2. Working together
to create a better future
AstraZeneca pushes the boundaries of science to deliver
life-changing medicines.
AstraZeneca is a global, science-led
biopharmaceutical business. We are one of
only a handful of companies to span the entire
life-cycle of a medicine: from research and
development to manufacturing and supply.
Leading the global commercialisation of
primary care and speciality care medicines,
we operate in more than 100 countries, and our
innovative medicines are used by millions of
patients worldwide.
Our primary focus covers three important areas
of healthcare:
• Cardiovascular and Metabolic disease (CVMD);
• Oncology; and
• Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity
(RIA).
We are also active in the Infection, Neuroscience
and Gastrointestinal (ING) disease areas.
Helping people live healthier lives, embracing
diverse perspectives, and working together to
create a better future. These are the common
bonds – the catalysts – that inspire people to
work at AstraZeneca.
Apply to join us, and empower your
potential to make a real impact. Be among
our employees who continue to make
AstraZeneca an innovation-driven company
that stands firmly among the world’s leaders in
biopharmaceuticals.
We operate in more than
100countries
57,500employees worldwide
$26.1
billiontotal sales in 2014
3. AstraZeneca’s
Operations & IT
function
Operations is one of the largest areas of our business, employing
around 11,000 employees, and our supply chain performance is
ranked as one of the best in our industry.
Focused on assured, cost-effective, efficient
supply of medicines to patients, the Operations
& IT function is the critical connection between
the development lab and the pharmacy shelf.
AstraZeneca’s Operations & IT function is
organised into:
• four areas/regions:
– Supply Americas;
– Supply Europe, Middle East and Africa;
– Supply Asia Pacific; and
– Supply Biologics.
• three global functions:
– Global External Sourcing;
– Global Quality; and
– Global Supply Chain & Strategy.
• two corporate functions:
– Global Procurement; and
– Corporate IT.
We have opportunities for high-calibre
graduates to join our Operations & IT Global
Graduate Programme at our sites across the
Americas, Europe and Asia/Pacific. These
are fantastic opportunities for people with the
potential and ambition to become one of our
leaders of the future.
11,000people committed
to pharmaceutical
excellence
Over
1 billionpacks
24 billioncapsules
Our global network
27 production facilities in 16 countries
900pack variants
Mexico
Lomas Verdes
USA
Frederick
Mount Vernon
Newark
Philadelphia
San Diego
Westborough
West Chester
Argentina
Buenos Aires
Egypt
Cairo
Puerto Rico
Canóvanas
UK
Avlon
Macclesfield
Speke
India
Bangalore
Netherlands
Nijmegen
Indonesia
Jakarta
Japan
Maihara
France
Dunkerque
Reims
Brazil
Cotia
Germany
Wedel
Sweden
Södertälje
Russia
Vorsino
China
Taizhou
Wuxi
Australia
North Ryde
4. “The combination of business areas and
geographical spread offered for placements on
our Graduate Associates Programme will provide
you with the opportunity to fulfil meaningful roles
that contribute to our business, whilst gaining
the experience and insight of working globally.
This is your opportunity to work on real, business
projects right from the start, collaborating with
some of the most capable colleagues the industry
has to offer.”
Dapo Ajayi, AstraZeneca Operations
Senior Leadership Team Programme Sponsor
“Our Graduate Associates Programme is
structured around ‘experiential learning’ –
giving participants the opportunity to work in
real roles across a number of different functions in
our global business. This enables our participants
to develop key leadership and business skills that
are required for a successful career. Graduates
are encouraged to utilise the full breadth of
opportunities that are available to maximise
their learning and development.”
David Westbury, AZ Operations & IT
Global Graduate Associates Programme Manager
5. By giving you vital industry exposure, this
programme is the perfect springboard
to a business leadership position within
AstraZeneca. Throughout the programme,
you will have frequent opportunities to review
your progress towards achievement of role
objectives and personal development plans
with your manager, via a formal performance
management process.
What to expect
We offer you extensive training, work
experience and a strong support network
throughout the programme, as well as giving
you an all-encompassing understanding of
the pharmaceutical industry.
