This is what you will do:

Quality Operations is a global function that spans the full end-to-end of product delivery, providing quality assurance oversight and quality control for internal and external manufacturing of both clinical and commercial products. This is a significant opportunity to shape planning, performance, and delivery for a function that is critical to getting medicines to patients.

The Head of Business Planning and Performance is a senior strategic partner and trusted adviser to the Head of Quality Operations. Reporting directly to the Head of Quality Operations, the role connects strategy, planning, finance, performance, and delivery across the function, and makes sure the Leadership Team spends its time on the decisions and actions that matter most.

The role holds dedicated accountability for the Quality Operations Medium-Term Plan (MTP), annual business plan, budget, headcount, performance framework, and leadership operating rhythm. It also provides oversight of the function’s major projects and programmes, including implementation of the required Quality operating model, so that they are delivered on time, within budget, and with the intended benefits.

You will help Quality Operations run today’s business effectively while maintaining the focus and investment needed to deliver the required business transformation. You will bring together information from across the function and the wider Alexion Operations organisation, and turn it into clear insight, priorities, recommendations, and actions.

The role keeps the whole function in view. It identifies performance, customer, financial, and delivery themes that may not be visible within individual teams and ensures they are brought to the right leaders for action. It is also a trusted link to customers and stakeholders across Alexion Rare Disease Unit and AstraZeneca, drawing strategic insight from AstraZeneca and partnering with AstraZeneca Quality on business planning.

Accountable leaders retain ownership of their teams, data, performance, customer relationships, decisions, and actions. Your role is to provide integration, constructive challenge, insight, and follow-through, and to extend the reach and capacity of the Head of Quality Operations.

You will be responsible for:

Leadership partnership and support

Act as a trusted adviser and thought partner to the Head of Quality Operations, anticipating priorities, shaping the agenda, and protecting leadership time and focus.
Run the Quality Operations Leadership Team’s planning and performance calendar, including agendas, papers, decisions, and actions.
Track leadership decisions and actions through to completion, ensuring each has a clear owner and due date.
Identify and escalate material issues requiring the Head of Quality Operations’ attention or decision, with a clear recommendation.
Proactively prepare Quality Operations leaders for enterprise meetings and discussions, and coordinate commitments from senior leaders and stakeholders.

Planning, budget, and headcount

Lead the Quality Operations contribution to the Medium-Term Plan and annual business plan.
Own the Quality Operations budget and forecasting process in partnership with Finance, providing clear information on spending, forecasts, risks, and opportunities.
Manage headcount planning and control, including resource requests, vacancies, and workforce plans, in partnership with HR and Finance.
Help leaders decide where to invest, reduce, stop, or change activity, and make the trade-offs clear.
Handle other finance matters as they arise, such as business cases, investment requests, external spend, and financial governance requirements.

Performance and customer insight

Provide one clear view of how Quality Operations is performing and what customers and stakeholders are telling us.
Ensure consistent linkage between the Quality Operations Strategy & Performance and the overall Alexion Operations Strategy and Objectives.
Bring together team performance, the Batch-to-Release scorecard, financial information, risks, customer feedback, and transformation progress.
Identify function-wide performance or customer themes and bring them to the attention of the right leaders.
Ensure that important issues have a clear owner, action, and due date.

Strategic insight and AstraZeneca Quality partnership

Gain strategic insight from AstraZeneca, including enterprise priorities, strategic direction, and emerging trends, and translate it into clear implications and recommendations for Quality Operations.
Partner with AstraZeneca Quality on business planning, aligning Quality Operations plans, budgets, and priorities with AstraZeneca Quality planning cycles and objectives.
Represent Quality Operations in AstraZeneca Quality planning forums, and coordinate inputs, requests, and commitments between the two organisations.
Share Quality Operations insight and performance with AstraZeneca Quality so that both teams work from a consistent view.

Major project and transformation delivery

Maintain oversight of the major projects and programmes across Quality Operations, including implementation of the new Quality operating model, with a single view of scope, milestones, resources, risks, dependencies, and benefits.
Ensure that all initiatives have clear owners, plans, measures, resources, and benefits.
Provide constructive challenge to project leads, and raise delivery risks, slippage, and resource conflicts early with options for leaders to consider.
Help leaders prioritise when delivering change competes with running today’s business.
Set up proportionate project governance, including regular delivery reviews with the Leadership Team.

Stakeholder connection

Ensure that Quality Operations communicates one clear view of its performance, plans, risks, and priorities.
Build and maintain strong connections between Quality Operations and key stakeholders across Alexion Rare Disease Unit and AstraZeneca, including Finance, HR, and project and programme leaders.

Simple and reliable reporting

Make performance reporting, planning, and governance clear, useful, and proportionate.
Challenge poor-quality information, unclear conclusions, and unnecessary reporting.
Use data, analytics, and AI-supported tools responsibly, with appropriate human judgement.

You will need to have:

5-8 years experience in business planning, performance, strategy, finance, or business management in a senior role as part of a leadership team, ideally in a trusted-adviser or business-partnering capacity.
Experience in senior roles within the Quality Function of a Contract Laboratory, Contract Manufacturing Operations, or Quality Operations
Excellent understanding of regulatory, compliance, manufacturing and pharmaceutical development
Strong experience with budgets, forecasts, headcount, and resource planning, with sound financial and commercial judgement.
Experience leading or coordinating an MTP or equivalent planning process.
A track record of overseeing or delivering major projects or programmes, and holding leaders to account for delivery.
Excellent stakeholder-management and influencing skills at senior leadership level, including across a complex, global, and regulated organisation.
Experience preparing information and recommendations for senior leaders.
Ability to identify themes across teams and turn information into clear actions.
Strong analytical and communication skills, and the discretion to handle confidential information.
Degree in science, engineering, business, finance, economics, analytics, or a related discipline.

We would prefer for you to have:

Experience implementing a new operating model or major transformation.
Experience managing large or complex budgets.
Experience using customer and stakeholder feedback to improve performance.
Experience with performance, financial, portfolio, or enterprise planning systems.
Project, programme, or change management qualification.
Familiarity with data integrity, analytics, and responsible use of AI.

Date Posted

20-Oct-2026

Closing Date

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.

Quality Operations Head of Business Planning and Performance

Job Description