Business Planning & Process Manager
Business Planning & Process Manager

Business Planning & Process Manager

Full-Time 36000 - 60000 ÂŁ / year (est.) No home office possible
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AstraZeneca

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Drive strategic initiatives and enhance commercial processes in the Oncology Business Unit.
  • Company: Join AstraZeneca, a leader in the pharmaceutical industry with a focus on innovation.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, excellent benefits, and a commitment to inclusivity.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in oncology while collaborating with senior stakeholders.
  • Qualifications: Experience in commercial roles within pharmaceuticals and strong planning skills.
  • Other info: Opportunity for continuous improvement and career growth in a dynamic environment.

The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 ÂŁ per year.

The Oncology Business Unit is seeking an exceptional Business Planning & Process Manager to drive strategic and commercially focused initiatives that enhance franchise performance and execution excellence. This role goes beyond traditional PMO activity — requiring hands‑on commercial experience, strong organisational skills, and the ability to partner closely with customer‑facing and cross‑functional teams to uplift the quality and consistency of core commercial processes.

Operating at the heart of the Oncology Business Unit, you will work with senior stakeholders — including the Business Operations Lead, OBEX Director, Strategy & Operations Lead, Brand Leads and Franchise Heads — to uplift capabilities across customer engagement, strategic and operational planning, and launch preparedness. You will ensure our ways of working are robust, insight‑driven, strategically aligned, and continually improving. By embedding best‑practice commercial processes, harmonising planning approaches, and enabling clear, consistent execution across brands and franchises, you will help AstraZeneca Oncology continue to lead the UK market.

Key Responsibilities (Strategic)
  • Drive strategic project delivery aligned with the Oncology Business Unit’s transformation priorities, ensuring initiatives enhance franchise performance and support future growth.
  • Strengthen core commercial processes (e.g., planning cycles, customer engagement workflows, launch readiness frameworks), ensuring they are consistent, efficient and insight‑driven.
  • Partner with franchise and functional leaders to clarify strategic priorities and shape planning and execution frameworks that support high‑quality commercial decision‑making.
  • Champion continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to simplify or uplift processes and helping embed improved ways of working.
  • Leverage above‑market insights, working with global and EUCAN teams to bring relevant tools, frameworks and best practices into local execution.
Key Responsibilities (Operational)
  • Coordinate and integrate high priority OBU initiatives within a structured business calendar, ensuring clear sequencing and strong execution.
  • Monitor project progress and implementation, identifying risks early, escalating where needed, and ensuring appropriate corrective actions are taken.
  • Provide clear, timely and actionable communication to leadership and cross functional teams to support alignment and informed decision making.
  • Ensure clarity of responsibilities, timelines and deliverables, helping teams maintain momentum and stay focused on business‑critical activity.
  • Support teams in adopting improved processes, ensuring governance standards are met and enabling smooth implementation of new or refined ways of working.
  • Maintain compliance with internal governance and external regulatory requirements related to UK oncology operations.
Essential Requirements:
  • Commercial Experience: Hands‑on experience in a commercial role within pharmaceuticals or a similar regulated industry (e.g., brand management, field sales management, marketing, commercial excellence or business operations).
  • Strong Business Acumen: Understanding of core commercial drivers such as customer engagement, brand planning, launch readiness, and franchise performance levers.
  • Process & Planning Skills: Experience contributing to or improving commercial planning cycles, operational planning, or execution frameworks.
  • Cross Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with marketing, sales, medical, access and operations teams, aligning on shared priorities and deliverables.
  • Execution Focus: Ability to take ownership of workstreams, keep activity on track, and ensure outputs are high quality, insight informed and commercially relevant.
  • Communication & Influence: Strong communicator able to distil information clearly and influence stakeholders constructively without formal authority.
  • Continuous Improvement Mindset: Demonstrated interest in improving how teams work, simplifying processes, and embedding best practice in day‑to‑day operations.
Desirable Requirements
  • Experience supporting brand or launch excellence activities (e.g., cross functional planning, customer engagement improvement, insights integration).
  • Exposure to improving commercial processes such as planning governance, capability uplift, customer engagement workflows, or execution standards.
  • Familiarity with the UK oncology landscape or specialist medicines.
  • Experience working with global or regional teams to localise frameworks or processes.
  • Confidence working with data and insights to inform recommendations or process improvements.

Interested? Apply by submitting your CV by COB 12 March 2026.

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.

Business Planning & Process Manager employer: AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and inclusive work culture, particularly within the Oncology Business Unit in London. Employees benefit from competitive salaries, comprehensive benefits, and ample opportunities for professional growth, all while contributing to meaningful initiatives that enhance patient care and drive commercial success. The company's commitment to continuous improvement and strategic excellence ensures that team members are empowered to innovate and excel in their roles.
AstraZeneca

Contact Detail:

AstraZeneca Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Business Planning & Process Manager

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those who work at AstraZeneca or in similar roles. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that might just land you an interview.

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for the interview by understanding the company’s values and recent projects. Tailor your answers to show how your experience aligns with their goals, especially in commercial processes and strategic planning.

✨Tip Number 3

Practice makes perfect! Conduct mock interviews with friends or mentors to refine your responses. Focus on showcasing your hands-on commercial experience and ability to drive continuous improvement.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the AstraZeneca team.

We think you need these skills to ace Business Planning & Process Manager

Commercial Experience
Business Acumen
Process Improvement
Planning Skills
Cross Functional Collaboration
Execution Focus
Communication Skills
Influencing Skills
Continuous Improvement Mindset
Project Management
Stakeholder Engagement
Data Analysis
Regulatory Compliance
Customer Engagement

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Business Planning & Process Manager role. Highlight your commercial experience and any relevant projects you've worked on that demonstrate your ability to drive strategic initiatives.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of how you've improved processes or driven performance in previous roles, and show your enthusiasm for working in the Oncology Business Unit.

Showcase Your Communication Skills: Since this role involves working closely with various teams, make sure to highlight your communication skills in your application. Provide examples of how you've effectively influenced stakeholders or collaborated across functions to achieve common goals.

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. This ensures your application is received properly and allows us to review it efficiently. Plus, it’s the best way to stay updated on your application status!

How to prepare for a job interview at AstraZeneca

✨Know Your Commercial Stuff

Make sure you brush up on your commercial experience, especially in the pharmaceutical sector. Be ready to discuss how you've driven strategic initiatives and improved processes in previous roles. This will show that you understand the core drivers of the business and can contribute effectively.

✨Showcase Your Collaboration Skills

This role requires working closely with various teams, so be prepared to share examples of how you've successfully collaborated with cross-functional teams in the past. Highlight specific projects where you aligned priorities and delivered results together.

✨Demonstrate Your Continuous Improvement Mindset

Think of instances where you've identified opportunities for process improvement. Be ready to discuss how you simplified workflows or enhanced planning cycles. This will demonstrate your proactive approach to driving efficiency and effectiveness.

✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently

Strong communication is key in this role. Practice distilling complex information into clear, actionable insights. During the interview, focus on how you can influence stakeholders constructively, even without formal authority. This will showcase your ability to lead through collaboration.

Business Planning & Process Manager
AstraZeneca
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