Director, Policy and Assurance
Introduction to role:
Are you ready to develop enterprise data policy and assurance that unlocks credible AI, analytics and decision-making? In this role you will lead how finance data is governed, controlled and measured across the company—ensuring the standards, processes and behaviors that keep our data credible, secure and usable at scale.
As a senior leader, you will turn enterprise standards into daily practice, build the frameworks that enable a data mesh and data products, and steward risk management that executives can rely on. How would you inspire the leaders and caretakers of governance to make it effortless while accelerating innovation that ultimately helps deliver life‑changing medicines to patients?
Accountabilities:
Data Governance Framework and Structure: Maintain and evolve the Finance Data Governance Framework, enabling assignment and adoption of defined roles and responsibilities, keeping documentation current, and communicating effectively to partners. Extend governance approaches to other data domains and innovations such as a data mesh and associated data products. Contribute to the operation of data councils, working groups and other governance structures; support owners, stewards and custodians to ensure efficiency.
Standards and Controls: Build, publish and publicise business area materials to facilitate adoption and adherence to enterprise standards and controls relating to data and AI. Operationalise enterprise standards and controls within GDO areas of responsibility to drive consistent compliance and measurable value.
Data Risk Management: Maintain the Finance data risk register; partner with data owners, stewards and collaborators to update the register with identification, categorisation and mitigation or acceptance of data risk. Provide clear reporting on risk status to respective governance fora, enabling timely decisions.
Monitoring and Reporting: Supervise the efficiency of working groups and service reviews; provide mentor and feedback to drive continuous improvement. Manage the data risk and issue processes, ensuring owners have adequately captured risks and issues and are actively managing them. Develop data governance scorecards, and enable compliance and assurance activities across enterprise data standards and controls for the Finance function.
Liaison: Represent the GDO at enterprise data governance forums; liaise with Internal Audit to validate data governance and data management activity. Provide reporting, metrics and self-audit to enterprise data governance bodies to demonstrate assurance and progress.
Communications: Compose communication material for data governance and data product governance. Educate and publicise data governance concepts, policies and standards through presentations, the GDO intranet site and internal social media, building understanding and engagement across the organisation.
Essential Skills/Experience:
- Maintain the Finance Data Governance Framework to reflect evolving governance requirements and organisational change; support extension to other data domains and innovations such as the creation of a data mesh and associated data products
- Enable assignment and adoption of defined roles and responsibilities
- Maintain the framework documentation and communicate to partners
- Contribute to the operation of data councils, working groups and other governance structures; support owners, stewards and custodians to ensure that governance structures operate effectively
- Develop, publish and publicise business area materials to facilitate adoption and adherence to enterprise standards and controls relating to data and AI
- Operationalise enterprise standards and controls with GDO areas of responsibility
- Maintain the Finance data risk register
- Work with data owners, stewards and other partners to update the data risk register to include identification, categorisation and mitigation/acceptance of data risk
- Provide reporting of status of data risk to respective governance fora as required
- Supervise the effectiveness of working groups and service reviews; provide coaching and feedback to drive continuous improvement
- Manage the data risk and issue processes; ensure that owners have adequately captured risk and issues, and are actively managing them
- Develop data governance scorecards
- Enable compliance and assurance activity across the enterprise data standards and controls for the Finance function
- Represent the GDO at Enterprise data governance forums
- Liaise with Internal Audit for validation of data governance and data management activity
- Provide reporting, metrics and self-audit to Enterprise data governance bodies
- Create communication material for data governance and data product governance
- Educate and publicise data governance concepts, polices and standards through presentations, GDO intranet site and AZ internal social media
Desirable Skills/Experience:
- Track record leading enterprise data governance in a sophisticated, global environment
- Experience implementing data mesh and data product governance at scale
- Deep familiarity with data and AI standards and controls, and how to operationalise them in business functions
- Expertise in data risk management, including risk registers, issue management and assurance reporting
- Ability to design and deliver governance scorecards and meaningful metrics that drive decisions
- Strong liaison experience with Internal Audit and enterprise governance bodies
- Professional certifications in data management or governance (, DCAM, CDMP) and knowledge of regulatory frameworks relevant to data in Finance.
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.
Why AstraZeneca:
Here, technology and data unlock the potential of science and speed the delivery of medicines to patients who need them. You will join a purpose-led, global organisation investing ambitiously to become a truly data-driven enterprise—where unexpected teams come together to unleash bold thinking, experiment with groundbreaking approaches, and scale what works. We pair ambition with kindness, empowering you to take ownership while collaborating across the enterprise to build the governance foundations that make digital innovation safe, ethical and fast!
Seize the chance to lead policy and assurance that elevates our data, strengthens our decisions and accelerates impact for patients—bring your leadership to AstraZeneca today!
Date Posted
13-Mar-2026
Closing Date
16-Apr-2026Our 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.