Progression toll gates are built into the end of
each year. You will also get the opportunity
to review your progress with a mentor, a
programme manager and members of the
Global Graduate Associates network. All
participants are allocated a personal mentor/
coach from day one of the programme. Each
mentor/coach is a professional with the highest
levels of credibility and business experience.
Discover
your vocation
AstraZeneca Operations & IT
Global Graduate Associates Programme
We want our people to feel positive and enthusiastic about what
they are doing, with a clear sense of purpose and confidence in their
abilities to meet the challenges. This means providing effective
leadership, clear targets, open lines of communication, excellent
learning and development opportunities and a healthy, safe and
energizing workplace – within a performance culture where diversity
is valued and individual success depends solely on personal merit
and performance.
How does the programme work?
The programme lasts for three years. The first
two years are split between three different eight-
month placements; each role will provide you
with an opportunity to gain invaluable insight
and influence decisions within different
business disciplines.
You will also spend a period of time living and
working overseas, to gain broader perspective
and understanding of our business and our
culture. As you learn more about AstraZeneca,
the placement roles will hold an increasing
level of responsibility. Subject to performance,
you will spend the final year of the programme
focused on a role that will consolidate your
capabilities and help you transition into a
substantive role in our business.
Opportunities exist for graduates across each
of our global and regional supply and quality
functions, as well as our two corporate functions
(Procurement and IT) and engineering.
6. Don’t just take
our word for it
Why did you decide on a career in the
pharmaceutical industry?
The variety of roles available in the industry is
vast. Working for a company that spans the
globe and employs 50,000 people means that
there is so much opportunity to gain business
and cultural awareness.
What do you do in your current placement?
As part of a global graduate programme, my
current role is working within the external
sourcing department. We source active
pharmaceutical ingredients, formulation and
packaging materials used in the manufacture of
our products and manage how those products
make it into pharmacies around the world.
What does your typical day involve?
Typically, there is a request for demand for
the team, which we’ll be assigned to. We work
in a plan, do, check, act cycle to ensure that
benefits are continually seen with each initiative.
This would involve running progress meetings,
guiding teams through workshops and
coaching members to consider new ways
to solve old issues.
How has your career developed since you
left school, college or university?
I was lucky enough to join a graduate
programme after my pre-reg training. This
has been a great opportunity to rotate around
different business areas over two years, both
in office and manufacturing environments, with
an international assignment integrated into the
programme. I’ve had roles including working at
a manufacturing site in Quality, managing global
projects that affect how we supply medicines
around the world, and now my current role in our
sourcing team.
What is it like socially where you work?
Very sociable – most nights of the week there’s
something going on, which means that you
can meet with people outside of the office
environment.
What are you most proud of in your career?
Gaining an international assignment to Sweden
as part of my current role. It’s giving me a cultural
education and shows that the company is willing
to invest in my development.
What possibilities are there for your career
in the future?
I have opportunities across the industry with
the transferrable skills I’ve picked up so far.
I’m currently interested in production (actually
making the products!).
What is the one piece of advice you would
give to someone seeking a career in the
pharmaceutical industry?
A CV isn’t just qualifications. It’s what you choose
to do with the rest of your time that speaks much
more about you. If 100 recent graduates submit
their CV for review, how will yours stand out?
“Coming straight from university, you have the
educational background, but you don’t necessarily
have the business acumen, so being able to rotate
around different areas of business is vital.”
Ben joined our Global Graduate
Associates Programme in 2014
having obtained an MPharm
degree at the University of
Nottingham in the UK.
We think our graduate programme is great. But we would,
wouldn’t we? The best people to describe our programme are those
individuals who are part of it. Here’s what some of our current
graduates say about the AZ Operations & IT Global Graduate
Associates Programme.
You can see and hear more from them by watching our graduate
video at astrazenecacareers.com/globaloperationsandit
7. “I wanted a career that allowed me to enjoy my
work while making a positive contribution to
people’s lives.”
