Associate Director - Business Planning & Operations, Infectious Disease

At AstraZeneca, you will have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in patients’ lives. Our mission is to deliver life-changing medicines that advance global health by preventing, treating, and ultimately curing disease. 

The Infectious Disease Unit pushes the boundaries of science to prevent and treat infectious diseases. Drawing on expertise in virology, microbiology, vaccines, immunology, protein engineering, and translational science, we pursue innovative approaches across the pipeline. As part of the broader AstraZeneca organization, we collaborate across small molecules, large molecules, and novel biologic platforms to deliver medicines to patients efficiently and effectively.

As Associate Director, Business Planning & Operations for Infectious Disease within Late Research & Development, you will serve as Deputy to the Director of Business Planning & Operations and help shape the future of the Infectious Disease organization and broader Late R&D enterprise. 

You will lead strategic planning, workforce and capability strategy, organizational effectiveness, leadership enablement, and employee onboarding and engagement. You will also coordinate priorities across the broader Business Planning & Operations function and act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, ensuring the organization has the talent, capabilities, structures, and plans required to deliver its portfolio ambitions. Success in this role requires enterprise-level thinking, strong business partnership, and disciplined execution in a complex, collaborative environment. 

Key Accountabilities 

Deputy Leadership and BPO Integration 

• Serve as Deputy to the Director of Business Planning & Operations, acting on the Director’s behalf when required and representing the function in leadership forums. 

• Provide leadership and coordination across the Business Planning & Operations organization. 

• Align priorities and delivery across strategy and organizational effectiveness, operations and transformation, functional business partnering, and executive enablement. 

• Coach and develop Business Planning & Operations team members to strengthen performance and build future leadership capability. 

• Provide continuity support to the Director and, when necessary, limited administrative coverage for Business Support Coordinators. 

Strategic Planning and Enterprise Prioritization 

• Coordinate annual business cycle activities, including long-term planning, mid-term planning, workforce planning, and operational reviews. 

• Develop strategic analyses, recommendations, and decision-support materials for senior leaders. 

• Enable strategic decision-making by supporting cross-functional prioritization and resource planning. 

Workforce and Capability Strategy 

• Lead workforce planning, capability planning, and organizational readiness, including effective onboarding and offboarding. 

• Partner with Human Resources and Capacity Management on succession planning, talent reviews, and workforce forecasting. 

• Translate workforce and talent strategies into clear implementation plans and coordinated actions. 

Organizational Effectiveness and Leadership Enablement 

• Lead initiatives that strengthen leadership team effectiveness, decision-making, and organizational performance. 

• Design and facilitate strategic planning workshops, leadership offsites, and business reviews. 

• Support organizational design assessments and implementation. 

• Establish cross-functional ways of working that clarify decision rights, strengthen collaboration, and improve organizational cohesion. 

Communications and Engagement 

• Lead organizational communication and engagement planning. 

• Develop clear narratives that connect strategy, culture, and business priorities. 

• Deliver initiatives that strengthen employee engagement and organizational health. 

Organizational Change and Transformation 

• Lead the implementation and project management of transformation initiatives, coordinating plans, dependencies, risks, and stakeholder actions. 

• Support the adoption of new ways of working through clear change, engagement, and implementation plans. 

• Track transformation benefits, outcomes, and follow-up actions. 

Essential Requirements 

• Bachelor’s degree in business, life sciences, organizational development, healthcare, or a related discipline. 

• At least 5 years of experience in strategy, business operations, management consulting, organizational effectiveness, or business planning. 

• Demonstrated experience supporting senior executives and leadership teams. 

• Outstanding communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills. 

• Ability to influence without authority across multiple business areas. 

• Strong strategic thinking, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities. 

• Experience navigating ambiguity and delivering outcomes in a complex, matrixed organization. 

Desirable Requirements 

• Experience in a pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, or research and development organization. 

• Experience supporting portfolio planning, resource planning, or governance processes. 

• Advanced knowledge of organizational design and organizational effectiveness methodologies. 

• Experience leading enterprise transformation or large-scale change initiatives. 

• Experience developing executive communications and facilitating senior leadership workshops. 

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $123K to $185K. Our positions offer eligibility for various incentives—an opportunity to receive short-term incentive bonuses, equity-based awards for salaried roles and commissions for sales roles. Benefits offered include qualified retirement programs, paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves), as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans.

Date Posted

13-Nov-2026

Closing Date

20-Nov-2026

Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.