Senior Specialist (m/f/d), Computational Pathology Business Operations

ABOUT ASTRAZENECA

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-focused biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines for some of the world's most serious diseases. But we're more than one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies.

SITE DESCRIPTION - Munich, Germany

At Computational Pathology Munich (CPM), we make a significant contribution to high-performance, data-driven research and development. Our team operates in a demanding, fast-paced environment where excellent collaboration, clear communication and precise organization are critical.

We are seeking a

Senior Specialist (m/f/d), Computational Pathology Business Operations

in Munich.

The Senior Specialist (f/m/d) reporting to the head of Portfolio Management, acts as the operational backbone, with end-to-end accountability for core business operations spanning finance, procurement, and enterprise planning interfaces. The role partners closely with Portfolio Management, Finance, Procurement, and Enterprise Planning teams to translate strategic priorities into clear operational plans, trade-offs, and decisions.

Key Responsibilities

Procurement & External Workforce Operations

• Supports CP's external resourcing and supplier strategy, in partnership with Program Management, Product Management, and functional leads, ensuring alignment with business priorities and delivery needs.
• Drive compliant procurement processes, including Third Party Risk Management assessments, contracting and renewals.
• Own allocation, tracking, and governance of the Professional Fees budget, ensuring alignment with business priorities.
• Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships, acting as the primary CP operational point of contact.

Financial & Budget Operations

• Serve as the primary CP interface to Finance and Enterprise Business Planning & Operations.
• Coordinate cross-departmental budget transfers, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and audit readiness.
• Drive Purchase Order setup and invoice workflows; act as invoice approver and escalation point for financial issues.
• Monitor spend versus plan, anticipate financial risks and opportunities, and propose corrective actions and trade-offs to leadership.
• Maintain continuous visibility of available budget for new contractors, extensions, and reallocations.
• Own operating budgets for training & development, travel, and other operational costs, coordinating closely with line managers.
• Prepare clear, reliable, and decision-ready financial outlooks and utilization reports for CP leadership.

Strategic Planning & Business Enablement

• Support annual and multi-year business planning cycles, including Long-Term Planning (LTP) and Mid-Term Planning (MTP), and related enterprise submissions.
• Maintain an integrated view of headcount, hiring plans, and external workforce capacity, ensuring alignment between strategy, capacity, and financial reality.
• Own the administration and governance of software licenses and IT-related operational budgets.

Your Profile

Essential:

• Demonstrated experience in business operations within complex, multi-stakeholder environments, with demonstrated ability to operate effectively across strategic planning and hands-on execution.
• Strong financial acumen, including budget planning, monitoring and reporting.
• Experience with enterprise planning cycles and financial systems, with expert-level proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Experience working with external stakeholders (e.g. vendors, service providers, partners), demonstrating strong relationship management, responsiveness, and constructive issue resolution while maintaining effective collaboration.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively across finance, legal, science, and technology stakeholders.
• Ability to balance rigor and compliance with pragmatism and delivery focus.
• Strong collaboration skills and a proactive, solution-oriented mindset.

Desirable:

• Legal background or strong exposure to contracting, compliance and due diligence topics.
• Experience in procurement, vendor or alliance management experience.
• Strong capability to create clear, concise, and visually structured materials for senior leadership, translating complex operational and financial topics into decision-ready narratives.
• Experience in pharmaceutical, digital health, diagnostics, or advanced technology environments would be a plus.

What you can expect

• Individual development opportunities with a focus on lifelong learning
• Trust, appreciation, and room to shape things in a focused and passionate team
• Modern office space in Munich enabling collaborative, flexible, and agile work
• A diverse, inclusive, and bias-free work environment, actively welcoming applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of background or characteristics

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