Director - Axial Technology Data Design – Information Architect

We are one purpose-led global organisation. The enablers and innovators, ensuring that we can fulfil our mission to push the boundaries of science and discover and develop life-changing medicines. We take pride in working close to the cause, opening the locks to save lives, ultimately making a massive difference to the outside world.

AstraZeneca (AZ) is in a period of strong growth and our employees have a united purpose to make a difference to patients around the world who need both our medicines and the ongoing developments from our science.   In this journey AZ must continue to work across borders and with partners and new colleagues in a fast and seamless way.  The ambition, size and complexity of the organisation, coupled with the opportunities afforded by new technology, has led the Board to approve a large scale transformation of the IT landscape by the replacement of current ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems with one global solution.

Our current technology is used by more than 20,000 employees daily, is foundational to all AZ entities and is central to most core business processes.  Yet this is not an IT or technology led programme, rather this provides the opportunity for real business transformation and to shape the way of working globally for many years to come.  By the time of its completion this programme will impact every AZ product, every AZ supplier, every $ of cash collected from AZ customers and every external financial and internal KPI report.

This programme requires the best.  Whether it be the technical skills, business understanding or change leadership, we want to ensure we have the strongest team deployed throughout.  The programme seeks to deliver a world class change programme that leaves all employees with a fuller understanding of their role in the end-to-end nature of our global company.  This programme will provide AZ with a competitive edge, to the benefits of its employees and patients.

The Information Architecture lead is part of theAxial Technology Data Design team and has full end to end accountability to lead the design and governance of information models and architectures, master data, transformation rules, metadata, and data lineage for our global processes.  You will support and lead the information and data architecture development of both operational/transactional and analytical systems, minimizing the number of data transformations across the estate and assuring architectural and metadata development to appropriate standards and guidelines. As part of the role, you will also support and lead the design of reference and master data management solutions, both at programme and enterprise level, leading case analysis and development. You will also oversee data analysis and appropriate data modelling activities, passionate about profiling and understanding data to support Information Architecture activities and engineering (software specialist) implementation. The challenge of the Information Architecture lead is to understand business requirements and translate them into a realistic IT delivery plan, where the requirements of the business are tensioned against the practicalities of delivering a technology platform and capability to support those requirements.  This will be a partnership with the business to ensure the balance of requirements and AZ IT strategy and technology plans are met.  

The Information Architecture lead will support the design and governance of information models and architectures, master data, transformation rules, metadata, and data lineage for our global processes. This includes defining, leveraging and extending standard AstraZeneca reference architectures, data models and design patterns.  This includes:

Focus on the Information Architecture and Data Analysis capabilities for Axial programme. Establish strong working relationship with Enterprise Information and Data Architecture groups to develop an in-depth understanding of business priorities and data requirements. 

Collaborating with the Enterprise Data & Information Architecture team, you will be an active member of the Axial Technology Data Design team; developing our ways of working; working to ensure a coordinated approach to information architecture across AstraZeneca 

Accountable for the alignment and evolution of the AZ information Architecture, Data Model, Taxonomy, Glossary and Ontologies and the application of those models in solution design and implementation in Axial Programme 

Responsible for the delivery of the data & information design through the provision of coordinated Information Architecture services and design across solutions, including: 

• Data flow design across the enterprise from System of Record to Analytics applications 

• Data structure types, and information model design, needed for a solution such as raw, conform, and consumption data layers 

• Project level oversight of Data Models, Metadata, Linage, Taxonomies and Ontologies 

• Data transformation design between systems/models, including business rule design and management 

• Design of metadata describing data assets (catalogued) 

• Master and Reference data design within and across systems/enterprise 

• Alignment with AstraZeneca’s Information Governance regulations and frameworks 

• Development and enforcement of standard enterprise data element names, abbreviations, characteristics, and domains during the lifecycle of a project

• Also includes managing all architectural alignment tasks during the lifecycle of a project and that they align with Information Standards and Enterprise Models in the Phase-end QA Checkpoints

• Responsible for ensuring compliance and governing ongoing architecture and technology innovation 

• Be an active member of appropriate business data governance councils, ensuring ongoing information architecture is fit for purpose

• Accountable for the alignment and evolution of the AZ information Architecture, Data Model, Taxonomy, Glossary and Ontologies and the application of those models in solution design and implementation 

• Responsible for architecture and technology evangelization, architecture roadmap, and alignment. 

• Responsible for developing and performing architecture, leading practice, and technology education for Axial Programme 

• Responsible for Architectural Governance across all DA disciplines for AxialProgramme

Enterprise Data Accountabilities:

• Responsible for working within the Enterprise Data Architecture Framework of defining, extending, managing, and benchmarking project against best practices, models (logical, physical, semantic), standards, frameworks, and the overall Blueprint as owned by the Chief Data Architect.

• Contributes toleaders of the overall Enterprise Data Strategy in partnership the AstraZeneca business functions, solution developments and functional project

• Accountable for the alignment and evolution of the AZ information Architecture, Data Model, Taxonomy, Glossary and Ontologies and the application of those models in solution design and implementation

• Responsible for ensuringcompliance and governing ongoing architecture and technology innovation

• Responsible for architecture and technology evangelization, architecture roadmap, and alignment

• Responsible for developing and performing architecture, best practice, and technology education

• Responsible for Architectural Governanceacross all DA disciplines 

Delivery Related Accountabilities:

• Responsible for selecting the accurate data architecture patterns, as per AZ data framework to fulfil traditional reporting and analytics, data science, digital, and operational business use cases. This includes:  

• Providing project-level data architecture planning, design expertise and execution application on development projects, from technical designs and technology standards to Models and IA considerations. 

• Based on Axial business requirements that determines the various types of data structure types needed for a project such as raw, conform, and consumption data layers. Leverages the structure model types such as 3rd Normal Form, normalized, and dimensional structures 

• Providing project level support of Data Models, Metadata, Linage, Taxonomies, Ontologies and Information Architecture Best practice and design 

• Supports (or leads) in the development of Data Integration architecture and overall Data Integration design of a project 

• Approves the various artifacts ensuring enforcement of standard enterprise data element names, abbreviations, characteristics, and domains during the lifecycle of a project 

• Responsible for authoring and reviewing many of the Axial project work to ensure compliance and reuse within Architectural Standards as defined by the Enterprise Information Architecture Practice compliant and aligned to the data standards and data design principles as defined by the Enterprise Information architecture. 

• Be seen as an Information Architect expert and trusted by the extended collaborators within Axialprogramme, AZ and any related third parties.