At Astellas we are a progressive health partner, delivering value and outcomes where
needed. 
We pursue innovative science, focusing initially on the areas of greatest potential and
then developing solutions where patient need is high, often in rare or under-served
disease areas and in life-threatening or life-limiting diseases and conditions.
We work directly with patients, doctors and health care professionals on the front line to
ensure patient and clinical needs are guiding our development activities at every stage.
We work closely with regulatory authorities and payers to find new ways to ensure
access to new therapies. We deliver the latest insights and real-world evidence to inform
the best decisions for patients and their caregivers, to ensure the medicines we develop
continue to provide meaningful outcomes.
Beyond medicines, we support our stakeholder communities to drive initiatives that
improve awareness, education, access and ultimately standards of care.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

Accountable for:

• Participate with the Head of BIRA ISS to develop and implement the 3-5 year BIRA ISS-specific mission, strategic objectives and goals
• Assist the Head of BIRA ISS in operationally managing the BIRA organization (globally and locally)
• Develop and lead innovation to enable the BIRA team to meet M&D functional strategic goals
• Developing and leveraging strong partnerships with stakeholders (such as functional leadership, Information Systems, Finance, and project teams) to establish, document and update system roadmap and upgrade deliverables.
• Lead and govern a particular BIRA ISS grouping of systems/tools, presumably one with high complexity and/or importance to the organization, such as clinical trial data, operating data, document management, or digital technologies. 
• Identify and implement, as needed, important innovations and advances in information systems available in the marketplace, in use by competitors, and/or as required by regulatory agencies within assigned grouping of systems.
• Responsible for mid- and long-term systems strategy and continuous improvement initiatives within grouping of systems/tools assigned.
• Lead the design, implementation, and maintenance of an information strategy as well as procedures and mechanisms for ensuring data compliance in key systems within the assigned grouping of systems/tools and potential impact to other groupings of systems/tools within and outside of Astellas.
• Effectively collaborates with other OIRE functions and external stakeholders to ensure successful gathering of information and effective means for analysis and sharing of information.
• Participate with the Head of BIRA ISS to ensure alignment of OIRE strategy with RDP (IS R&D Partners) and other key stakeholder groups as needed to ensure an integrated approach and appropriate prioritization of deliverables.
• Represents BIRA on focus area specific steering/operational committees and ensures optimal input to RDP plans and budget for system, reporting and data warehouse capabilities.
• Contribute to functional excellence activities that place the organization at the leading edge of the industry.
• Accountable for developing and ensuring a positive culture, encouraging and rewarding innovation and accountability and ability of staff to operate in a cross-functional matrix.
• Displays the highest level of personal commitment to the Astellas code of ethics. Is exemplary in ensuring that “every employee deserves a great manager." Inspires while holds all appropriately accountable.
• Manages assigned staff through successful recruitment, performance management, development planning and retention of a high performing team.  Effectively delegates responsibilities to achieve functional goals; effectively develops and aligns individuals to the best of their abilities, while ensuring optimal oversight and supervision to ensure goals are achieved and individuals achieve growth in skills.

Qualification   

• Minimally a BS degree or equivalent (MS or MBA preferred).

Essential Knowledge & Experience

• Minimum 15 years in the pharmaceutical industry and/or management consulting group focused on R&D or clinical operations, with minimum 4 years in the drug development setting. 
• Demonstrated knowledge of the global drug development process to ensure cross-functional connections and operational data model are appropriately and effectively communicated across the organization.
• 7-10 years leadership experience.
• Experience in use of enterprise-wide pharmaceutical project management software solutions, including skills in critical path analysis. 
• Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills in English, with an ability to interact at all levels of personnel.
• Experience with establishing standards in support of clinical and business operations systems, especially as they impact and influence multiple departments and levels of management.
• Experience working cross-functionally and cross-culturally in support of business processes and/or systems, especially as they impact and influence multiple departments and levels of management. 
• Strong and effective strategic thinker and problem solver with high degree of emotional intelligence, with the ability to both recognize and anticipate problems.
• Demonstrated ability to translate solutions into viable action plans at a global level that are effectively disseminated and implemented through cooperation of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively build business relationships and influence without authority as part of a matrix organization.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize multiple projects efficiently.
• May require international travel.
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Preferred

• Location for this position is Northbrook, IL, Leiden, Netherlands or Tokyo, Japan