Director, Innovation Product Owner

Job Title: Director, Innovation Product Owner
Location: Durham, Emperor

At AstraZeneca, we put patients first and strive to meet their unmet needs worldwide. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big and working together to make the impossible a reality. If you are swift to action, confident to lead, willing to collaborate, and curious about what science can do, then you’re our kind of person.

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 head office is purposely designed with collaboration in mind, providing space where teams can come together to strategize, brainstorm and connect on key projects. 

Our dedication to sustainability is also central to our culture and part of what makes AstraZeneca a great place to work. We know the health of people, the planet and our business are interconnected which is why we’re taking ambitious action to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, from climate change to access to healthcare and disease prevention. 

Introduction to Role:

Redefine clinical trials through innovation. Join AstraZeneca's Emerging Technologies team to pioneer breakthrough solutions that accelerate therapeutic development, optimize global study delivery, and revolutionize Clinical Operations.

As Director, Innovation Product Owner, you'll serve as the strategic catalyst between R&D IT, Clinical Development, senior leadership, and cross-functional partners, ensuring emerging technologies are adopted responsibly, compliantly, and with measurable impact. You'll operate at the nexus of product strategy, agile delivery, and regulatory compliance, translating powerful innovations (digital health, wearables, decentralized trials and AI-enabled applications) into practical, scalable solutions that drive business value and scientific breakthroughs.

This role demands deep expertise in innovation product management, agile methodologies tailored to regulated environments, and proven track record to influence executive partners while navigating compsophisticatedanizational dynamics. You'll champion the end-to-end lifecycle of innovation products from ideation and roadmap development through deployment, continuous improvement, and governance, ensuring alignment with AstraZeneca's strategic priorities, regulatory obligations, and ethical innovation principles.

You'll drive transformative improvements in clinical study delivery, operational efficiency, and patient outcomes while safeguarding the company's license to operate in a highly regulated environment. Success requires balancing innovation velocity with compliance difficulty, partner needs with technical feasibility, and strategic vision with tactical execution.

Accountabilities:

Drive Innovation Product Strategy & Transformation

• Define product vision for emerging technology solutions in R&D Clinical Operations, aligning organizational goals with frontier innovations (digital health platforms, wearable devices, decentralized trial technologies, AI-enabled applications)
• Build and own product roadmaps that prioritize high-impact use cases, balancing innovation velocity with feasibility and collaborator needs
• Translate business challenges into actionable features, user stories, and acceptance criteria within agile frameworks
• Identify transformative opportunities that redefine clinical study design, patient engagement, data capture, and operational efficiency
• Champion experimentation by piloting emerging technologies and scaling proven innovations across global studies
• Stay ahead of technology trends by integrating frontier solutions and industry best practices into product strategy
  

Lead Agile Delivery & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Apply agile methodologies (Scrum, SAFe, Kanban) tailored to regulated biopharma environments, delivering iteratively and compliantly
• Partner with R&D IT and Clinical Development to co-create scalable innovation solutions aligned with enterprise architecture
• Influence senior leadership by securing agreement, navigating organizational complexity, and driving technology adoption through strategic updates and executive engagement
• Facilitate sprint planning and backlog refinement to ensure transparency and alignment across multidisciplinary teams
• Act as the customer voice by synthesizing feedback from clinical operations and end-users to continuously enhance innovation products
• Build strategic partnerships with external technology vendors, startups, and industry consortia to accelerate innovation
  

Enable Compliant Innovation Adoption

• Ensure regulatory compliance with ICH/GxP, FDA, EMA standards by embedding validation strategies and risk mitigation throughout the product lifecycle
• Collaborate with QA and Regulatory Affairs to establish governance frameworks that enable rapid, safe technology deployment
• Develop comprehensive product documentation including validation plans, risk assessments, user requirements, and SOPs to support audit readiness
• Champion responsible innovation by proactively addressing ethics, data privacy, security, and patient safety considerations (GDPR, HIPAA, 21 CFR Part 11)
• Support regulatory inspections by providing expertise, documentation, and evidence of compliant innovation development and deployment
• Pioneer industry-standard governance by shaping innovation frameworks in collaboration with regulatory bodies and industry leaders
  

Measure Impact & Drive Continuous Improvement

• Define critical metrics to track product performance, user adoption, business impact, and compliance adherence
• Analyze usage data and trends to identify optimization opportunities and drive Lean Six Sigma initiatives
• Deliver measurable outcomes including efficiency gains, accelerated insights, improved trial enrollment, enhanced patient experience, and operational excellence
• Monitor emerging trends by staying current with technology innovations, regulatory developments, and competitive landscape
  

Develop Talent & Foster Innovation Culture

• Mentor product owners and cross-functional teams to build agile excellence and innovation literacy across the organization
• Promote a culture of innovation, collaboration, and accountability by empowering teams to experiment, learn, and deliver exceptional results
  

Share knowledge and standard processes to contribute to the growth and capability-building of the Emerging Technologies team

Essential Skills/Experience:

• Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Engineering, Life Sciences, Health Informatics, or equivalent discipline (or equivalent experience)
• Extensive experience (8+ years) in product management or product ownership, with a proven track record of delivering technology-enabled products or digital solutions in clinical research or healthcare
• Deep expertise in agile delivery methodologies (Scrum, SAFe, Kanban) with demonstrated ability to apply these frameworks in complex, regulated environments
• Strong understanding of emerging technologies applicable to clinical trials, including digital health, wearables, decentralized trials and AI-enabled applications
• Proven experience in regulated industries (pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical devices, or healthcare), with knowledge of ICH/GxP, FDA, EMA, or equivalent regulatory standards
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with R&D IT, Clinical Development, and senior leadership teams, driving alignment and delivering strategic outcomes

Desirable

• Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in Computer Science, Engineering, Life Sciences, Health Informatics, or related field
• Recognized agile certifications (Certified Scrum Product Owner, SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager, or equivalent)
• Experience with innovation governance frameworks, responsible innovation practices, and ethical technology principles
• Hands-on experience with digital health technologies, clinical trial management systems (CTMS), electronic data capture (EDC), wearables, or decentralized trial platforms
• Knowledge of clinical trial processes, clinical data standards (CDISC, SDTM, ADaM), and regulatory submission requirements
• Experience with Lean Six Sigma or similar process improvement methodologies, including root cause analysis and continuous improvement initiatives
• Proven track record of leading large-scale, transformative innovation initiatives from concept to deployment, with measurable business impact
• Experience working with external technology vendors and partners, including contract negotiation, vendor management, and issue escalation
• Strong understanding of data privacy regulations (GDPR, HIPAA, 21 CFR Part 11) and their implications for innovation product development
• Expert reputation within the biopharmaceutical industry or innovation product management community, with thought leadership contributions (publications, speaking engagements, etc.)
  

Where can I find out more?

• Our Social Media, Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/1603/
• Follow AstraZeneca on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/astrazenecacareers/
• Follow AstraZeneca on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/astrazeneca_careers/?hl=en
• Our US Footprint: Powering Scientific Innovation - YouTube

AstraZeneca is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion and providing a workplace that is free from discrimination. AstraZeneca is committed to accommodating persons with disabilities. Such accommodation is available on request in respect of all aspects of the recruitment, assessment and selection process and may be requested by emailing AZCHumanResources@astrazeneca.com.

#LI-Hybrid

Date Posted

14-Apr-2026

Closing Date

27-Apr-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.