Making a difference
Studying at Masters level helped me to
identify my real interests and realise that I
wanted a career that allowed me to enjoy my
work while making a positive contribution to
society. In India, I was involved in a social
enterprise scheme aimed at reducing rural
to urban migration and the resulting poverty.
Participating in the scheme highlighted my
interest in seeing the difference that my work
made to people’s lives. I had these interests in
mind when researching graduate roles, and I
found that I could really relate to AstraZeneca’s
values. Although the company is grounded
in science, the work is focused on improving
patients’ lives, which really appealed to me.
My role
The global graduate scheme is a series of three
eight-month rotations. I completed my first two
rotations in India before coming to the UK for the
third. Currently, I work in a project management
role, helping to solve problems within the global
supply chain operation. My three main day-to-
day tasks are troubleshooting, problem solving
and stakeholder management. It is a diverse
role that doesn’t just focus on one area of the
business, so I get to work on all aspects of the
supply chain and talk to people working at each
stage. As a result, I get a bird’s-eye view of the
whole process.
In a previous rotation, I led a nine-member
operational excellence team, focusing on
increasing product turnover. This was both the
highlight and the most challenging aspect of
the graduate programme so far, giving me an
understanding of how the people and technical
aspects involved in the company work together.
Understanding the company
A strong understanding of the company
is important. Not only does it help you to
understand your own motivations for choosing
this career path, but it can help set you apart
from other candidates. One of the questions in
my interview asked where I saw myself in five
years’ time – having researched the company
in detail, I was able to answer this question with
specific focus on both the demands of the role
and what I wanted to achieve as an individual.
An understanding and appreciation of what the
business does and the direction in which it is
moving is essential. All employees are aware
of the business’ focus on the patients using
our products – they are the end point of the
business operation. It is also important to
know where the company fits within the larger
pharmaceutical landscape.
“The great thing about the programme is that we
can personalise the experience we get – and are
able to influence the roles that we are allocated
throughout.
Harish joined our Global
Graduate Associates Programme
in 2013, having obtained his
Masters from the Instituto de
Empresa in Madrid.
International relations
This is a global company, so international
experience is viewed favourably. I have studied
in India and Spain, and I think that the diversity
of my background was advantageous when
applying for my role. Although this is a largely
English-speaking industry, I work alongside
people from all over the world and international
experience has helped improve my ability to
understand and communicate with people
from different cultures. This sort of knowledge
is useful in a global company. For example,
emerging markets such as those in South
America, Turkey and Africa are having an
increasing impact on the business.
Know your ambitions
The key to being a successful applicant is
having good knowledge and understanding of
your own drives and ambitions. It is important
to have a logical explanation for why a business
should invest their time and resources in you
and why you want to be there. Make sure that
you research the company well and know that
you are choosing them for the right reasons.
It is easy for graduates to seek short-term
gratification, but it is important to be focused
on the long-term prospects of a particular
career path.
A learning curve?
Enthusiasm is great, but it’s important not to
get carried away. Be prepared to learn and
explore. Trying to develop too quickly will result
in you burning out and being unable to keep up
the pace at the end of the graduate scheme.
The journey from university to a graduate
scheme is not like starting a normal job – you
are still looked upon as someone who is there
to learn. One of the reasons that I chose the
scheme is because it lets you learn and
develop in a safe environment.
“Understanding
what the business
does and its
direction is
essential.”
8. You should have graduated within the last two
years, or be graduating by next September,
hold a University Degree equivalent of BA, BSc
or MSc degree in any degree discipline, and a
valid passport. You must also be geographically
mobile and comfortable spending time working
and living overseas.
As we are a global organisation, you will
also need to be fluent in English. Additional
language skills are desirable. This is a rotational
programme, and not all functional areas will be
available in all countries as first placements.
You must be willing to work across all functions
within Operations & IT.
You will be expected to quickly understand the
AstraZeneca environment. In addition, it’s crucial
you have strong business acumen, plus the
ability to develop great leadership and change
management capabilities.
What we are
looking for
What’s next?
For more information about the programme and how to apply, please visit
our website www.astrazenecacareers.com/globaloperationsandit
or use your smartphone to scan the QR code.
