Associate Director, Data & AI Policy, Assurance, and Monitoring

AstraZeneca · Barcelona

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This is an in-office role based in Barcelona, ES, with a requirement to work a minimum of three days per week on-site. Remote or travel flexibility is not available.

Are you ready to turn Data and AI principles into trusted, repeatable ways of working that accelerate science to patients? In this role, you will translate approved policies, standards and controls into practical guidance, templates and monitoring routines that teams can use every day. Your work will help ensure that innovation moves quickly and responsibly, backed by clear evidence and strong governance.

You will partner across data, technology and enterprise control functions to drive consistent adoption at global scale. From clarifying requirements to testing controls and preparing decision-ready insights, you will turn intent into measurable outcomes. How would you bring clarity to complex requirements and help diverse teams move from uncertainty to confident execution?

Accountabilities

• Policy into Practice: Apply approved Data & AI policies, standards and controls to real-world scenarios, developing clear guidance, templates, process steps and adoption materials that teams can use consistently.
• Standards Adoption: Support the implementation and ongoing operation of approved standards and controls under the stewardship of accountable owners, ensuring sustainable uptake across the enterprise.
• Workstream Delivery: Lead assigned implementation and adoption workstreams across Data Offices, Data Owners, business domains and technology teams, tracking milestones, dependencies, risks, evidence and actions through to completion.
• Traceability and Evidence: Maintain documentation and evidence that link regulatory expectations, enterprise risks, approved requirements, controls, assurance activities and adoption for audit-ready traceability.
• Insights and Reporting: Gather implementation evidence, control metrics and stakeholder feedback; analyze results, identify gaps and themes, and produce concise, decision-ready reporting for Director-level review.
• Control Testing and Monitoring: Execute defined control testing and monitoring using agreed methods, document outcomes, track remediation actions and escalate material findings to the right forums.
• Judgement and Escalation: Resolve routine implementation questions and escalate significant interpretation matters, exceptions and material risks to the appropriate accountable owner.
• Cross-Functional Facilitation: Organize and facilitate working sessions with Legal, Compliance, Privacy, Cyber Security, Enterprise Risk Management, Enterprise Data Enablement, Enterprise AI, Data Offices and other stakeholders to drive alignment and decisions.
• Governance Materials: Prepare analysis, evidence, metrics and governance materials that set out risks, dependencies, decisions required and recommended next steps with clarity.
• Change Enablement: Deliver communications, training and practical guidance that enable agreed change and adoption plans across functions and geographies.
• Relationships and Expertise: Build trusted relationships and maintain current subject-matter knowledge of Data & AI standards, controls and regulatory expectations to guide teams with confidence.

Essential Skills/Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Information or Data Science, Informatics, Computer Science, Economics or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Practical experience in Data & AI governance, data governance, risk, compliance, controls, assurance or a related discipline.
• Working knowledge of relevant Data & AI regulatory and compliance requirements, such as GxP, GDPR, the EU AI Act and NIS2, with the ability to apply approved requirements in a business setting.
• Experience implementing or supporting the adoption of policies, standards or controls across multiple stakeholder groups.
• Experience managing defined workstreams through to completion, including actions, risks, dependencies, evidence and delivery milestones.
• Strong analytical capability to execute defined testing or monitoring, assess evidence, identify gaps and produce accurate reporting.
• High attention to detail in documentation, evidence capture and reporting, supporting assurance and audit activities.
• Clear written and verbal communication, including the ability to explain requirements in practical language to business and technology stakeholders. Effective collaboration, facilitation and stakeholder coordination skills, with sound judgement on when to resolve or escalate issues.
• Ability to simplify guidance and processes so they are practical and usable in complex implementation environments.
• Commitment to the responsible, compliant and value-focused use of data and AI.

Desirable Skills/Experience

• Master's or postgraduate qualification in a relevant discipline.
• Experience in life sciences, healthcare or another regulated industry, including knowledge of pharmaceutical processes and regulated data environments.
• Exposure to control automation or control-by-design approaches.
• Awareness of ISO/IEC 42001 and the NIST AI Risk Management Framework. Relevant education or certification in Data & AI governance, risk, compliance, audit or data management.
• Applied experience with data management, data science, AI development, or governance, risk and compliance tooling.
• Experience supporting control testing, assurance, monitoring, evidence collection or remediation for Data & AI risks and controls.
• Active engagement in professional communities related to Data & AI governance, risk or compliance.

Why AstraZeneca

Here, science, data and technology meet at pace and scale to make a real difference for patients. You will join a collaborative community where specialists from privacy to cyber security to AI sit in the same room, exchange ideas and unleash bold thinking grounded in high ethical standards. Expect to work with modern data and AI practices, learn from leading experts, and see your fingerprints on how responsible innovation is delivered across the enterprise. We balance ambition with support, valuing clarity, kindness and accountability so you can grow your craft while shaping how data and AI drive outcomes that matter.

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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.

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