Associate Capital Project Director,

AstraZeneca; Gaithersburg (MD); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

AstraZeneca is seeking an Associate Capital Project Director in Gaithersburg, MD to lead nine-figure capital investments and expand our Americas facilities. You will drive complex, compliant projects with cross-functional teams and suppliers, delivering measurable business value while balancing safety and quality.

Based in Gaithersburg, MD, you will collaborate in a matrix environment, travel up to 50%, and deliver projects on time, within scope and budget.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in capital project leadership.
• Direct project experience in pharma or process-intensive manufacturing.
• Experience managing projects over $100M in value.
• Project leadership in a matrix, cross-functional environment.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the project charter aligned to business outcomes.
• Develop and implement the integrated Project Management Plan.
• Establish governance and enable timely, high-quality decisions.
• Identify and mitigate risks; manage the Change Register.
• Build and manage an integrated master schedule; drive milestones.
• Govern the approved budget and lead forecast reviews.
• Maintain strong partner relationships; lead supplier teams.
• Deliver safety, quality, and compliant handover to operations.
• Coach the team and capture lessons learned.
• Travel to project sites up to 50% to unblock issues.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Influence others

Drive and resilience

Diversity & teamwork

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Introduction To Role

Are you ready to lead nine-figure capital investments that accelerate life-changing medicines to patients? As an Associate Capital Project Director, you will turn bold business cases into operational reality by delivering complex facilities and capabilities that expand our scientific and manufacturing footprint across the Americas.

Are you ready to lead nine-figure capital investments that accelerate life-changing medicines to patients? As an Associate Capital Project Director, you will turn bold business cases into operational reality by delivering complex facilities and capabilities that expand our scientific and manufacturing footprint across the Americas. You will join a global engineering community that flourishes with building at pace without compromising safety, quality, or compliance. Based in Gaithersburg, MD, you will drive major investments in the mid-Atlantic region, aligning scope, schedule, cost, and risk to secure reliable supply and measurable business value. Do you thrive in a dynamic, matrix environment where you orchestrate cross-functional teams and suppliers to deliver on what matters most?

Accountabilities

• Strategic Capital Leadership: Define and own the project charter aligned to business outcomes, translating strategy into a clear delivery roadmap for major investments.
• Project Initiation and Planning: Develop, maintain, communicate, and implement the integrated Project Management Plan, ensuring every function understands roles, responsibilities, and decision rights.
• Governance and Decision Making: Establish and operate robust governance in line with the Capital Project Delivery Process, enabling timely, high-quality decisions and transparent reporting.
• Risk and Change Control: Proactively identify and mitigate risks; own the Project Change Register; assess and secure approvals for scope changes to protect value and schedule.
• Schedule and Performance: Build and manage an integrated master schedule; drive plan-do-review cycles to meet business case milestones and achieve H1/H2 signoffs.
• Cost and Capital Stewardship: Govern the approved budget and spending plan; lead forecast and cost reviews to ensure on-budget delivery and optimized capital efficiency.
• Stakeholder and Partner Management: Maintain strong relationships with business partners; translate requirements into design, construction, commissioning, and qualification deliverables; lead supplier teams and foster collaboration.
• Quality, Safety, and Compliance: Deliver safely and compliantly to predefined quality requirements; ensure successful handover to operations with Operational Performance Criteria met.
• Team Leadership and Learning: Clarify roles, coach a high-performing team, and capture lessons learned and good practices to raise the bar across the portfolio.
• Site Presence and Travel: Be present where it counts - travel to project sites up to 50% to unblock issues, accelerate decisions, and secure outcomes.

Essential Skills/Experience

• A minimum of 5 years of experience
• Direct project experience in managing/leading capital investments in pharmaceutical or process-intensive manufacturing industries.
• High levels of drive, energy and resilience with ability to take the initiative
• Ability to work well in diverse teams and proven aptitude to influence others to achieve positive outcomes
• Bachelor's degree
• Many years' engineering and/or project experience.
• Proven supervisory and technical skills.
• Demonstrated capability to manage projects in excess of $100M

Desirable Skills/Experience

• A project management qualification
• Master's degree in engineering management, technical management, or business administration preferred.

Demonstrated capability to manage projects in excess of $200M

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.

The annual base pay for this position ranges from 139,929.60 - 209,894.40 USD Annual. Hourly and salaried non-exempt employees will also be paid overtime pay when working qualifying overtime hours. Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition, our positions offer a short-term incentive bonus opportunity; eligibility to participate in our equity-based long-term incentive program (salaried roles), to receive a retirement contribution (hourly roles), and commission payment eligibility (sales roles). Benefits offered included a qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]; paid vacation and holidays; paid leaves; and, health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Additional details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an "at-will position" and the Company reserves the right to modify base pay (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

Why AstraZeneca

Here you will help shape the next generation of medicines by delivering the advanced facilities that make them possible. We bring together diverse experts to solve complex, technical challenges at speed, using modern tools, digital insights, and Lean ways of working. With a steady flow of innovative launches and a clear long-term strategy, you can build a lasting legacy-elevating standards for safety, sustainability, and performance while securing supply for patients who depend on us. We pair ambition with kindness, creating a space where your voice matters, ideas are tested in the open, and bold thinking is turned into real-world impact.

Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.