Director, Innovation Product Owner

Location: Warsaw Poland
Hybrid model of work: 3 days in office 2 days remote per week

Revolutionize clinical trials through innovation.Join AstraZenecas Emerging Technologies team to pioneer breakthrough solutions that accelerate therapeutic development optimize global study delivery and redefine Clinical Operations.

AsDirector Innovation Product Owner youll serve as the strategic catalyst between R&D IT Clinical Development senior leadership and cross-functional partners ensuring emerging technologies are adopted responsibly compliantly and with measurable impact. Youll operate at the nexus of product strategy agile delivery and regulatory compliance translating cutting-edge innovations (digital health wearables decentralized trials and AI-enabled applications) into practical scalable solutions that drive business value and scientific breakthroughs.

This role demands deep expertise in innovation product management agile methodologies tailored to regulated environments and proven ability to influence executive stakeholders while navigating complex organizational dynamics. Youll champion the end-to-end lifecycle of innovation products from ideation and roadmap development through deployment continuous improvement and governance ensuring alignment with AstraZenecas strategic priorities regulatory obligations and ethical innovation principles.

Youll drive transformative improvements in clinical study delivery operational efficiency and patient outcomes while safeguarding the companys license to operate in a highly regulated environment.Success requires balancing innovation velocity with compliance rigor stakeholder needs with technical feasibility and strategic vision with tactical execution.

Typical Accountabilities

Drive Innovation Product Strategy & Transformation

• Define product vision for emerging technology solutions in R&D Clinical Operations aligning organizational goals with frontier innovations (digital health platforms wearable devices decentralized trial technologies AI-enabled applications)
• Build and own product roadmaps that prioritize high-impact use cases balancing innovation velocity with feasibility and stakeholder needs
• Translate business challenges into actionable features user stories and acceptance criteria within agile frameworks
• Identify transformative opportunities that revolutionize clinical study design patient engagement data capture and operational efficiency
• Champion experimentation by piloting emerging technologies and scaling proven innovations across global studies
• Stay ahead of technology trends by integrating frontier solutions and industry best practices into product strategy

Lead Agile Delivery & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Apply agile methodologies (Scrum SAFe Kanban) tailored to regulated biopharma environments delivering iteratively and compliantly
• Partner with R&D IT and Clinical Development to co-create scalable innovation solutions aligned with enterprise architecture
• Influence senior leadership by securing buy-in navigating organizational complexity and driving technology adoption through strategic updates and executive engagement
• Facilitate sprint planning and backlog refinement to ensure transparency and alignment across multidisciplinary teams
• Act as the customer voice by synthesizing feedback from clinical operations and end-users to continuously enhance innovation products
• Build strategic partnerships with external technology vendors startups and industry consortia to accelerate innovation

Enable Compliant Innovation Adoption

• Ensure regulatory compliance with ICH/GxP FDA EMA standards by embedding validation strategies and risk mitigation throughout the product lifecycle
• Collaborate with QA and Regulatory Affairs to establish governance frameworks that enable rapid safe technology deployment
• Develop comprehensive product documentation including validation plans risk assessments user requirements and SOPs to support audit readiness
• Champion responsible innovation by proactively addressing ethics data privacy security and patient safety considerations (GDPR HIPAA 21 CFR Part 11)
• Support regulatory inspections by providing expertise documentation and evidence of compliant innovation development and deployment
• Pioneer industry-standard governance by shaping innovation frameworks in collaboration with regulatory bodies and industry leaders

Measure Impact & Drive Continuous Improvement

• Define KPIs to track product performance user adoption business impact and compliance adherence
• Analyze usage data and trends to identify optimization opportunities and drive Lean Six Sigma initiatives
• Deliver measurable outcomes including efficiency gains accelerated insights improved trial enrollment enhanced patient experience and operational excellence
• Monitor emerging trends by staying current with technology innovations regulatory developments and competitive landscape

Develop Talent & Foster Innovation Culture

• Mentor product owners and cross-functional teams to build agile excellence and innovation literacy across the organization
• Promote a culture of innovation collaboration and accountability by empowering teams to experiment learn and deliver exceptional results
• Share knowledge and best practices to contribute to the growth and capability-building of the Emerging Technologies team

Essential

• Bachelor of Sciencein Computer Science Engineering Life Sciences Health Informatics or equivalent discipline (or equivalent experience)
• Extensive experience (8 years)in product management or product ownership with a proven track record of delivering technology-enabled products or digital solutions in clinical research or healthcare
• Deep expertise in agile delivery methodologies(Scrum SAFe Kanban) with demonstrated ability to apply these frameworks in complex regulated environments
• Strong understanding of emerging technologiesapplicable to clinical trials including digital health wearables decentralized trials and AI-enabled applications
• Proven experience in regulated industries(pharmaceutical biotechnology medical devices or healthcare) with knowledge of ICH/GxP FDA EMA or equivalent regulatory standards
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectivelywith R&D IT Clinical Development and senior leadership teams driving alignment and delivering strategic outcomes
• Exceptional communication and influencing skills with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear actionable insights for diverse stakeholders
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with experience using data to inform product decisions prioritize features and measure impact
• Experience managing product backlogs writing user stories and defining acceptance criteria within agile frameworks
• Proven ability to navigate ambiguity manage competing priorities and deliver results in fast-paced dynamic environments

Desirable

• Advanced degree (Masters or PhD)in Computer Science Engineering Life Sciences Health Informatics or related field
• Recognized agile certifications(Certified Scrum Product Owner SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager or equivalent)
• Experience with innovation governance frameworks responsible innovation practices and ethical technology principles
• Hands-on experience with digital health technologies clinical trial management systems (CTMS) electronic data capture (EDC) wearables or decentralized trial platforms
• Knowledge of clinical trial processes clinical data standards (CDISC SDTM ADaM) and regulatory submission requirements
• Experience with Lean Six Sigmaor similar process improvement methodologies including root cause analysis and continuous improvement initiatives
• Proven track record of leading large-scale transformative innovation initiativesfrom concept to deployment with measurable business impact
• Experience working with external technology vendors and partners including contract negotiation vendor management and issue escalation
• Strong understanding of data privacy regulations(GDPR HIPAA 21 CFR Part 11) and their implications for innovation product development
• Expert reputation within the biopharmaceutical industryor innovation product management community with thought leadership contributions (publications speaking engagements etc.)

Date Posted

Closing Date

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds with as wide a range of perspectives as possible and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment) as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.