Associate Director, Operational Resilience Oncology R&D

About the role

AstraZeneca is looking for an Associate Director to lead operational resilience across its Oncology R&D function. The role shapes how research and development teams anticipate disruption, respond confidently and recover quickly, so discovery never slows and critical studies stay on track. It leads an integrated approach to Business Continuity and Crisis Management, blending regulatory rigor with innovation, including the practical use of artificial intelligence in resilience and risk practice.

Key responsibilities

• Serve as the subject matter expert and technical authority for operational resilience, owning Business Continuity and Crisis Management as an integrated discipline.
• Set and lead the operational resilience strategy in line with enterprise goals and the global resilience agenda.
• Maintain a forward-looking emerging-risk assessment, review mitigation plans and integrate artificial intelligence into resilience and risk management.
• Act as the key interface for strategic audits and assurance, leading the preparation and delivery of Business Continuity and Risk Management audit requirements.
• Provide strategic oversight of supply-chain resilience, including assessments of n-th tier supplier visibility.
• Design and lead advanced crisis management exercises for site and executive Crisis Management Teams.
• Govern the Business Continuity and Crisis Management framework, including plans, Business Impact Analyses, risk registers, tools and the exercise programme.
• Lead the exercise and training programme, including after-action reviews.
• Develop executive-level reporting, escalate key risks and ensure compliance with AstraZeneca Global Standards and external regulations such as NIS2.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Safety or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in business continuity, crisis management and/or risk management.
• Proven ability to design and lead executive-level crisis management and continuity exercises and incident response involving senior leadership.
• Track record of working with teams at different levels of maturity, and experience managing third-party suppliers.
• Experience developing policies, procedures, standards and regulatory frameworks (e.g. NIS2).
• Professional qualifications in business continuity/crisis management, including CBCP, MBCP and/or CEM.
• Experience in a global organisation and in managing ambiguity.

Required skills

• Desirable: experience implementing business continuity software and working in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry.
• Experience applying artificial intelligence or emerging technology to resilience, risk management or exercises.