Director, Commercial IT - Business Partner, Patient

Introduction to the Role

The US patient services landscape is undergoing rapid transformation – from hub and specialty pharmacy models to AI-driven engagement platforms and increasingly complex access and affordability challenges. This role sits at the intersection of that transformation and AstraZeneca’s ambition to be a data- and AI-led enterprise. As Director, Commercial IT – Business Partner, Patient Services, you will be the senior technology partner for US Patient Services, encompassing Patient Affordability Programs (AZ&Me), Reimbursement Support (Access 360) and Field Market Access (Field Reimbursement Managers) and Support Programs (AZ IC), across the US business.

Accountabilities

• Thought Leadership & Strategic Direction

• Serve as the domain authority on technology and digital trends relevant to US patient services – including access programs, hub services, copay and free-drug programs, and specialty pharmacy dynamics – proactively bringing external insight into internal strategy.
• Shape a multi-year technology roadmap for Patient Services IT that reflects the evolving US payer, regulatory, and patient-engagement landscape.
• Act as a credible strategic advisor to senior business leaders, translating complex technology possibilities into clear business value.

• ServiceNow Life Sciences Cloud & AI Engineering

• Own the end-to-end design and evolution of ServiceNow Life Sciences Cloud capabilities supporting patient programs, including Health Cloud, Service Cloud, Experience Cloud, and Data Cloud integrations.
• Lead the identification, evaluation, and engineering of AI-powered solutions – including generative AI, predictive models, and intelligent automation – that enhance patient support, access decision-making, and program operations.
• Partner with Commercial AI, Data Science, and Enterprise Architecture teams to ensure AI solutions are robust, explainable, compliant, and production-ready.
• Define and govern the technical architecture for patient services platforms, ensuring scalability, security, and integration with enterprise systems (ERP, MDM, specialty pharmacy feeds, hub vendor platforms).

• Agile Delivery & Execution

• Drive a delivery-first culture: own the end-to-end delivery of technology solutions from discovery through production, holding yourself and your team accountable to committed outcomes, not just activities.
• Lead agile ceremonies (sprint planning, backlog refinement, retrospectives) and ensure agile ways of working are applied consistently and effectively across the portfolio.
• Establish clear KPIs and delivery metrics; report progress transparently to stakeholders at all levels, escalating risks early and resolving blockers decisively.
• Manage and prioritise a complex programme of concurrent initiatives, balancing strategic build with tactical BAU needs.

• Stakeholder Engagement & Business Partnership

• Build trusted relationships across the full stakeholder spectrum – from Executive and VP-level business sponsors to programme managers, operations leads, and third-party hub and specialty pharmacy vendors.
• Ensure technology strategy is co-created with business leaders rather than handed down.
• Partner with Global Commercial IT, Enterprise Architecture, Legal, Compliance, and Privacy teams to ensure solutions meet all regulatory and GxP requirements.
• Mentor and develop a team of Business Analysts, fostering deep domain knowledge and a delivery mindset; share best practice across relevant communities of practice.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Technical and Educational Expertise:

• Bachelor's Degree
• Minimum 7+ years of relevant experience
• Deep hands-on experience with Salesforce Life Sciences Cloud (Health Cloud, Service Cloud, Experience Cloud, Data Cloud)
• Ability to architect solutions, guide technical teams, and engage credibly with Salesforce partners and other technology vendors
• Demonstrable experience designing and delivering AI-powered solutions – including use of large language models, predictive analytics, or intelligent automation – in a commercial or patient services context
• Familiarity with AI development tools, prompt engineering, RAG architectures, and responsible AI frameworks
• Deep experience working with complex integrated technology environments, including API design, data pipelines, and third-party platform integrations (specialty pharmacy, hub service providers, EHR/EMR, MDM)

• US Healthcare & Patient Services Domain Knowledge:

• Extensive knowledge of the US patient services ecosystem: hub services, patient support programs (PSPs and PAPs), specialty pharmacy operations, prior authorisation workflows, copay and free-drug affordability programs, and patient safety/pharmacovigilance reporting obligations
• Current, informed understanding of the US healthcare access environment, including payer dynamics, PBM landscape, federal and state affordability policy, and the competitive context for pharmaceutical patient services
• Ability to translate external healthcare trends into actionable technology strategy and to position this perspective confidently with senior business and technology leaders

• Delivery & Agile Proven Track Record:

• Penned track record of delivering complex technology programmes on time and to agreed outcomes in a large, matrixed organisation
• Strong command of agile delivery methodologies (Scrum, SAFe, or equivalent); experience as a senior practitioner, not just a process follower
• Hightly organised with the discipline to manage multiple concurrent workstreams without losing sight of individual delivery commitments

• Stakeholder Management & Leadership:

• Exceptional ability to engage, influence, and build credibility with stakeholders at all levels – from senior executives to operational teams – adjusting communication style and depth accordingly
• Strong executive presence with excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to present complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical audiences
• Demonstrated experience in IT business partnership, technology product management, or equivalent roles, with significant tenure in pharmaceutical, biotech, or healthcare

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Advanced degree or relevant professional certifications (Salesforce, SAFe, cloud architecture) advantageous

• Experience delivering GxP-validated systems in a regulated pharmaceutical environment

• Hands-on experience with AI/ML platforms (e.g., AWS SageMaker, Azure OpenAI, Salesforce Einstein, Agentforce) and the practical realities of taking AI models to production

• Familiarity with US HIPAA, state privacy laws, and their implications for patient data and program technology

• Experience managing third-party technology vendors and system integrators, including contract and performance management

• Experience of virtual-first, globally distributed team collaboration

• Coaching, mentoring, or people leadership experience