Introduction to the role:

Are you ready to shape the future of access management at global scale? As Director, Cyber Security Access Management, you will lead the strategy and delivery of the platforms that protect our people, systems, and data: SailPoint Identity Security Cloud, CyberArk Privileged Access Security, and Akeyless.

This is a high-impact leadership role where you will help take us to the next level by modernising how access is managed across human and non-human identities. You will lead the move from manual processes to automated, auditable services, reducing identity risk while enabling teams to work securely and efficiently across Azure, AWS, GCP, and critical enterprise applications. Your work will help strengthen compliance, improve resilience, and support the delivery of life-changing science to patients.

What you’ll do:

• You will define and deliver the enterprise access management strategy, making sure platform roadmaps, policies, and controls align with business priorities and security standards. You will own and evolve our access management capabilities across SailPoint ISC, CyberArk PAS, and Akeyless, helping to reduce risk and improve the user experience.
• You will lead the development of policies and standards for access requests, automated provisioning, entitlement management, privileged access, service account governance, and secure credential handling. You will also provide senior guidance on cyber risk, compliance, and data privacy, with a focus on the least privilege, segregation of duties, privileged account governance, and secure non-human identity controls.
• In partnership with global teams, you will supervise technical build and integration across enterprise and cloud platforms, strengthen assurance and control effectiveness, and expand automation and self-service. You will build clear performance metrics, supervise platform health and risk outcomes, and communicate progress to senior collaborators. Alongside this, you will lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing team while managing budgets, capacity, and delivery priorities.

Essential skills and experience

• We are looking for a leader with a bachelor’s degree in information security, computer science, or a related field.
• 10+years of deep experience in enterprise cyber security and access management.
• You should bring strong expertise in defining and implementing cyber security strategies and frameworks, particularly across access provisioning, privileged access management, service account governance, and cloud credential controls. You will need a strong understanding of core principles such as least privilege, segregation of duties, privileged credential protection, and secure patterns for non-human identities.
• You should also have a consistent track record of leading strategic transformation in large global organisations, including reducing risks linked to over-entitlement, manual provisioning, standing privilege, unmanaged service accounts, and long-lived cloud credentials.
• Experience leading sophisticated cyber security programmes and operating large-scale platforms such as SailPoint ISC, CyberArk PAS, CyberArk Credential Provider, and Akeyless, or equivalent technologies.
• Experience working in supervised, quality-focused environments, managing global teams and stakeholders, leading large change programmes, and influencing across technical and business functions.

Desirable skills and experience

• Relevant security certifications are preferred.
• Experience partnering with senior global collaborators, application owners, cloud and platform teams, IAM operations, governance and compliance teams, and audit teams would be valuable.

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash ambitious thinking with the power to encourage life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That's why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we're not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our outstanding and ambitious world.

Why AstraZeneca:

Here you will develop the identity and access foundations of a global technology ecosystem that powers scientific breakthroughs. We bring together diverse, multi-functional teams that think holistically and move quickly, pairing cutting-edge platforms with a spirit of experimentation to solve problems others have not tackled. Responsibilities include directly protecting the data and systems that unlock new medicines, while you learn, share, and grow through collaboration, hackathons, and hands-on innovation. We value ambition with kindness, invest deeply in modern technology, and encourage the smart use of AI and automation to scale impact—so your leadership translates into better security, faster delivery, and tangible patient benefit.

Lead the transformation of access governance and credential security at global scale—step forward to build automated guardrails that protect science and accelerate impact!

Date Posted

Closing Date

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.