Associate Capital Project Director,

About the role

You will lead nine-figure capital investments that accelerate life-changing medicines to patients by delivering complex facilities and capabilities that expand our scientific and manufacturing footprint across the Americas. Based in Gaithersburg, MD, you will drive major investments in the mid-Atlantic region, aligning scope, schedule, cost, and risk to secure reliable supply and measurable business value. You will thrive in a dynamic, matrix environment where you orchestrate cross-functional teams and suppliers to deliver on what matters most.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the project charter aligned to business outcomes, translating strategy into a clear delivery roadmap for major investments.
• Develop, maintain, communicate, and implement the integrated Project Management Plan, ensuring every function understands roles, responsibilities, and decision rights.
• Establish and operate robust governance in line with the Capital Project Delivery Process, enabling timely, high-quality decisions and transparent reporting.
• Proactively identify and mitigate risks; own the Project Change Register; assess and secure approvals for scope changes to protect value and schedule.
• Build and manage an integrated master schedule; drive plan-do-review cycles to meet business case milestones and achieve H1/H2 signoffs.
• Govern the approved budget and spending plan; lead forecast and cost reviews to ensure on-budget delivery and optimized capital efficiency.
• Maintain strong relationships with business partners; translate requirements into design, construction, commissioning, and qualification deliverables; lead supplier teams and foster collaboration.
• Deliver safely and compliantly to predefined quality requirements; ensure successful handover to operations with Operational Performance Criteria met.
• Clarify roles, coach a high-performing team, and capture lessons learned and good practices to raise the bar across the portfolio.
• Travel to project sites up to 50% to unblock issues, accelerate decisions, and secure outcomes.

Requirements

• A minimum of 5 years of experience managing or leading capital investments in pharmaceutical or process-intensive manufacturing industries.
• High levels of drive, energy, and resilience with the ability to take initiative.
• Ability to work well in diverse teams and proven aptitude to influence others to achieve positive outcomes.
• Bachelor’s degree.
• Many years of engineering and/or project experience.
• Proven supervisory and technical skills.
• Demonstrated capability to manage projects in excess of $100M.

Qualifications

• A project management qualification (desirable).
• Master’s degree in engineering management, technical management, or business administration (preferred).
• Demonstrated capability to manage projects in excess of $200M (desirable).

Benefits

• Annual base pay ranging from $139,929.60 to $209,894.40 USD.
• Short-term incentive bonus opportunity.
• Eligibility to participate in an equity-based long-term incentive program (salaried roles).
• Retirement contribution (hourly roles).
• Qualified retirement program (401(k) plan).
• Paid vacation and holidays.
• Paid leaves.
• Health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage.

Schedule

In-person working with an expectation of being in the office a minimum of three days per week, balancing office presence with individual flexibility.

Why AstraZeneca

Here, you will help shape the next generation of medicines by delivering the advanced facilities that make them possible. We bring together diverse experts to solve complex, technical challenges at speed, using modern tools, digital insights, and Lean ways of working. With a steady flow of innovative launches and a clear long-term strategy, you can build a lasting legacy—elevating standards for safety, sustainability, and performance while securing supply for patients who depend on us. We pair ambition with kindness, creating a space where your voice matters, ideas are tested in the open, and bold thinking is turned into real-world impact.