USMA Operations Manager
AstraZeneca
Summary
The Strategic Operations Manager (SOM) strengthens execution across US Oncology Medical Affairs by providing operational leadership for USMA & SPMD priorities, leading selected USMA initiatives, and managing the Canada-based Business Specialist team. The SOM connects priorities to plans, resources, decisions and delivery while ensuring consistent support across franchises and functions. The SOM partners with the USMA Business Planning, SPMs, SPMDs, CIME, and other functions. The role combines people leadership, operations and hands-on leadership in a matrix environment.
Job description
Key responsibilities
- SPMD operations: Coordinate priorities, planning cycles, decisions, actions, and executive updates.
- USMA initiatives: Lead assigned cross-franchise or cross-functional initiatives.
- People leadership: Manage Business Specialist objectives, workload, performance, development, succession, recruitment, onboarding and engagement.
- Resource deployment: Assess demand and capacity; assign or rebalance support against agreed priorities.
- Service standards: Define consistent responsibilities, ways of working, templates, quality expectations and escalation routes for Business Specialist teams.
- Business planning: Coordinate agreed planning activities and connect operational plans, budget inputs and implementation.
- Performance: Track initiative and team KPIs and support corrective action.
- Operational excellence: Simplify processes and use digital and AI tools responsibly to improve quality, speed and consistency.
- Compliance: Ensure work follows applicable policies, quality requirements and financial controls.
Essential skills and experience
- Bachelor's degree in business, science, healthcare or a related discipline.
- 2+ years of pharma/healthcare experience
- Experience leading complex projects, programs or operations in a matrixed environment.
- Demonstrated people leadership, coaching, performance management and development.
- Ability to prioritize competing demand and deploy resources against business priorities.
- Ability to influence senior stakeholders without direct authority.
- Strong planning, financial, risk-management, facilitation and executive-communication skills.
- Experience establishing consistent ways of working and driving change.
- Proficiency with project management tools, Microsoft 365 and responsible use of AI.
- Working knowledge of compliance, quality and governance expectations.
Desirable skills and experience
- MBA, MS or relevant advanced degree.
- PMP or equivalent certification.
- Medical Affairs, Oncology or pharmaceutical experience.
- Experience leading a centralized business support, planning or operations team.
- Lean Six Sigma, Agile or change-management experience.
- Experience leading a geographically distributed or Canada-based team within a US organization.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in business, science, healthcare or a related discipline.
- 2+ years of pharma/healthcare experience
- Experience leading complex projects, programs or operations in a matrixed environment.
- Demonstrated people leadership, coaching, performance management and development.
- Ability to prioritize competing demand and deploy resources against business priorities.
- Ability to influence senior stakeholders without direct authority.
- Strong planning, financial, risk-management, facilitation and executive-communication skills.
- Experience establishing consistent ways of working and driving change.
- Proficiency with project management tools, Microsoft 365 and responsible use of AI.
- Working knowledge of compliance, quality and governance expectations.
Benefits
- 401(k) plan
- Paid vacation
- Paid holidays
- Paid leaves
- Medical coverage
- Prescription drug coverage
- Dental coverage
- Vision coverage
- Short-term incentive bonus
- Equity-based long-term incentive program
Company overview
AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-focused pharmaceutical company dedicated to accelerating the delivery of life-changing medicines that create enduring value for patients, society, and shareholders. With a workforce of over 94,300 employees worldwide, the company operates across three core therapy areas: Oncology, BioPharmaceuticals (including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, Respiratory & Immunology), and Rare Disease. Headquartered in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca maintains strategic R&D centers in Cambridge, Gaithersburg (US), Boston (US), Gothenburg (Sweden), Shanghai, and Beijing. The company generated $54.1 billion in total revenue in 2024 and invested $13.6 billion in scientific research and development. AstraZeneca's bold aspiration is to be pioneers in science, lead in disease areas, and transform patient outcomes, with a goal to launch 20 new medicines and achieve $80 billion in total revenue by 2030. The company is recognized for its commitment to sustainability, health equity, and creating an inclusive work environment where diverse perspectives drive innovation.