance analytics.
• Build new analytical capabilities to assess impact and improve precision of the commercial model.
• Develop data strategy to support current and future pipeline.

Digital Customer Engagement

• Build a Digital Customer Engagement strategy, maximising valued customer interactions across our Go To Market model
• Collaborate with franchise heads to build audience insights and digital channel strategies aligned with brand strategy.
• Set the Platform Excellence agenda for delivering digital customer engagement across various channels.

Commercial Operations

• Lead delivery of channel effectiveness analyses and innovative Sales and Incentive Schemes through sophisticated analytics.
• Simplify and re-launch the commercial onboarding process for sales and marketing professionals.
• Supervise the development of capability frameworks for Sales & Marketing roles.

Technology Transformation

• Optimise core commercial platforms to reduce manual workload and improve field experience.
• Build and maintain technology roadmap supporting AZUK Customer Powerhouse GTM.
• Transform legacy reporting into an intuitive dashboard environment.

Ex-AZUK Accountabilities

• Represent AZUK on the Global Digital Council.
• Represent AZUK on the EUCAN IBEX Leadership Team.
• Represent AZUK on Global iNEXT meeting.

Essential Skills/Experience:

• Breadth and depth of experience in pharmaceutical industry, with a strong track record of strategic leadership and business acumen.
• Proven strategic leadership experience, with the ability to develop, communicate, and implement enterprise-wide strategy across diverse business areas
• Track record of leading and delivering complex transformation programmes, including digital, performance, IT, and business process initiatives in a matrix environment
• Advanced skills in integrated business planning, operational governance, scorecard management, and project delivery
• Experience managing people and processes, including acting as strategy lead, or effectively leading and coaching a strategy lead within a matrixed organisation
• Track record of leading large organisations and effective influencing
• Experience of building high performing teams and building collaborative relationships across global and local teams.
• Experience in senior commercial excellence or sales force excellence or sales operations roles.

Desirable Skills/Experience:

• Operational experience in sales and/or marketing management combined with in-depth knowledge of key account management structures.
• Understanding of the UK Healthcare system and trends.
• Proven experience leading Sales and Marketing teams in the UK market

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.

Business Area

AstraZeneca offers an environment where you can thrive on energy and pace, contributing to life-saving medicines that shape the future. With an expanding Biopharmaceuticals pipeline, we share learnings as we bring products to market together. Here, you can build a diverse career with opportunities to switch lanes easily, all while making a meaningful impact on patients' lives.

At AstraZeneca, we believe in the potential of our people, and we’ll develop you beyond what you thought possible. There are countless opportunities to develop and grow with AstraZeneca – working with top people to build a diverse career and learn what Commercial looks like at its best.

At AstraZeneca UK, we are committed to delivering against three missions:

• Accelerating the position of the UK as a global centre of excellence in life sciences
• Redefining healthcare through fast and equitable access to the most effective medicines, high quality care
• Delivering balanced leadership that prioritises healthy people, society and planet

Our head office in Pancras Square offers us the strongest possible platform to transform the lives of patients, as the country’s leading biopharmaceutical company. It brings AstraZeneca UK closer to our customers, partners and collaborators in the UK’s healthcare environment, as well as develop greater collaboration with the wider AstraZeneca footprint.

Ready to make a difference? Apply now to join AstraZeneca's journey in shaping the future of healthcare!

Date Posted

13-Aug-2025

Closing Date

26-Aug-2025 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.