Sr. Solution Architect - Purchase to Pay

About our team

Our world-class team focuses on the architecture for our Enabling Units, which include HR, Finance, Global Business Services, Corporate Affairs, Legal, Compliance, M&A, and Global Sustainability.

About the role

You are a Senior Solution Architect – Purchase to Pay (P2P) with a passion for delivering business impact through innovative IT solutions. You will ensure that common architecture decisions support both business and IT strategy, and that architectures delivered, both logical and physical, are compliant with relevant AZ architecture standards, blueprints and roadmaps for the Purchase to Pay domain.

You understand and have experience of P2P business applications: S4/HANA, Coupa and are familiar with end to end P2P business capabilities.

Your expertise is instrumental in designing and implementing systems that enable our global business. You collaborate with colleagues from all over the world to deliver on our ambitious business strategy.

Typical Accountabilities

• Accountable for the direction, performance and ongoing health of the current solution architectures within Purchase to Pay
• Define and manage the Solution Architecture Principles for the Purchase to Pay domain
• Accountable for the architecture and design of comprehensive set of solutions that meet business requirements and are aligned to AstraZeneca’s Enterprise Architecture, providing subject matter expertise to ensure business opportunities are identified and realised in line with a standard and cost effective architecture.
• The role will guide and support other architects (including third party suppliers) in the development and documentation of IS/IT architectures for complex and business critical projects.
• The role will be accountable for driving solution evaluation and selection decisions, buy vs. build decisions, and early-phase project estimates which contribute to the business case.
• Lead the effort to ensure that common architecture decisions support the business and IS strategy, and that the architectures delivered are compliant with relevant AZ architecture standards, blueprints and roadmaps.
• Participate in Architecture Assessments & Reviews either as Lead Reviewing Architect or as a Subject Matter Expert in the review team.
• Contribute to the development of the Architecture Capability within IS, by documenting and sharing knowledge and best practices with peer Architects
• Be accountable for the architecture and design of comprehensive solutions that meet business requirements and are aligned to AstraZeneca’s Enterprise Architecture,
• Provide subject matter expertise to ensure business opportunities are identified and realised in line with a standard and cost effective solution architecture.
• Guide and support other architects (including third party suppliers) in the development and documentation of IS/IT architectures for complex and business critical projects.
• Be accountable for driving solution evaluation and selection decisions, buy vs. build decisions, early-phase project estimates, and proof of concepts which contribute to the business case.
• Create estimates for solution delivery including expertise to validate third party estimates and hence ensure value for money
• Deliver feedback to Enterprise Architects on how to improve Architecture Standards
• Document best practices, drive reuse of existing solutions and in cooperation with other Architects promote new solutions for reuse.
• Escalate (to Enterprise Architects) architecture design issues related to possible alternative solutions
• Review Statement of Work responses from Suppliers

Education, Qualifications, and Experience

Essential

• Relevant technical degree or equivalent
• Experience demonstrating proficiency in Purchase to Pay business processes and applications
• 8+ years of experience in solution architecture, preferably in life-sciences
• Proven architecture design experience solutioning in the Purchase to Pay domain for a global organisation.
• Understanding of Purchasing, Invoicing, Travel & Expense business processes.
• Proven consultancy experience designing end to end solutions that operate across all domains of IT.
• Experience developing and leading innovative solutions
• Proven experience of leading change and challenging approaches/ideas.
• Proven ability to influence across business and IT.
• Experience developing and managing relationships with third party suppliers
• Experience with policies, procedures and guidelines within a quality, compliant, and secure environment
• Experience with large scale solution Justification phase work – product evaluation, business case formulation
• Experience directing cross functional teams

Desirable

• Demonstrated initiative, strong customer orientation, and cross-cultural working
• People Development experience
• Solution architecture experience and proficiency in SAP and Coupa

Skills and Capabilities

Essential

• Strong networking skills with good internal/external links
• Well developed communication and facilitation skills
• Ability to interpret and communicate technical information into business language at all levels of leadership.
• Awareness of developments in the marketplace for domain focus and potential impact to AZ IS

Desirable

• Proven business acumen
• Understanding of the pharmaceutical/healthcare industry and of competitor activity, on a particular architecture and Information Management
• Ability to work well in diverse, multinational teams and proven ability to influence others to achieve positive outcomes
• Masters and/or Professional Certification

*Expectation of working in the office 3 days a week statement
When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we ignite ambitious thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working give 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 outstanding and bold world.

AstraZeneca is an equal opportunity employer. AstraZeneca will consider all qualified applicants for employment without discrimination on grounds of disability, sex or sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity leave status, race or national or ethnic origin, age, religion or belief, gender identity or re-assignment, marital or civil partnership status, protected veteran status (if applicable) or any other characteristic protected by law.*