Do you want to be part of an inclusive team that works to develop innovative therapies for patients? Every day, we are driven to develop and deliver innovative and effective new medicines to patients and physicians. If you want to be part of this exciting work, you belong at Astellas!

Astellas Pharma Inc. is a pharmaceutical company conducting business in more than 70 countries around the world. We are committed to turning innovative science into medical solutions that bring value and hope to patients and their families. Keeping our focus on addressing unmet medical needs and conducting our business with ethics and integrity enables us to improve the health of people throughout the world. For more information on Astellas, please visit our website at www.astellas.com .

This position is based in Northbrook, IL. Remote work from certain states may be permitted in accordance with Astellas’ Responsible Flexibility Guidelines. Candidates interested in remote work are encouraged to apply.

Purpose & Scope of Position:

The Associate Director of Knowledge Management (KM) will own and be accountable for People-based and Process-based knowledge capabilities (solutions, approaches) and workstreams (activities that support all knowledge capabilities.) This role is at the core of building a Knowledge Management function that will improve innovation, decision-making, and efficiency by connecting Astellas employees to the collective knowledge of the entire company.

As part of the core team, this role will:

  • Engage stakeholders and end users across the company to deeply understand their business problems

  • Think strategically to translate those business needs into capabilities and solutions that better connect people to knowledge and insights: connecting people to content and people to people

  • Bring those capabilities and solutions to life – both shorter term to solve particular business problems and longer term to scale that impact across the company

  • Help define and evolve our KM strategy and champion KM across the company

The scope is global (all countries) and enterprise (all divisions.)

Essential Job Responsibilities:

  • Own and drive KM’s People-based and Process-based capabilities, such as: communities of practice, lessons learned, knowledge transfer/flow processes, identification and mapping of critical knowledge (tied to competency and skill frameworks), technical expertise programs, integrating knowledge into business processes (both core pharma processes and enterprise processes around talent management, learning & development, innovation), etc.

  • Drive People-based and Process-based workstreams that support all KM capabilities, such as: change management, culture change, communications, governance and steering committees, process, etc.

  • Create and launch new KM capabilities and define how to efficiently sustain, evolve, and scale those capabilities. Provide end-to-end oversight, from strategy through execution.

  • Build relationships and engage with the business to identify, prioritize, and solve for opportunities and use cases. Examples of the business include: research, development, manufacturing, commercial functions

  • Build relationships and collaborate with key partners across the company to deliver against those opportunities and use cases. Examples of partners: Digital, Analytics, and Technology; Transformation Office; Corporate Strategy; Human Resources; Library & Information Services; Legal; Ethics & Compliance; Procurement; various quality assurance, audit, learning & development, change management, and communications teams across the company; external suppliers; etc.

  • In time, build up and manage resources to establish and grow the new function: build, develop, and oversee a team; identify and engage suppliers; cultivate networks and teams in the business to support KM.

  • Champion and promote KM across the company - raising awareness, building support, and creating energy

Quantitative Dimensions

Examples of measurable areas include:

  • Business value – both quantitative and qualitative

  • Customer satisfaction with our capabilities

  • Adoption and usage of our capabilities

  • Business units engaged, including affiliates, etc.

  • Pilot execution and insights captured and synthesized

  • Use cases identified and address

Organizational Context

This role sits within the Digital, Analytics, and Technology (DAT) division and requires

collaboration both within DAT and across all divisions. This role may be responsible for

additional resources, including project resources and contractors.

Qualifications:

Required

  • Relevant Bachelor's degree

  • 10+ years of experience in knowledge strategy within a large, global enterprise

  • Excellent leadership, executive presence, communication, and presentation skills

  • Strong ability to quickly build relationships and support, establish personal networks, collaborate cross-functionally, influence without authority, and evangelize KM – at all levels in the organization and in a virtual, global context

  • Excellent strategic thinking and problem-solving skills

  • Excellent organization and planning skills

  • Deep experience driving holistic change management and culture change initiatives

  • Deep experience designing, managing, and integrating knowledge processes into the business

  • Strong ability to independently discover new opportunities and gain stakeholder buy-in.

  • Advanced English business language proficiency

Preferred

  • Experience with the pharmaceutical industry and lifecycle, including regulatory and compliance

  • Experience in cross-cultural project management and communication, especially with Japan

  • Japanese language proficiency

Salary Range

$153K – $204K (NOTE: Final salary could be more or less, based on experience)

Benefits

  • Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance

  • Generous Paid Time Off options, including Vacation, Sick time, plus national holidays including Heritage Days, and Summer and Winter Breaks

  • 401(k) match and annual company contribution

  • Company paid life insurance

  • Annual Corporate Bonus and Quarterly Sales Incentive for eligible positions

  • Long Term Incentive Plan for eligible positions

  • Referral bonus program

#LI-KM1

Category Technology Governance & Informatics

Astellas is committed to equality of opportunity in all aspects of employment.

EOE including Disability/Protected Veterans