Chapter Lead, Brand Insights - US

Astellas Pharma, Inc.; Northbrook (IL); On-site; USD 189,000 - 270,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance

401(k) match

Company paid life insurance

Annual bonus opportunities

Job summary

Astellas is hiring a Brand Insights US Chapter Lead based in Northbrook, IL, with a strong background in forecasting, analytics, and decision sciences. You will mentor and coach a team of SMEs, manage resources across Pods and Value Teams, and ensure agile practices are embedded in delivery.

You will collaborate with senior leadership to shape strategy, develop talent, and drive continuous improvement while aligning work with global and US business priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in science, engineering, mathematics, decision science, or analytics.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in forecasting, market research, competitive intelligence, and/or decision sciences at pharma companies or biopharma consultancies.
• Experience building, managing and mentoring SME-aligned teams.
• Understanding of Insights within broader enterprise strategy.
• Proven ability to develop talent and drive continuous learning.
• Cross-functional collaboration across brands/TAs.
• Strong executive-level stakeholder influence.
• Exceptional leadership, mentorship and coaching skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead Brand Insights capabilities and coaching within the US Chapter.
• Allocate resources across Pods and Value Teams to meet demand and timelines.
• Represent Insights Practice as SME and contribute to Pods/Value Teams as needed.
• Drive agile adoption, continuous improvement and best practices across teams.
• Oversee vendor projects aligned to organizational objectives.

Skills

Team Leadership

Forecasting

Analytics

Stakeholder Mgmt

Agile

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree

Job description

About Astellas

Astellas is a global life sciences company committed to turning innovative science into VALUE for patients. We provide transformative therapies in disease areas that include oncology, ophthalmology, urology, immunology and women's health. Through our research and development programs, we are pioneering new healthcare solutions for diseases with high unmet medical need. Learn more at Astellas.com.

Are you driven to make a real difference in the lives of patients?

We're seeking passionate individuals who thrive in dynamic environments, embrace new ideas, and aren't afraid to take intelligent risks. People who act with unwavering integrity and are deeply committed to making a tangible impact.

Purpose & Scope

The Brand Insights - US Chapter Lead plays a pivotal role in delivering high-quality insights to support decision-making at Astellas. Reporting to the Insights Practice Lead within the Customer Engagement Excellence (CEE) team, this position is responsible for building and leading a team of technical experts, ensuring capability development, and fostering a collaborative, positive team environment.

Operating within an Agile model, the Chapter Lead acts as a "player-coach"-both managing resources and contributing directly to Value Teams and Pods across the organization. Pods and Value Teams will be established and evolve in line with business during defined planning cycles. These teams may focus on brands, pipeline assets, or strategic initiatives, and the Chapter Lead ensures their needs are met through effective resourcing, action planning, and cross-functional collaboration.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing team capabilities through coaching, mentoring, and onboarding new talent
• Managing resource allocation and supporting professional growth within the Chapter
• Representing the Insights Practice as a subject matter expert and contributing to Pods and Value Teams as needed
• Driving continuous improvement, best practice sharing, and innovation in methodologies and ways of working
• Overseeing vendor projects and ensuring alignment with organisational objectives

The Chapter lead is responsible for developing the capabilities and skillsets of their teams, providing coaching and mentoring, managing team resource capacity, supporting the learning and career development of their Chapter team, managing the teams' compliance with standards and leading practices, continuous improvement and shared learning.

Role and Responsibilities

Leadership and Strategy:

• Collaborate with the Insights Practice Lead and US leadership to define the strategic direction of the Chapter, in alignment with the broader VALUE Delivery strategy
• Develop and implement best practices in Brand and Pipeline Insights based on market and value team feedback

Expertise Development:

• Seeks opportunities to develop team members and elevate their Brand and Pipeline Insights skillsets while continuing to refine their own personal expertise
• Gather feedback and various inputs to assess skillset maturity of team members
• Participate/lead training programs, workshops, and mentorship opportunities to enhance team capabilities and knowledge

Delivery:

• Lead / contribute to cross-functional Pod and Value Team delivery

Agile Leadership:

• Facilitate the interface and communication with teams across brands, acting as a steward of agile methodology to facilitate ways of working
• Ensure that the team understands and utilizes agile ways of working, providing skills development as needed
• Foster a culture of collaboration, flexibility, and responsiveness to change, enabling the team to thrive in an agile environment

Resource Allocation:

• Collaborate with the Insights Practice Lead to align resource capacity with demand from the business and Pods/Value Teams
• Collaborate with Insights Practice Lead to manage capacity and workload, making adjustments as necessary to meet demand and timelines

Stakeholder Management:

• Engage with key internal stakeholders to drive strategy and outcomes, as well as key external stakeholders based on Chapter-specific objectives
• Collaborate with other Chapter Leads to support internal and external customer needs

Performance and Team Management:

• Work with Insights Practice Lead Team to facilitate performance management process, identify high-potential resources, and support short- and long-term succession planning
• Address and communicate team performance challenges to Insights Practice Lead

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in science, engineering, mathematics, decision science, or analytics
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in forecasting, market research, competitive intelligence, and/or decision sciences role at a pharmaceutical company, or a consultancy focused on the biopharmaceutical industry
• Demonstrated experience building, managing, training teams around a specific area of SME expertise such as marketing research, forecasting, analytics, or decision sciences
• Understanding of the role of Insights function within broader enterprise strategy
• Demonstrated ability to develop talent and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement
• Previous experience working with cross-functional teams across multiple brands/TAs
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at the executive level
• Exceptional people leadership, mentorship, and coaching skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Statistics or Economics
• Pharmaceutical Industry Experience in global mid-cap/large-cap company

Location and Working Environment

This position is based in Northbrook, Illinois. Remote work from anywhere in the US is available.

At Astellas we recognize the importance of work/life balance, and we are proud to offer a hybrid working solution allowing time to connect with colleagues at the office with the flexibility to also work from home. We believe this will optimize the most productive work environment for all employees to succeed and deliver. Hybrid work from certain locations may be permitted in accordance with Astellas' Responsible Flexibility Guidelines.

What awaits you at Astellas?

• Global collaboration: Become part of a connected global business of like-minded life science leaders, all dedicated to improving patients' lives worldwide. Real-world patient impact: Contribute to transformative therapies that reach patients around the world, knowing your work makes a difference every day.
• Relentless Innovation: Join a company at the forefront of scientific breakthroughs, where you'll have the opportunity to shape the future of healthcare.
• A Culture of Growth: Chart your own course within a supportive environment that values your contributions, champions your development, and empowers you to pursue your passions.

Our Organizational Values and Behaviors

Values: Innovation, Integrity and Impact sit at the heart of what we do.

Behaviors: We come together as 'One Astellas', working with courage and a sense of urgency. We are outcome focused and consistently take accountability for our personal contribution.

Salary Range

$189,259 - $270,370 (Final compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to skills, experience and organizational equity considerations)

Benefits

• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Generous Paid Time Off options, including Vacation and Sick time, plus national holidays including year-end shut down
• 401(k) match and annual company contribution
• Company paid life insurance
• Annual Corporate Bonus and Quarterly Sales Incentive for eligible positions
• Long Term Incentive Plan for eligible positions
• Company fleet vehicle for eligible positions
• Referral bonus program

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