Director Data Analytics

Cencora Alliance Healthcare UK is seeking an experienced Data Leader to set the direction for, and lead the delivery of, its data and analytics capability during a period of significant transformation. The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on accountability for delivery: shaping a forward-looking data roadmap, leading the team that delivers it, and raising the maturity of data governance across the organization. The future technology stack will focus on Azure, Databricks and Power BI, and a large-scale transformation of legacy systems is underway.

The Data Leader will play a pivotal role in translating the enterprise-wide Data & Analytics strategy into tangible outcomes, and in looking beyond current priorities to position the business for the future. A central part of this is identifying and embedding AI across data activities, so that the function can streamline how it works, enhance the quality and speed of its output, and enable the business to optimize operations, improve customer outcomes and strengthen competitive advantage.

Strong Data Governance capability will be central to the role. The postholder will be accountable for strengthening and embedding the policies, ownership, tooling and culture required to ensure data is trusted, secure and compliant, while taking a pragmatic approach to the pace of change the business can absorb.

The role requires a strong, credible leader with proven delivery experience, sound financial management, exceptional interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, and the resilience and adaptability to thrive in a fast-moving, challenging and ambiguous environment. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in maturing and transforming Data and Analytics. While ensuring smooth transitions while maintaining stakeholder trust. Reporting to the Senior Director, Analytics & Data Management, this role will be pivotal in driving the organization's data transformation journey. Healthcare or Pharmaceutical wholesale would be advantageous.

Principal Accountabilities:

1. Strategic Leadership & Data Roadmap

• Define and own a multi-year Data & Analytics roadmap for Cencora Alliance Healthcare UK that is aligned to the enterprise-wide strategy, anticipates future business and market needs, and is refreshed regularly as priorities evolve.

• Translate strategy into a prioritized, sequenced and costed portfolio of initiatives, with clear milestones, dependencies, trade-offs and measurable outcomes.

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on emerging data and AI trends, platform direction and the opportunities and risks they present to the business.

• Ensure the roadmap balances near-term delivery commitments (including legacy migration) with longer-term capability building and innovation.

• Contribute to the wider Cencora and International Business Group data community, aligning UK plans with global standards, platforms and shared services where appropriate.

2. Data Delivery Leadership

• Own the end-to-end delivery of data products aligned to the Data & Analytics strategy.

• Oversee the planning, prioritization and execution of projects across multiple business areas.

• Establish delivery frameworks and standards to ensure consistency, quality and speed of delivery.

• Create clear delivery timelines, monitor progress, and address risks or delays proactively.

• Document and present the value of each data product delivered to the business.

• Lead the transition from legacy systems (e.g., Cognos, Oracle, Qlik) to modern cloud-based platforms (Azure, Databricks and Power BI), including decommissioning plans and managing business continuity throughout.

• Mature Data Quality capabilities by embedding proactive monitoring, clear ownership and measurable standards, while streamlining root-cause analysis and corrective action to resolve issues efficiently, prevent recurrence and improve trust in data.

3. Business Value Realization

• Ensure data and analytics initiatives are explicitly linked to strategic priorities and measurable business outcomes, including improved customer service, operational efficiency, revenue, margin, risk reduction and colleague productivity.

• Partner with business owners to define clear success measures, baselines, benefit targets and ownership before delivery begins.

• Embed data products and insights into business processes and decision-making, driving adoption and the changes in behavior required to realize value.

• Track and report benefits transparently throughout the delivery lifecycle, intervening where adoption or value is below expectation and ensuring corrective actions are agreed.

• Use evidence from delivered outcomes to refine priorities, scale successful solutions and continuously improve the return on Data & Analytics investment.

4. AI & Innovation

• Execute a pragmatic AI strategy that identifies where AI, machine learning and automation can streamline processes and enhance the quality, speed and impact of data and analytics output.

• Embed AI-enabled ways of working across the data function (for example automated data quality monitoring, AI-assisted development and testing, metadata and documentation generation, and natural-language access to insight).

• Partner with business areas to identify, prioritize and deliver high-value AI use cases across the pharmaceutical supply chain, commercial and operational activities, with a clear business case for each.

• Ensure AI is adopted responsibly, with appropriate controls for ethics, transparency, security, regulatory compliance and human oversight, working with Legal, Compliance, Information Security and global colleagues.

• Build AI literacy and confidence within the team and the wider business, and evaluate emerging tools and vendors to keep the function at the leading edge.

5. Data Governance & Compliance

• Assess the current maturity of data governance and lead the design and delivery of a pragmatic, phased improvement plan, with defined maturity targets and progress reporting.

• Establish and embed the core governance framework: policies and standards, data ownership and stewardship, data catalogue and lineage, data quality rules and monitoring, master and reference data management, and access controls.

• Ensure all data initiatives comply with organizational governance frameworks and regulatory standards and the requirements of a regulated healthcare and pharmaceutical distribution environment.

• Collaborate with Compliance, Legal, Information Security and Privacy teams to maintain data security, privacy and quality.

• Establish robust processes for data governance, including documentation, auditing and reporting, and chair or facilitate the data governance forums needed to sustain them.

