The Associate Director, Cell Therapy Supply Chain Operations Transformation & Performance Lead is responsible for driving business process transformation, operational excellence, and performance management across the Cell Therapy Global Supply Chain organization. Reporting to the Director, Strategy & Business Planning, this role partners with supply chain leaders and business process owners to simplify, standardize, and scale end-to-end supply chain processes while strengthening governance, performance visibility, and decision-making.

This role will be instrumental in enabling AstraZeneca’s bold cell therapy ambitions by helping build a scalable, future-ready supply chain operating model that can support the rapid growth and evolving complexity of the business. The leader will help shape the next generation of cell therapy supply chain capabilities through Lean principles, process transformation, and digitization.

This is an opportunity to play a key role in transforming how the Global Supply Chain organization operates, scales, and delivers — enabling sustainable growth while strengthening operational excellence, agility, and end-to-end performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead strategic transformation initiatives that enable AstraZeneca’s bold cell therapy ambitions and improve supply chain scalability, transparency, agility, and execution.

• Establish and maintain the end-to-end supply chain process framework, including standards, governance, ownership, process architecture, and continuous improvement.

• Partner with supply chain leaders and cross-functional business process owners to design and implement future-state, scalable operating models.

• Drive operational excellence through Lean methodologies, structured problem-solving, process simplification, standardization, and continuous improvement.

• Facilitate cross-functional workshops to assess current-state processes, identify opportunities, define future-state solutions, and develop implementation roadmaps.

• Develop and enhance the global supply chain performance management framework, including KPIs, Tier-based performance management, management review routines, and escalation processes.

• Establish meaningful metrics, data definitions, and reporting structures that improve performance visibility, accountability, and data-driven decision-making.

• Support governance forums and cross-functional management routines that strengthen alignment, prioritization, decision-making, and issue resolution.

• Partner with Digital and Supply Chain teams to identify and implement automation, advanced analytics, digital, and AI-enabled solutions that enhance supply chain effectiveness.

• Leverage data and analytics to identify trends, uncover improvement opportunities, measure transformation outcomes, and support strategic decision-making.

• Build strong partnerships across Planning, Procurement, Manufacturing, Logistics, Quality, Digital, and other key functions to drive end-to-end transformation.

• Lead change management and stakeholder engagement to drive adoption of new processes, tools, operating models, and governance structures.

• Develop and communicate transformation roadmaps, progress, performance insights, and key outcomes to senior stakeholders.

• Identify opportunities to simplify, standardize, and scale supply chain capabilities as the cell therapy business continues to evolve.

• Help establish a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, accountability, and operational excellence across the Global Supply Chain organization.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Operations, Life Sciences, Business, or related field.

• 8+ years of relevant experience with a Bachelor's degree, or 6+ years with a Master's degree or MBA.

• Experience in biopharmaceutical, biotech, advanced therapy, or other highly regulated operations environments.

• Strong understanding of end-to-end supply chain processes, including planning, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, inventory management, and performance management.

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt required.

• Proven experience leading business process transformation, operational excellence, or operating model transformation initiatives.

• Experience establishing governance structures, KPIs, management routines, and performance frameworks.

• Demonstrated ability to translate complex business challenges into scalable, practical solutions.

• Strong facilitation, stakeholder management, influencing, and change leadership skills.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with a data-driven mindset.

• Ability to operate effectively in a complex, cross-functional environment and influence stakeholders without direct authority.

Preferred

• Experience in cell therapy, gene therapy, or advanced therapy supply chain environments.

• Experience supporting or leading transformation within a rapidly growing or evolving business.

• Experience leading large-scale transformation programs across cross-functional organizations.

• Experience with automation, advanced analytics, process mining, digital technologies, or AI-enabled supply chain solutions.

• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt preferred.

• Additional certifications such as Prosci, PMP, Scrum Master, CSCP, or CPIM.

• MBA or advanced degree in a related discipline.

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $121,149.60 - $181,724.40. 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.