Director, RDU IT Data Management

Overview Alexion seeks a dynamic and visionary Data Leader to drive the development and execution of data strategies that support the delivery of AI‑ready data. This role is pivotal in aligning data architecture and management with the company’s long‑term goals, emphasizing the creation of high‑quality FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data assets. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in data information architecture, master data management, data governance, metadata management, and data marketplaces, particularly within the biopharmaceutical industry. They will add a value orientation to the Alexion Data Office, aligning strategic AI initiatives with the development of data and information foundation based on Data Products. The position demands a strategic thinker with a strong global and cross‑functional background capable of leading a team of data professionals and collaborating across departments to enhance data‑driven decision‑making. This leader will be responsible for ensuring data integrity and compliance while fostering a culture of data excellence. Their work will directly influence innovation and business success by unlocking the full potential of Alexion’s data assets for advanced analytics and AI applications, driving efficiency through AI integration across all aspects of the organization. Responsibilities Co‑shape the data strategy and contribute significantly to the delivery of Alexion Data Office objectives by developing and executing data management strategies that standardize processes and tools enterprise‑wide, ensuring alignment with the overall information architecture and Alexion Data Office goals. Lead and mentor a team of data management professionals, focusing on Master & Reference Data Management and Data Product Strategy to drive continuous improvement and value creation. Define and execute an AI‑ready Data strategy that incorporates FAIR principles, model risk management, and responsible AI requirements throughout the data lifecycle from ingestion and curation to analytics consumption. Translate priority AI use cases into actionable data requirements and roadmaps for AI‑ready datasets, feature stores, and knowledge graphs. Integrate AI‑powered catalog and lineage services to curate the data marketplace, promoting certified AI‑ready products and phasing out outdated assets. Ensure data quality, compliance, and governance, aligning with the Alexion Data Office to support data governance frameworks, policies, and procedures, and promote a data‑driven culture through education and guidance on best practices. Implement AI‑led policy enforcement mechanisms that continuously evaluate data usage against consent, purpose, and geography, with automated access revocation and alerts for non‑compliance. Oversee Master Data Management (MDM) strategy to ensure data accuracy, consistency, and interoperability across the organization. Provide guidance on data architecture, including data modeling, database design, and integration processes, ensuring scalability and flexibility to meet evolving business needs. Lead efforts to optimize and streamline data models, enhancing accessibility, performance, and scalability within the broader information architecture strategy. Deliver conceptual data models optimized for AI consumption, including feature schemas and ontology mappings. Drive the creation and management of a data marketplace that facilitates seamless discovery, access, and sharing of data assets, enabling self‑service capabilities for business users while maintaining governance and security. Align with Enterprise Architecture and AZIGNITE teams to identify opportunities for leveraging new technologies and methodologies to improve data management practices and drive business success. Deploy AI‑assisted data management features such as automated metadata extraction, schema discovery, and semantic tagging to support AI readiness. Implement AI‑driven data quality services that detect anomalies, drift, and outliers, triggering self‑healing rules with human‑in‑the‑loop approvals for high‑risk changes. Introduce AI copilots to assist Data Information Architects, Data Stewards, and Product Managers in generating data documentation, architecture, and lineage narratives. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university (major in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business, or related scientific or technical discipline) – preferred. Minimum of 8 years of experience in more than one of the following: Data Governance, Data Architecture, Master Data Management, Data Products. Demonstrated experience building AI‑ready data foundations. Knowledge of taxonomies, ontologies, and semantic standards for data integration. Proven track record operationalizing FAIR principles and responsible AI requirements across data pipelines. Highly motivated, energetic self‑starter who can work in a matrix environment, confident, and able to present complex information concisely to all audiences, including senior leaders. Experience driving data transformation initiatives with strong change‑management components. Experience designing models to consolidate and analyze structured and unstructured data from diverse sources, including big‑data environments. Expertise in data modeling and governance tools such as Snowflake, Collibra, IDERA/ERwin, ER/Studio or similar, with an understanding of how they fit into the broader information architecture landscape. Strong analytical, logical thinking, and organizational skills backed by a logical approach, capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously. Data warehousing methodologies and modeling techniques (Kimball, 3NF, Star Schema, Dimension modeling, Data Marts, Operational Data Stores). Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, creative problem‑solving, and the ability to convey data design insights in actionable business terms. Preferred Qualifications Master’s degree in a technical or healthcare‑related field. Prior experience of 10 years as a Data/Information Management leader in a global/cross‑functional biotech/pharma industry. Prior experience delivering AI‑ready data capabilities in biopharma or healthcare, enabling use cases across R&D, clinical, pharmacovigilance, medical, and commercial domains. Experience with standards and ontologies relevant to life sciences and healthcare. Alexion is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We are committed to fostering a culture of belonging where every single person can belong because of their uniqueness. The Company will not make decisions about employment, training, compensation, promotion, or other terms and conditions of employment based on race, color, religion, creed, or lack thereof; sex, sexual orientation, age, ancestry, national origin, ethnicity, citizenship status, marital status, pregnancy (including childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), parental status (including adoption or surrogacy), military status, protected veteran status, disability, medical condition, gender identity or expression, genetic information, mental illness, or other characteristics protected by law. Alexion provides reasonable accommodations to meet the needs of candidates and employees. To begin an interactive dialogue with Alexion regarding an accommodation please contact . Alexion participates in E‑Verify. #J-18808-Ljbffr