Senior Strategic Planning and Operations Manager - 12 Month FTC in London

Reports to: Head of Business Operations

Location: Paddington office / hybrid working

Line management responsibilities: Strategic Planning & Operations Team members (4x FTE + contract cover)

Fixed-term parental leave cover, anticipated from February 2026 – March 2027

Job function: Lead the Strategic Planning and Operations Team (SPOT) in spearheading process improvement initiatives and supporting strategic projects delivery by partnering with key stakeholders across the MCO, as well as driving operational assurance for non-GXP processes. Oversee key governance and risk-mitigation activities, support the Head of Business Operations with strategic and operational tasks, and manage a team of direct reports to ensure high-quality outcomes and continuous development.

Key contacts: Senior Leadership Team, all BUs / functions leadership team

Overall accountability:

• Lead the SPOT team in identifying and implementing high-impact process improvement initiatives in support of organisational efficiency and improved employee experience, leveraging AI tools, data-driven decision-making, and digital innovation;
• Deliver material strategic projects impacting the business, coordinating key cross-functional stakeholders, and overseeing execution.
• Oversee Operations Assurance activities across the MCO for non-GXP processes, ensuring robust controls, compliance, and continuous improvement.
• Support the development and effective operation of key corporate governance, performance and risk-mitigation mechanisms in support of business efficiency, agility, accountability and empowerment.
• Develop SPOT capabilities and processes relating to MCO environmental sustainability obligations, ensuring oversight and fulfilment of company operational requirements and contributing to MCO sustainability strategy development.
• Assist the Head of Business Operations with day-to-day responsibilities including ideating opportunities / strategies, coordinating organisation-wide activities, policies and communications.
• Line management of direct reports, supporting the oversight of deliverables across the team and personal development.

Skills, competencies, experience and education:

• High learning agility; self-starter; effective communicator (written + verbal), collaborator and influencer at all levels of the organisation.
• High attention to detail; strong project management skills and ability to effectively prioritise and navigate complex / uncertain / conflicting situations; output-focused with proven record of high quality / timely delivery without significant supervision.
• Has an eye for opportunity and an ambitious approach to change / improvement, as well as strong analytical / strategic planning capability in support of large-scale decision making.
• Tech-forward mindset, with experience leveraging digital tools, automation, and data analytics to drive operational efficiency and innovation. Familiarity with emerging technologies and digital transformation initiatives is highly desirable.
• High commercial acumen, comprehension and understanding of enterprise operations / management.
• Proven line-management capability with focus on personal development, inclusion and support for colleagues with varying levels of knowledge / experience (desirable).

At Takeda, we earn the trust of society and our customers through our values of Takeda-ism: Integrity, Fairness, Honesty, Perseverance. We incorporate these values in everything we do. They represent who we are and how we act. They help us make decisions that we can be proud of today and in the future. We enable our employees to develop their full potential. As a global top employer, we offer exciting career paths, promote innovation, and strive for top performance in everything we do. Takeda fosters an inclusive, collaborative, and international work environment where our teams are united by their relentless commitment to our goal of improving people's health and creating a better future for the world.

Takeda is committed to foster diversity, equality, and inclusion. Hiring decisions are based entirely on qualifications and are made regardless of gender, ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, or disability.

If you are interested in this opportunity, we look forward to receiving your application via our online tool!

Learn more at takedajobs.com