Director – Process Design and Optimisation in Chemical Development

Job Title: Director – Process Design and Optimisation in Chemical Development 

Location: Macclesfield, UK 

Hybrid working model, 3-5 days per week onsite 

About us:  

At AstraZeneca, we're united by a bold ambition: to push the boundaries of science and deliver life-changing medicines to patients worldwide. As a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company with an exciting and robust portfolio of nearly 200 investigational therapies at varied stages of clinical development (including >20 at late-stage), we transform pioneering research into breakthrough treatments across oncology, cardiovascular, respiratory, and rare diseases. Here, your talent will contribute to innovations that truly matter—helping us reimagine healthcare and create a healthier future for all! 

Introduction to role: 

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated leader to join the Chemistry function within AstraZeneca’s Chemical Development department as Director – Process Design and Optimisation  

Are you ready to apply your extensive leadership skills and drug development experience, to guide and inspire our chemists in process design and optimisation, turning bold science into reliable medicines for patients? As Director (senior team manager), you will set the technical direction for modern process design and optimisation, whilst leading your team to deliver high quality, robust sustainable commercial processes, manufacturing campaigns, control strategies and future-proofed regulatory submissions. Through exploiting innovative science, cutting edge technologies and AI / data-driven solutions, you will empower your team to reduce risk and shorten timelines, enabling confident clinical supply and launch 

Accountabilities: 

Through leading a process design and optimisation team in Chemistry, you will drive 

Technical excellence in project delivery: 

• Applying your experience to successful accountability for drug projects at both Chemistry Section and Chemical Development functional levels 

• Acting as a source of expert guidance for development of chemical processes, technology transfer and clinical drug substance manufacture both internally and externally. You will facilitate on-time, right quality clinical API supplies and strong data packages, designed to seamlessly support onward process characterisation and finalisation  

• Delivery of CMC regulatory submissions for clinical and marketing phases – guiding and supporting authorship of drug substance submissions and developing harmonised control strategies at the substance-product interface. Acting as an experienced reviewer, you will reduce risk and seek opportunities to drive the best outcome for the business, via excellence in authorship and response to regulatory questions  

Senior line-management of a Chemistry technical team, including: 

• Sophisticated coaching and mentoring to support professional development of ~8-10 highly skilled scientists and scientific leaders, up to and including Principal Scientist level  

• Advanced performance management – goal setting and regular feed-forward to drive high impact contributions at all levels, generating impactful, meaningful career pathways for each member of your team 

• Mentorship, coaching and onboarding of first-time team leaders and support and guidance for our wider chemistry team manager community 

• Driving key elements of SHE and cGxP compliance for our Chemistry section  

Contributing to key elements of our Chemistry Strategy including: 

• Identification and execution of improvement programmes to enhance the capability and capacity of the Chemistry function to deliver their contribution to drug substance projects, through strong career pathways for our people 

• Working across the section to specifically champion integration of innovative route design and process design, with associated support for modern business processes including scale-up assessment and control strategy development. Employing cutting edge AI / data techniques where appropriate, you will drive efficiency across the process design and optimisation area for the business 

• Understanding the external science and technology landscape to champion innovation and curiosity within process design and optimisation, you will work across interfaces to improve standards and ways of working which impact across the whole project lifecycle 
   

Essential Skills/Experience: 

• Degree, PhD or equivalent experience in Chemistry, plus an additional 8+ years’ experience in synthetic drug substance pharmaceutical development 

• Proven high-impact people leadership experience, with a track record of delivery at Associate Director (Team Manager) level; effectively managing, coaching and developing scientific teams to deliver complex projects  

• Expertise in development and scale-up of synthetic chemistry to deliver commercially viable manufacturing processes in mid-to-late phase development, including advanced understanding of process design and optimisation. Proven experience in collaboration with interface groups such as analytical chemistry, chemical engineering, particle science and drug product in order to achieve your goals 

• Strong understanding and experience of delivery across the drug development process, especially late-stage development to support Phase 3 clinical studies and launch, including control strategy development 

• Strong project management skills developed through personal leadership and delivery of drug projects, as well as the capability to support multiple projects simultaneously within the team 

• Proven CMC-wide experience and an appreciation of how to generate the best impact for patients. Demonstrated application of this experience to high quality regulatory delivery through authoring and reviewing module 3.2 regulatory submissions and/or response to health authority questions 

• Demonstrated experience of managing change through continuous improvement, increasing efficiency and with measurable impact inside and outside of a Chemical Development setting 

• Track record of driving the introduction of digital approaches and new synthetic / manufacturing platforms or technologies, and examples of publicising these achievements to the outside world  

• Extensive experience of leading senior scientific staff / peers to deliver high impact improvements to ways of working, as well as projects in both an internal and external development and manufacturing setting 

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That's why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we're not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world! 

***Please note: we operate a rolling recruitment process and may close this vacancy early if a strong candidate is identified. Early applications are strongly encouraged.

Competitive salary and benefits package on offer.

The successful candidate will have access to a flexible employee benefits fund, including holiday purchase and flexible time off, pension contributions, Share Save Plans, a performance recognition scheme and a competitive, generous remuneration package

Why AstraZeneca: 

Here, your leadership turns complex science into dependable supply for patients worldwide. You will work with pioneering chemistry, digital technologies, and lean principles, side by side with colleagues who put unexpected teams in the same room to crack tough problems. With a truly global network and strong investment in people and modern facilities, you will grow your impact and your career—learning from diverse teams, shaping standards across sites, and contributing to a more sustainable future. We value kindness alongside ambition, and we back decisive leaders who take ownership and deliver outcomes that matter. 

Call to Action: 

Step forward to lead the chemistry that scales breakthrough molecules into life-changing medicines—and shape what’s next!