Business Operations Specialist

KCR Placement; Dublin; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

ICON is seeking a Business Operations Specialist to support governance operations and optimize reporting across multiple functions in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors.

Responsibilities include refreshing governance dashboards, coordinating reviews, gathering cross-functional inputs, and delivering data-driven insights to leadership to improve performance and strategic decision-making.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in life sciences, business administration, or a related field.
• Experience coordinating projects within governance operations.
• Demonstrated data literacy and advanced Excel skills including v-lookups; formulas.
• Project management experience.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Excellent communication with internal and external stakeholders.
• Detail-oriented and proactive with a problem-solving mindset.

Responsibilities

• Governance reporting, dashboards maintenance and refresh.
• Schedule and coordinate governance reviews.
• Track actions, decisions and follow-ups across governance forums.
• Prepare ILT project review materials and cross-functional inputs.
• Provide day-to-day operational support for governance processes.

Skills

Data literacy

Excel skills

Project management

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Detail-oriented

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in life sciences

Bachelor's degree in business administration

Job description

Business Operations Specialist

ICON is a global healthcare intelligence and clinical research organisation united by a mission to bring new medicines and treatments to patients faster.

As a values-driven organisation, integrity, collaboration, agility, and inclusion are at the heart of how we work and interact with each other, customers, patients and suppliers.

We are currently seeking a Business Operations Specialist to join our diverse and dynamic team. As a Business Operations Specialist at ICON, you will play a pivotal role in supporting and optimizing various business operations within the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.

What you will be doing

This role is responsible for supporting governance operations across multiple dimensions, including but not limited to:

Governance & Oversight Reporting:

• Managing and refreshing recurring governance and oversight reports and dashboards
• Supporting reporting cycles aligned to ILT and executive governance forums
• Ensuring data accuracy, consistency, and readiness for leadership reviews

Routine Governance Oversight Operations:

• Scheduling and coordinating project and governance reviews
• Triaging daily incoming governance requests and issues
• Tracking actions, decisions, and follow-ups across governance forums and ad hoc inquiries
• Providing day‑day operational support to keep governance processes running efficiently

ILT Project Review Support:

• Preparing review materials for ILT project reviews and applicable insights to support study selections
• Coordinating cross‑functional inputs to ensure review readiness

Key value contributions include:

• Identifying opportunities to optimize governance and reporting processes
• Delivering actionable insights and tactical, data‑driven recommendations to business leaders
• Contributes to the development of business strategies and operational plans. Collects and analyzes data to measure performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Operational Issue Resolution: Identify process or system inefficiencies, investigates root causes, and recommends practical solutions to enhance business outcomes.
• Requirements Gathering & Impact Analysis: Partners with stakeholders to translate business needs into clear requirements. Supports or leads impact assessments of system or process changes and contributes to testing and implementation planning.
• Reporting & Decision Support: Prepares and/or organizes business reports, dashboards, and summaries that enable informed decision‑making by business unit leaders and executives.
• Strategic Initiative Support: Collaborates with management to align on priorities and deliverables. Supports or leads assigned initiatives, ensuring timely execution and measurable outcomes.
• Systems Support: Provides foundational support across systems and processes, ensuring smooth operations, data integrity, and user access compliance. Works cross‑functionally to understand business needs and contribute to operational improvements.
• Communication & Enablement: Develops and distributes business communications, presentations, and training materials. May contribute to or lead the creation of functional policies, procedures, FAQs, and user documentation.
• Project & Change Management: Works cross‑functionally to support or manage projects. May serve as a project manager or change lead, depending on the complexity and scope of the initiative.

Your profile

• Bachelor's degree in life sciences, business administration, or a related field.
• Experience gained in Operational Support coordinating projects ideally within governance Operations.
• Demonstrated data literacy and advanced Excel skills including v-lookups; formulas etc.
• Project management experience.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities effectively.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Detail-oriented and proactive, with a strong problem‑solving mindset and a commitment to delivering high‑quality results.

#LI-ST1

What ICON can offer you:

Our success depends on the quality of our people. That’s why we’ve made it a priority to build a diverse culture that rewards high performance and nurtures talent.

In addition to your competitive salary, ICON offers a range of additional benefits. Our benefits are designed to be competitive within each country and are focused on well‑being and work life balance opportunities for you and your family.

Our benefits examples include:

• Various annual leave entitlements
• A range of health insurance offerings to suit you and your family’s needs.
• Competitive retirement planning offerings to maximize savings and plan with confidence for the years ahead.
• Global Employee Assistance Programme, LifeWorks, offering 24‑hour access to a global network of over 80,000 independent specialized professionals who are there to support you and your family’s well‑being.
• Life assurance
• Flexible country‑specific optional benefits, including childcare vouchers, bike purchase schemes, discounted gym memberships, subsidized travel passes, health assessments, among others.

Visit our careers site to read more about the benefits ICON offers.

At ICON, inclusion & belonging are fundamental to our culture and values. We’re dedicated to providing an inclusive and accessible environment for all candidates. ICON is committed to providing a workplace free of discrimination and harassment. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please let us know or submit a request here