Senior Director, Business Partnering Communications

About AstraZeneca

At AstraZeneca, we put patients first and strive to meet their unmet needs worldwide. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big, and working together to make the impossible a reality. If you are swift to action, confident to lead, willing to collaborate, and curious about what science can do, then you’re our kind of person.

About Gaithersburg

Our Gaithersburg, Maryland facility crafts life-changing medicines for people around the world. This campus employs more than 3,500 specialists in our field and is only a short drive from Washington, DC. This modern and vibrant scientific campus is the home of R&D and Oncology in the US. Here, we play host to some of the most groundbreaking technology and lab spaces, all designed to encourage collaboration and cross-functional science. We believe employees benefit from being challenged and inspired at work. We are dedicated to fostering a culture of inclusion and collaboration.

The Gaithersburg site offers various amenities to help boost efficiency and help keep our employees happy and healthy. This includes a fitness center, employee healthcare clinic, electric vehicle charging stations, dry cleaning, full-service cafeteria, and copy center. This is where you’ll find newly designed, activity-based workspaces to suit a variety of working styles while strengthening collaboration between teams.

Do you have a passion for people, and the skills and capabilities to design, develop and implement communications strategies and programmes that will help us to inspire different audiences as AstraZeneca enters an exciting phase in its growth journey?

As a key member of the Global Internal & Business Partnering Communications team in Global Corporate Affairs (GCA), you’ll have the opportunity to do just that. You’ll provide high-quality strategic communications advice, challenge and support to the business areas you work with. By creating strong and trusted partnerships, and by building influential networks, you’ll act as the critical link between GCA and the business – ensuring communications is at the heart of planning and decision-making.

With a broad communication experience and skill set, you’ll develop and deliver integrated communications plans and strategies, drawing on the various disciplines from across GCA, and

ensuring effective collaboration and co-ordination from the outset. In addition, you’ll enable long-term communication planning and horizon scanning. By building specialist knowledge within the areas you support, you’ll help GCA to proactively manage risks and opportunities, and influence decision-making at all levels.

As the Senior Director of Business Partnering Communications, you will manage a small, close-knit

Team, and be responsible for leading the development and execution of seamless, integrated communication strategies that directly support the objectives and priorities of Global Operations & IT. This role requires a strategic thinker with strong leadership skills, a deep understanding of stakeholder engagement, and the ability to drive impactful communication initiatives in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.

In doing so, you must be proactive, willing to identify and develop innovative and appropriate solutions to meet the needs of the business and audiences across all parts of Global Operations and at all levels of seniority. You must also be able to gain the trust and respect of internal stakeholders who rely on your advice and guidance on communications matters. Excellent writing, project management, planning and multi-channel communications experience (particularly digital communications and analytics) is essential, with a sound Pharma background and a working knowledge of manufacturing and supply chain desirable recognising you will lead and provide counsel on messaging.

The often sensitive material content involved, means that you will be required to demonstrate exemplary personal judgment, initiative, agility and collaborative skills while working as part of a close-knit, high-performing and flexible team.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of the Global Operations communications strategy and annual plan.
• Lead communication activities for EVP Global Operations & IT, working with colleagues across GCA and other key stakeholders.
• Work with EVP Global Operations & IT and the OSLT to develop comprehensive, integrated communication plans to support the delivery of business priorities.
• Create effective platforms and programmes that support effective, authentic leader communications across Global Operations.
• Lead and develop a high-performing communications team, providing mentorship, guidance, and professional development opportunities to foster growth and excellence
• Ensure Global Operations has an impactful presence at flagship global events, including AZ Senior Leader Meeting, AZ EOY webcast and CEO Awards.
• Lead the planning, development and delivery of flagship Global Operations events – including all employee webcasts, virtual leader meetings and face to face events.
• Leverage the scale and scope of the Global Operations Communications Network to deliver against the strategy - building interfaces with other parts of GCA.
• Advise and coach senior leaders on events/issues/activities that need to be communicated internally and/or externally.
• Lead the delivery of compelling strategy and performance communications.
• Lead the development and execution of best practice change communication to advance organisational transformation activities.
• Provide communications support and expertise to Operations issues management teams.
• Provide oversight and be accountable for Global Operations internal communication channels and alignment to global channels.
• Ensure all communications share a unified look and feel that reflect the company’s business priorities, strategy and brand.
• Foster collaboration with other teams across GCA and the business (including IR and HR) to ensure consistent and aligned messaging, to ensure Global Operations contributes to, and pull through global campaigns.
• Drive innovation, standardisation and improvements to ways of working across the broader business partnering team.
• Ensure communications are continuous, consistent and distributed through appropriate channels.
• Deputise for the Global Head of Internal and Business Partnering Communications (including as IC lead for the Global Crisis Communications team) and serve as a flexible Global Corporate Affairs needs when timely resource / prioritisation is required.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the impact and effectiveness of communication initiatives and identify and deliver value-adding solutions to drive improvements.
• Engage and lead management of contract resources to support effective execution of communication activities as required. Oversee quality and compliance of work.

Knowledge and experience

• Significant (10 years ) experience of working in fast-paced global communications team or similar corporate communications environment, with at least 3 years in a leadership role - experience working in a global or multi-national organisation is a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communication, marketing or related field desirable.
• Track record of developing and executing innovative and highly engaging communication strategies that directly support business unit objectives.
• Strong understanding of, and experience in, leader communications, stakeholder engagement, change management communication, and crisis communication management.
• Ability to build relationships at all levels and influence and present to, and influence, senior leader groups.
• Ability to coach and influence senior leaders on their communication effectiveness.
• Advanced external and internal communications skills – including digital and AI.
• Good understanding of all aspects of the pharmaceutical industry.
• Practical understanding of manufacturing and supply chain, financial reporting and disclosure requirements at a UK publicly listed company a distinct advantage.
• Experience of managing complex issues/crises with international dimensions.
• Experience of working in a highly regulated sector.

Capabilities and behaviors

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging for different audiences and channels - backed by comprehensive digital skills.
• Excellent leadership and team management skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate a diverse team of communication professionals.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and presentation skills, with strong andinfluential personal credibility.
• Excellent project management skills with proven ability to manage budgets, accounts and forecasts.
• Sound judgment combined with strong interpersonal and influencing skills.
• Ability to manage conflicting priorities, stakeholder & colleague expectations and deliver consistently high-quality outputs to agreed timescales.
• Inquisitive mindset with well-developed critical/analytical abilities.
• Strategic thinker looking outside for learning and ideas to ensure the most effective approaches are identified and considered.
• Ability to instil confidence in others.
• Proactive with high levels of self-motivation and personal accountability, bringing enthusiasm and energy to team, peer group and tasks.
• Comfortable working independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent eye for detail and upholding visual and verbal identity.
• Resilient with a flexible approach.
• Able to develop and maintain networks across business and cultural boundaries.

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AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.