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:

The Senior Manager, Relationship Management, R&D Partner, ensures the alignment of existing information systems with business requirements across Astellas global value chain. This includes Research (DDR), Medical & Development (M&D), Pharmaceutical Technology (PT), and Quality Assurance (QA) globally for a certain function. This position will collaborate with Programs & Projects (PP) and Application Life Cycle Management (ALCM) Teams in order to advise the organization in the definition of new or improved technologies related to information management in support of the business thus enhancing the value of information to the business.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

  • Relationship Management

  • Partners with business function counterparts to ensure alignment for one of the Global Value Chain customers between business and IS strategy;

  • Be a strategic partner and advisor to the business by leveraging the best resources inside Astellas and outside the organization to make the right technology decisions for the Global Value Chain business functions regionally.

  • Performs impact scans to understand the market place for a certain information needs. With input from business functions:

  • Supports IS Business Partner(s) to create an information strategy for the purpose of deploying information systems;

  • Determines the scope related to information needs;

  • Documents high level user requirements for supporting business functions;

  • Writes Request for Information (RFI) and performs market research assessments;

  • Collates responses to RFIs and establishes a shortlist together with the business;

  • Writes Request for Proposal (RFP), performs due diligence and negotiates contracts to enable the selection of a preferred vendor from the shortlist, in cooperation with the business and shared services departments;

  • Compiles the business case showing the Total Cost of Ownership and intangible benefits, including financial, organizational, procedural and technological consequences.

  • Identifies opportunities for evolution and innovation of the applied business information systems:

  • Analyses information requirements and needs of business functions;

  • Prepares project proposals and briefs;

  • Support IS Business Partner to promote the portfolio of R&D Partner products & services;

  • Stimulates the use of available Information Systems in collaboration with ALCM Team.

  • Initiates and manages R&D Partner projects:

  • Supports PP Team to manage the portfolio of R&D Partner projects for a certain business area and discusses them with business functions including setting priorities across regions if appropriate and necessary;

  • Supports PP Team to define the validation approach;

  • Defines, in close cooperation with key users, detailed user requirement specifications, necessary for project execution;

  • Supports PP Team to ensure functional and/or technical designs are specified and created;

  • Supports PP Team to ensure deliverables as described in the Validation Plan are met and signed off as appropriate;

  • Collaborate with PP Team to manage the execution of approved projects and performs project management tasks as described in the Project / System Management Methodology.

  • Follows and understands the direction and context of business and IT developments and the implications of these developments for specific solutions related to business function processes:

  • Keeps up to date with business function developments within the area of responsibility.

  • Keeps up to date with IT developments in general.

  • Collaborate with ALCM Team to search for improvements when applying these developments to selected solutions, influences the business and initiates infrastructure projects as appropriate.

  • Clearly describes business function needs and issues for the development of the IT solution and collaborates with ALCM Team to maintain the IT solution as appropriate.

  • Participates in global or cross-regional project teams.

  • Manages the governance, support and change management models:

  • Collaborates with PP and ALCM Teams to ensure the governance, support and change management models to support business functions are employed effectively and efficiently;

  • Collaborates with SDM and ALCM Team to ensure that business function needs regarding IT sourcing are captured in the contracts and Service Level Agreements between Astellas and third party vendors/providers.

  • Manages software, licenses and support contracts:

  • Supports ALCM Team to ensure contracts with third parties are established and signed off according to shared services practices;

  • Supports ALCM Team to manage contracts during their life cycle.

Qualifications:

Required

  • Masters University degree or acquired by education and/or work experience in IT, business administration or equivalent;

  • Fluent English (verbally and written);

  • Excellent negotiation and influencing skills;

  • Be stress-resistant and analytical;

  • Demonstrated learning ability and ability to acquire new skills as part of the job;

  • Well developed collaborative social skills.

  • Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience

  • Over 5 years experience in Pharmaceutical (R&D) environment;

  • Over 5 years experience in project management with extensive knowledge applying project management or system development methodologies;

  • Experience in managing vendors (application vendors and service providers);

  • Knowledge of regulatory requirements concerning GxP applications, GAMP5 and 21 CFR Part 11.

Preferred

  • Knowledge of relational databases (Oracle, MS SQL) is desired.

  • Knowledge of interfaces and middleware solutions is desired.

  • Experience as a database administrator, programmer, report builder or similar is desired;

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

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Category R&D Partner

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

EOE including Disability/Protected Veterans

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