VP, Head of IT Rare Disease Unit

VP, IT Rare Disease Unit

Boston, USA

About the role

Reporting to the Enterprise CIO, the VP, IT, Rare Disease Unit will be charged with developing and establishing an information technology vision, strategy and innovation agenda to support the goals and objectives of the Rare Disease Unit. The candidate will be an active member of the AstraZeneca IT Leadership Team and contribute to the overall vision of the IT 2030 Strategy adoption and engagement across the Rare Disease Unit.

You will be expected to work closely with senior business and technology leaders across the enterprise to ensure that investments and the technology portfolio are aligned to the current and future needs of the business.  They will be expected to immediately focus on developing a comprehensive technology roadmap/strategy and lead innovation activities that balance immediate business needs with forward-looking disruptive plans.

The leader will need to work with Alexion and AZ stakeholders to balance the needs of both organizations, with an emphasis of innovating for the Alexion business.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership: Provide expert counsel and guidance to senior management and key stakeholders on all IT related issues. Apply strong leadership and thinking to a diverse set of opportunities and challenges ensuring that the IT organization serves as a true strategic partner and enabler to all facets of the enterprise.
• Technology Innovation: Lead the facilitation and collaboration of innovation platforms that connect business-level innovation with emerging technology and long horizon, disruptive efforts
• IT Vision and Strategy: Develop long-term technology vision and strategic plans based on alignment with and support for the organization’s strategies and goals. Seek funding for innovative IT initiatives that have strategic value.
• IT Governance: Provide cost effective management, rationalization, and simplification of the company’s portfolio of systems and projects. Establish and enforce appropriate IT policies, best practices, processes, systems and technology portfolio and lifecycle management, program and project management (PMO), development standards, methodologies, and the like.
• Management: Hire, develop, appraise, reward, and retain a highly qualified IT team. Motivate and mentor IT management and staff. Lead by example through appropriate participation and involvement in, and oversight of all IT activities. Plan and provide continuity and succession for all IT management.
• Budgeting: Create the IT budget that meets synergy targets and delivers innovative new solutions.  Monitor performance against the budget and act to ensure budget compliance. Create effective partnerships and negotiate advantageous agreements with service providers and hardware and software vendors.
• Systems: Direct the definition, architecture, development, implementation, maintenance and support of application systems, which drive and enable organization objectives. Ensure performance to all related elements - cost, schedule and budget - as they relate to the existing plan and forecast; continuously improve unit cost performance while maximizing existing as well as new information technology capability and innovation.
• Technology, Infrastructure & Telecommunications: Work with key IT partners across AstraZeneca IT to maintain knowledge of state-of-the-art information technologies. Identify appropriate technologies for IT initiatives, and drive innovation programs to further facilitate business objectives.
• Operations: Working with IT partners across AstraZeneca IT, direct the continuous and secure operation, administration and maintenance of the organization computing, networking cybersecurity infrastructure.  Ensure health information privacy and security.
• IT Effectiveness: Improve the effectiveness, efficiency and delivery of the IT team in support of organizational goal of improving reliability and speed to market through Quality Management and Lean Principles.
• Organization Assimilation - Fully understand the Rare Disease Unit’s global business strategy and its information needs. Ascertain the culture in IT and across the company and establish credibility and set the stage to help shift the culture where needed.
• Overall IT Assessment - Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Rare Disease Unit’s IT organization, including people, processes and systems.
• IT Strategic Planning - Lead the development of a new strategic and operational IT plan focused on a digital and data agenda. Determine optimal global IT strategy to support the Rare Disease Unit’s overall business strategies. 
• Alexion/AZ Integration Planning - Work with the Integration Management Office to devise and execute on an integration roadmap

Education, Qualifications, and Experience

• The candidate will be a proven information technology leader driven by excellence.The VP, Head of IT, Rare Disease Unit will be a highly collaborative, disciplined and business-oriented individual with at least 15 years of broadly-based, progressive IT leadership and innovation experience in all aspects of change management, program management, and strategy development. The ideal candidate will bring substantive experience gained from within the global pharmaceutical/biotech environment or other highly innovative industries.
• A proven ability to link complex technologies to business strategies is required.
• Track record of leading complex, large-scale technology implementations.
• Substantive examples of driving innovation through execution and derived value.
• Substantive global experience working with business leaders internationally.
• Detailed understanding of complex M&A deals and integration tactics.
• Solid understanding of business operations and demonstrated experience working collaboratively with business leaders to develop and deliver solutions that meet business needs.

Desirable Experience

• A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration or related field. An advanced degree is preferred.
• The ability to relate well to a wide variety of diverse styles, types, and classes; open to differences; effective up, down, sideways, inside, and outside; builds diverse networks; quick to find common ground; treats differences fairly and equitably; treats everyone as a preferred customer.
• Self-motivated and directed and driven by opportunity and customer expectations.
• Writes and presents effectively; adjusts to fit the audience and the message; strongly gets a message across.
• Results oriented and success driven with a desire to impact a growing and highly successful company.
• Well organized, resourceful, and planful; effective and efficient at marshalling multiple resources to get things done; lays out tasks in sufficient detail to mark the trail; is able to get things done with less and in less time; can work on multiple tasks at once without losing track; foresees and plans around obstacles.
• An effective process, work flow, and systems designer; is good at figuring out what to measure to track progress; sets up systems that can almost manage themselves; is a master at the effectiveness and efficiency of work systems; can quickly diagnose and fix a work flow problem; always looking for incremental process improvement.
• Manoeuvres well to get things done; maze bright; knows where to go to get what they need; politically aware and agile; knows the right thing to do; presents views and arguments well.

Why Join Us?

At AstraZeneca, we’re dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. Where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science and unleash your entrepreneurial spirit. There’s no better place to make a difference to medicine, patients, and society. An inclusive culture that champions diversity and collaboration, and always committed to lifelong learning, growth, and development. We’re on an exciting journey to pioneer the future of healthcare. 

If you are ready to take on this exciting challenge and be part of a team dedicated to revolutionizing talent acquisition in the pharmaceutical industry, we want to hear from you! Join us at AstraZeneca and let's make a real difference in the lives of patients around the world. 

Office Working Requirements

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire 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 unique and ambitious world.

The annual base salary for this position in the US ranges from $333,747 to $500,000 However, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.  In addition, our positions offer a short-term incentive bonus opportunity; eligibility to participate in our equity-based long-term incentive program (salaried roles) or to receive a retirement contribution (hourly roles). Benefits offered included a qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]; paid vacation and holidays; paid leaves; and, health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Additional details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

Date Posted

09-Oct-2026

Closing Date

23-Oct-2026

Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.

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 authorisation and employment eligibility verification requirements.