Project Director - GBS Project Services

GBS Project Services – Project Director

Location: Lisbon, Portugal

At AstraZeneca, we pride ourselves on crafting a collaborative culture that champions knowledge-sharing, ambitious thinking and innovation – ultimately providing employees with the opportunity to work across teams, functions and even the globe.  

Recognizing the importance of individualized flexibility, our ways of working allow employees to balance personal and work commitments while ensuring we continue to create a strong culture of collaboration and teamwork by engaging face-to-face in our offices 3 days a week. Our offices are purposely designed with collaboration in mind, providing space where teams can come together to strategize, brainstorm and connect on key projects.  

About Global Business Services section

In Global Business Services (GBS) we dare to change the way we work – we are brave, resilient and take smart risks with a focus on simplifying the way we work.  Through our global scale and diverse services, we look to drive value through our innovation and expertise.  This requires a team who see no boundaries, can collaborate, challenges the norm, feels empowered, and stays motivated and engaged.  

In our role as a global business services group, we are passionate about working smarter, to free up time, free up money, protect value and provide new capabilities to the enterprise – all to push the boundaries of science to deliver life-changing medicines. 

GBS Project Services section

Join us in GBS Project Services and be part of the teams that contribute to life-saving medicines in oncology, immunology, rare disease, and other areas, improving millions of lives worldwide.  Drive innovation at the forefront of science and business by applying your experience and capabilities across diverse, cross-departmental opportunities in AI, data analytics, operations, finance and beyond. Our environment fosters collaboration and growth through comprehensive training and mentorship. 

Poject Director role

Are you ready to make a big impact? As a Director in GBS Project Services, you'll lead complex global initiatives that transform how we deliver services and run operations. You'll use your knowledge of the industry and market trends to deliver initiatives that offer lasting benefits for our business customers. 

In this role, you’ll work closely with our teams and top executives, offering advice on transformation and operations strategies while supporting the design and roll-out of complex programs. Yes, challenges will come your way, but with your skills and expertise, you'll be at the forefront of driving change, finding solutions, and delivering outcomes. 

What you will do: 

·       Lead Global Initiatives: Set the strategic direction for projects, aligning them with the organization's overall goals and objectives. Coordinate and run projects of various complexities, ensuring they are completed on time and within budget. Define and implement project governance to ensure alignment and accountability.

·       Innovation and Continuous Improvement: Foster a dynamic culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the consulting team to elevate service offerings and boost client satisfaction.

·       Change Management:  Develop tailored change management strategies that consider the client’s environment, stakeholder needs, and desired future state. Oversee the analysis of change impacts and stakeholder effects resulting from transformation initiatives.

·       Problem Solving and Execution: Apply advanced, data-driven problem-solving techniques to simplify complex information, crafting actionable insights and strategies for organizational change, and ensure their effective implementation. 

·       Client Engagement: Act as the primary liaison between the internal team and key project stakeholders, ensuring clear communication and understanding of project objectives and outcomes. 

·       Quality Assurance: Ensure that the services provided meet the encouraged standards of quality and deliver value to the organization. 

·       Mentorship and Development: Provide guidance and support to junior team members, fostering their professional growth and development. 

Requirements: 

To qualify for this role, you must have:

·       Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

·       Minimum of 10 years’ experience in complex project management, change management, business or technology consulting   

Ideal Experience:  

Ideally, you’ll also have:

·       Graduate degree with a minimum of 8+ years of relevant project/change management or consulting experience large-scale complex programs

·       Pharmaceutical or equivalent global organization experience

·       Certifications: PMI, PMI Agile Practitioner, PMP, PRINCE2 Practitioner, PROSCI Change Management, ACMP CCMP, or similar   

At AstraZeneca, we’re dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. We are a global, science-led, patient-focused biopharmaceutical company that focuses on discovering, developing and commercialising prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious diseases. We are more than one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. We are a place where you can push the boundaries of science, challenge convention and unleash your entrepreneurial spirit. We are committed to lifelong learning, growth and development for all. 

Ready to make a difference in medicine, patients, and society? Apply now to join our GBS Project Services team as a Project Director!

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.