AI Lead, Manufacturing and Supply Chain

Overview

Alexion Pharmaceuticals is looking to appoint a visionary AI Lead to guide and implement the artificial intelligence strategy across their manufacturing, quality assurance, and supply chain departments. This pivotal leadership role will involve collaboration with global operations teams to convert complex challenges into AI-driven enhancements that boost efficiency, enhance system reliability, and ensure timely delivery of critical therapies to patients.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and prioritize impactful AI projects within manufacturing, quality control, and supply chain domains, managing these through stages from concept validation to broad deployment, with clear success indicators and value tracking.
• Serve as the product owner for AI-driven solutions, including optimizing yields, detecting anomalies, accelerating batch releases, forecasting demand and supply, optimizing inventory, and network planning.
• Act as a liaison between operational teams and external AI partners, translating business needs into AI solutions and managing vendor relationships, as well as buy-build-partner decisions.
• Lead the integration of AI applications into manufacturing execution systems (MES), enterprise resource planning (ERP), laboratory and quality management systems (LIMS/ELN, QMS), advanced planning systems (APS), warehouse management (WMS), and logistics platforms, ensuring compliance with GMP/GxP standards.
• Manage change initiatives including stakeholder engagement, training, updating standard operating procedures (SOPs), and communicating feedback loops to facilitate AI adoption.
• Work collaboratively with data and technology teams to ensure data quality, secure integration, and appropriate platform selection supporting AI initiatives.
• Ensure governance standards addressing data integrity, validation, privacy, and audit readiness are maintained and apply principles of responsible AI such as explainability, monitoring, and documentation for regulatory inspections.
• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) and objectives linked to operational outcomes like uptime, yield efficiency, cycle times, deviation rates, schedule adherence, and inventory turns, reporting impact to both operational staff and executive leadership.
• Promote a culture of AI adoption and continuous learning across manufacturing and supply chain environments by developing super-user networks and AI champions.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Information Systems or related discipline required; master’s degree or MBA advantageous with exposure to biopharmaceutical manufacturing and AI applications.
• Over 10 years of experience within biopharma or biotech manufacturing, quality assurance, technical operations, or supply chain, including at least 5 years leading technology-enabled portfolios with measurable results.
• Proven capability in sponsoring AI projects from inception to enterprise-level adoption without direct hands-on coding responsibilities.
• Deep domain expertise in GMP manufacturing, quality management, and supply chain operations, adept at converting operational demands into AI-enhanced solutions.
• Strong product portfolio leadership skills including roadmap development and budget management.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills to build partnerships across multiple operational and technology teams.
• Demonstrated experience integrating AI into major operational platforms (e.g., MES, ERP, LIMS/ELN, QMS, APS, WMS) alongside proficient change management and training methodologies.
• Familiarity with manufacturing data domains and governance principles, including vendor oversight.
• Knowledgeable in regulatory and compliance frameworks encompassing GMP/GxP, validation, audits, and responsible AI usage.
• Technical understanding of AI and ML concepts such as predictive analytics, anomaly detection, forecasting, NLP, and computer vision tailored to manufacturing applications.
• Exceptional communication abilities to translate AI concepts for business stakeholders, generate compelling adoption narratives, and report value clearly.

Preferred Attributes

• Experience with rare disease or biologic manufacturing, especially small batch processes and specialized logistics.
• Proven experience acting as a business-oriented AI product owner fostering adoption and measurable impact.
• Financial acumen regarding portfolio management, ROI evaluation, and partnership governance.

Work Arrangement

The role is onsite in Dublin, Ireland with an average expectation of a minimum of three days per week in the office to foster collaborative and innovative teamwork while respecting individual flexibility.

Company and Culture

At Alexion, a division of AstraZeneca specializing in Rare Diseases, employees engage in meaningful work with global support and tailored development programs focused on patient-first innovation. Diversity, inclusion, and innovation form core values, delivering real impact on patients' lives.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Alexion is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable environment. All qualified applicants will be given equal consideration without regard to any personal characteristic. Reasonable accommodations during the recruitment process are available upon request.