Senior Manager, SPQ - Portfolio Management

Job Title: Senior Manager, SPQ - Portfolio Management

Career Level - E

Introduction to role

The Senior Portfolio Manager, SPQ - Portfolio Management is responsible for supporting various activities across the IT portfolio. The portfolio is delivered by the IT function supporting multiple AstraZeneca business units and locations. The scope of this role is related to supporting IT project portfolio activities specifically. While the SPQ Portfolio Team includes support for non-IT users of the ServiceNow SPM tool, this role will focus on IT-related portfolio activities.

This role will apply portfolio management knowledge and capabilities to support the execution of portfolio activities, improve practices, standards, reporting, and tools. This role will leverage change management principles to drive the adoption of changes to IT portfolio management processes across the IT organization.

The successful candidate will be a self-starter who can prioritize their work, build links with IT team members, and lead change initiatives to deliver on the team’s and their personal goals and objectives.

As part of the broader Strategy, Performance & Quality Portfolio Team, this role is expected to contribute to how we:

• Simplify to relentlessly create capacity,
• Standardize by vigorously pursuing standard processes across IT,
• Evolve by pioneering new ways of working, and
• Safeguard through the proactive maturation of IT processes and systems to enable #OneAZ.

Accountabilities

Support the SPQ Portfolio Leads in various activities related to new project start-up, portfolio oversight & reporting, and communications. This may include supporting some or all of the following activities:

• Preparations for Portfolio Review or Portfolio Health sessions
• Reporting on and identifying outliers in baseline reporting
• Conversion of Demands to Projects including carrying out necessary data and process checks
• Requesting new project codes
• Maintaining related project financial master data
• Closing completed projects
• General communications to IT Portfolio partners in alignment with overall SPQ Portfolio communication plan
• Support validation of monthly actuals load data (pre & post load) in partnership with SPQ Portfolio Perfection team
• Support review and validation of Bill of IT alignment with portfolio collaborators and action updates as needed

Liaison for the Central IS portfolio owners related to communications, organisational change, and any ServiceNow support needed including supporting the adoption of changes to IT portfolio management-related processes in this team member group.

Responsible for the creation and maintenance of IT Portfolio process and guidance artifacts which could include maintaining a training portal, ServiceNow Knowledge articles, or other documentation. This may include maintaining a PowerApps solution for training resources related to IT portfolio financial processes.

Work collaboratively with SPQ Portfolio Leads, functional leaders, and wider IT team to identify and implement IT portfolio process improvements based on effective measurement & continuous improvement. This may include:

• Configuring and applying ServiceNow Process Mining to identify IT portfolio process improvement opportunities for SPM workflows (e.g., idea, demand, and project)
• Identifying automation opportunities to benefit Global IT.
• Proactively escalate and resolve critical issues.

Essential Skills/Experience

• Bachelor's degree required
• 3+ years' experience Project / Portfolio management / PMO activities
• 1+ years’ experience in IT business or financial management
• 1+ years' experience leading cross-functional teams
• Understanding of portfolio management in areas like finance and resources
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with strong customer focus and attention to detail
• Self-starter with the ability to optimally multi-task, prioritize workload to meet deadlines
• Passion for process improvement and enhancing team member experiences
• Strong critical thinking and process optimization skills
• Skilled in presenting to senior leaders
• Comfortable operating in sophisticated, global matrix organizations
• Excellent in teamwork, influencing, and team leadership
• Skilled in conflict resolution and change management
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite

Desirable Skills/Experience

• Familiarity with ServiceNow SPM
• Lean and/or Agile certification
• Practical experience with Agile and Waterfall delivery
• Strong data analytics and PowerBI skills
• Knowledge of automation tools like Power Automate
• Experience with or knowledge of Change Management frameworks
• Prior project management experience in ADF, ITIL or similar methodologies
• Experience in the pharmaceutical industry or the specific business area
• Ability to identify risks and issues in IT environments

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.

Join a talented global team that's powering AstraZeneca to better serve patients every day. Integrated and closely aligned with the whole enterprise, we offer our expertise and leverage exciting new technology and digital innovations to accelerate AstraZeneca's evolution. We thrive in our fast-paced environment, always looking ahead to new challenges and improving how we operate today. Our entrepreneurial spirit keeps us ahead of the rest as we apply creativity to every task. With countless opportunities available, this is the place to build an unrivaled reputation while being rewarded for your successes.

Ready to make a difference? Apply now!

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.