• Build a culture of data accountability by making governance practical, proportionate and embedded in delivery rather than a separate control activity.

6. Financial & Commercial Management

• Manage the Data & Analytics delivery budget (operating and capital), including forecasting, variance analysis and robust financial reporting to senior leadership.

• Build and defend business cases, and ensure investment is prioritized towards the initiatives with the greatest return and strategic value.

• Plan resources and headcount to match the roadmap, making clear, evidence-based recommendations when demand exceeds capacity.

• Monitor and manage cloud-based data infrastructure, including usage, capacity, performance and cost, to optimize investment, maintain effective financial control and maximize the benefits delivered to Alliance Healthcare UK.

7. Stakeholder Management & Engagement

• Build strong relationships with business leaders, ensuring their data needs are prioritized and met.

• Act as the primary point of contact for stakeholders, balancing competing demands and managing expectations.

• Communicate complex technical concepts, including AI and governance, in a clear, business-friendly manner.

• Negotiate timelines, resources and deliverables to ensure alignment across the organization.

• Translate complex data delivery challenges into clear, business-relevant narratives.

• Facilitate steering committees, governance forums and executive reporting.

• Lead Data Fluency and Data Culture initiatives, increasing confidence in using data and AI across the business.

8. Team & Capability Leadership

• Lead, coach and develop a team of data professionals to deliver high-quality data solutions.

• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, inclusion and continuous improvement within the delivery team.

• Identify and address capability gaps, ensuring the organization builds robust data delivery, governance and AI competencies, through hiring, development and partnerships.

• Create an environment that supports the team's wellbeing and resilience through periods of significant change and pressure.

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Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required:

Key Competencies & Behaviours:

• Leadership Excellence: Demonstrates authority, confidence and credibility; inspires teams to achieve high standards of performance.

• Strategic Vision & Execution: Sets a clear, future-focused vision and roadmap, anticipates change and turns strategy into delivery plans with clarity and discipline.

• Interpersonal Skills & Stakeholder Influence: Builds trust and strong relationships at every level, from the executive team to engineers; listens well, communicates persuasively and diplomatically, and handles difficult conversations with empathy and candour.

• Financial Stewardship: Plans, controls and forecasts budgets with rigour; makes sound investment decisions and can demonstrate value for money.

• Delivery Focus: Proven track record of delivering complex programmes on time, within budget and to scope.

• Innovation & AI Mindset: Curious about emerging technology; able to separate genuine opportunity from hype and to apply AI in a practical, responsible and value-led way.

• Governance Mindset: Understands the importance of data ownership, quality, security and privacy, and can influence the business to adopt good practice without slowing delivery.

• Change Leadership: Guides stakeholders and teams through transformation with resilience and clarity.

• Collaboration: Works across boundaries, building partnerships with IT, the business, global teams and external suppliers.

• Adaptability & Resilience: Thrives in a complex, fast-paced and changing environment, remaining calm, flexible and focused on outcomes under pressure.

• Problem Solving: Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make timely decisions with incomplete information.

Experience & Qualifications

Essential:

• Significant senior experience leading data, analytics or technology delivery within large, complex organisations.

• Demonstrable experience of managing and being accountable for a significant budget, including forecasting, business cases and cost control.

• Proven experience of developing and communicating a strategic data or technology roadmap that has been successfully executed.

• Proven leadership experience in leading and developing cross-functional teams and managing senior-level stakeholders.

• Exceptional communication, presentation and reporting skills, with the ability to engage and influence both technical and non-technical audiences.

• Deep understanding of data platforms, data governance, analytics solutions and their application in a business context, including experience of establishing or improving governance in a low-maturity environment.

• Practical knowledge of how AI and machine learning can be applied to improve data and analytics processes, and of the governance and risk considerations that accompany them.

• Experience of leading change and delivering in fast-moving, high-pressure environments, ideally including cloud migration or legacy platform modernisation.

• Knowledge of programme/portfolio management methodologies (Agile, SAFe, Prince2 or equivalent).

• Recognised data, governance or programme management qualifications or experience in maturing Data Governance capabilities.

Desirable:

• Experience in change management in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, supply chain or similarly regulated industries.

• Hands-on familiarity with Azure, Databricks and Power BI, and with data governance tooling such as catalogue, lineage and data quality platforms.

• Experience of FinOps or cloud cost management.

#LI-Hybrid

What Cencora offers

​Benefit offerings outside the US may vary by country and will be aligned to local market practice. The eligibility and effective date may differ for some benefits and for team members covered under collective bargaining agreements.

Full time

Affiliated Companies

Affiliated Companies: Alliance Healthcare Management Services Limited

Equal Employment Opportunity

Cencora is committed to providing equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or membership in any other class protected by federal, state or local law.

The company’s continued success depends on the full and effective utilization of qualified individuals. Therefore, harassment is prohibited and all matters related to recruiting, training, compensation, benefits, promotions and transfers comply with equal opportunity principles and are non-discriminatory.

Cencora is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the employment process which are consistent with legal requirements. If you wish to request an accommodation while seeking employment, please call 888.692.2272 or email [email protected]. We will make accommodation determinations on a request-by-request basis. Messages and emails regarding anything other than accommodations requests will not be returned