Senior Director, R&D Data Strategy, Operations & Analytics

Elanco in; Indianapolis (IN); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation packages

Shutdowns US

Parental leave

Employee Resource Groups

Annual bonus

401K matching

Job summary

Elanco, a global leader in animal health, seeks a Senior Director, R&D Data Operations & Analytics to lead the execution engine turning R&D data into strategic insights. Based in Indianapolis, this role advances governance and a Data-as-a-Product mindset across the network.

You will steer a cross-functional team of data stewards, define metadata standards, and evolve end-to-end dashboards and analytics to empower R&D leaders and executives with real-time visibility.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Business Analytics, Data Science, Information Management, or a related scientific field.
• 10+ years in data-centric roles with at least 3 years of people management in a matrixed environment.
• Proven track record of leading analytics teams delivering actionable insights to senior executives.
• Exceptional ability to synthesize technical data into clear business stories for non-technical leadership.
• Extensive experience in pharmaceutical R&D, clinical operations, or animal health regulated environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the global execution engine transforming R&D data into a competitive advantage.
• Define the R&D data governance framework and metadata standards.
• Lead a high-performing team of Data Stewards and drive end-to-end dashboards and analytics ecosystem.
• Translate complex data ecosystems into executive-ready insights for strategic decisions.
• Ensure data operations and pipelines are robust, scalable, and compliant with global standards.
• Partner with AI Strategy Leader to align data ops with AI/ML objectives.

Skills

Analytical leadership

Strategic communication

Industry expertise

AI/ML familiarity

Change management

Education

Master's degree in Business Analytics, Data Science, Information Management, or related field

Job description

Senior Director, R&D Data Strategy, Operations & Analytics (Project Management)

At Elanco (NYSE: ELAN) – it all starts with animals!

As a global leader in animal health, we are dedicated to innovation and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our purpose – all to Go Beyond for Animals, Customers, Society and Our People.

At Elanco, we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and overall business success. Here, you'll be part of a company that values and champions new ways of thinking, work with dynamic individuals, and acquire new skills and experiences that will propel your career to new heights.

Making animals' lives better makes life better – join our team today!

Your Role: Sr Director, R&D Data Operations & Analytics

As the Sr Director, R&D Data Operations & Analytics, you will lead the global execution engine that transforms R&D data into a competitive advantage. You are responsible for leading the effort to define the R&D data governance framework, establish metadata standards, and lead the transition toward a “Data-as-a-Product” mindset; operationalizing the R&D data strategy by leading a high-performing team ofspecialized Data Stewardsand driving the end-to-end dashboard and analytics ecosystem. You will translate complex data ecosystems into clear, actionable insights that empower R&D leaders to make informed strategic decisions. In this capacity, you will ensure that all data operations and pipelines are robust, scalable, and purpose-built to achieve Elanco's long-term AI and digital transformation goals.

Your Responsibilities:

People Leadership:Lead and develop a cross-functional team for data strategy, data science and Data Stewards (Clinical, Lab, Regulatory).

AI Goal Alignment:Partner closely with theAI Strategy Leaderto ensure that data operations, ingestion pipelines, and storage architectures are optimized to achieve Elanco's AI/ML objectives and model performance goals.

Scalability & Strategy Alignment:Oversight of the R&D data strategyto ensure the strategic roadmap is translated into scalable operational processes that can support global growth and increasing data volumes while aligned with Enterprise goals.

Strategic Insights:Translate complex R&D data sets into executive-ready narratives, using data visualization to influence strategic R&D investment and operational decisions.

Analytics & Dashboard Delivery:Oversee the R&D dashboard roadmap, ensuring the delivery of intuitive, high-impact analytics tools that provide real-time visibility into the R&D pipeline.

Operational Excellence:Serve as the primary point of escalation for data operational issues, ensuring that the R&D data lifecycle is efficient, reliable, and compliant with global standards.

What You Need to Succeed (minimum qualifications):

Education:Master's degree in Business Analytics, Data Science, Information Management, or a related scientific field.

Experience:10+ years in data-centric roles, with at least 3 years of direct people management experience in a complex, matrixed environment.

Analytical Leadership:Proven track record of leading analytics teams to deliver actionable insights to senior executives.

Strategic Communication:Exceptional ability to synthesize technical data into clear, compelling "business stories" for non-technical leadership.

What will give you a competitive edge (preferred qualifications):

Industry Expertise:Extensive experience in pharmaceutical R&D, clinical operations, or animal health regulated environments.

AI/ML Familiarity:Strong understanding ofdata analytics, AI/ML workflows and how data quality, governance, and pipeline health influenceAI model performance, reliability, and lifecycle management.

Change Management:Demonstrated success leading large-scale digital or data transformation initiatives across cross-functional global teams.

Additional Information:

Work Model: Hybrid - This position is based in Indianapolis and requires a blend of on-site and remote work.

Travel: Less than 10%

Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown underrecognized groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Elanco we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive work environment. If you think you might be a good fit for a role but don't necessarily meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this role or other roles!

Elanco Benefits and Perks:

• Multiple relocation packages
• Two weeklong shutdowns (mid-summer and year-end) in the US (in addition to PTO)
• 8-week parental leave
• 9 Employee Resource Groups
• Annual bonus offering
• Up to 6% 401K matching

Elanco is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status

Elanco may use automated tools, including AI, to support parts of our recruitment process, such as reviewing applications against job‑related criteria and/or transferrable skills. These tools help ensure a consistent, structured evaluation, but they do not make hiring decisions. All decisions involve a human reviewer. For more information on how we handle personal data, please see our Elanco Workforce Privacy Notice.