Executive Director, IT Business Partner – Advanced Synthesis
Switzerland, Basel

Today, Lonza is a global leader in life sciences operating across five continents.

While we work in science, there’s no magic formula to how we do it. Our greatest scientific solution is talented people working together, devising ideas that help businesses to help people. In exchange, we let our people own their careers. Their ideas, big and small, genuinely improve the world. And that’s the kind of work we want to be part of.

At Lonza, we are looking for an Executive Director, IT Business Partner – Advanced Synthesis to serve as the strategic interface between our business platform and IT, translating business priorities into technology-enabled solutions that accelerate growth, innovation, and operational excellence. This highly visible leadership role will shape the platform's digital strategy, technology roadmap, and investment priorities while ensuring IT capabilities deliver measurable business outcomes.

Working closely with business leaders, Digital & Data, Enterprise Solutions, Infrastructure, and Security teams, you will drive the end-to-end delivery of digital products, technology programmes, and platform transformation initiatives. Acting as a trusted advisor to executive stakeholders, you will ensure technology investments are aligned with business strategy, enabling scalable, compliant, and future-ready operations across Lonza's global manufacturing network.

Key Responsibilities

  • Serve as the primary strategic IT partner to business platform leadership, aligning technology strategy with business priorities, operational objectives, and long-term growth plans
  • Shape and execute the platform's multi-year technology roadmap, identifying digital transformation opportunities and enabling business value through data, automation, AI, and enterprise technologies
  • Own the end-to-end demand management, prioritization, and delivery of platform-specific digital products and IT initiatives, ensuring alignment with business strategy and cross-platform standards
  • Lead the platform IT portfolio, including business case development, investment prioritization, resource allocation, and execution governance
  • Partner with Enterprise Solutions, Digital & Data, Infrastructure, Security, and Site IT teams to deliver scalable, secure, and compliant technology solutions across manufacturing, quality, ERP/MES, automation, and data platforms
  • Support major platform expansion initiatives, capital projects, and M&A activities by ensuring technology readiness and successful IT integration
  • Build trusted relationships across business leadership, manufacturing sites, quality, supply chain, and other key stakeholders, acting as the primary advisor on technology strategy and digital innovation
  • Ensure compliance with IT governance, cybersecurity, GxP, regulatory, and data integrity requirements while supporting audits and platform governance activities
  • Monitor portfolio performance through KPIs, value realization metrics, and operational performance reviews, driving continuous improvement across IT services and digital capabilities
  • Lead and develop platform IT teams, including Site IT Leaders and Product Owners, fostering capability development, collaboration, and a culture of innovation and continuous improvement

Required qualifications:

  • 10+ years of experience in IT leadership, IT Business Partnering, Digital Transformation, Enterprise Applications, or Technology Strategy within global organizations
  • Proven experience partnering with senior business leaders to define technology strategy and deliver measurable business outcomes
  • Strong understanding of manufacturing IT, enterprise platforms, digital products, automation, data, AI, ERP/MES environments, and technology-enabled business transformation
  • Experience leading complex technology portfolios, digital product delivery, and cross-functional programmes within matrixed organizations
  • Strong knowledge of regulated industries such as life sciences, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, or advanced manufacturing
  • Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders, manage competing priorities, and drive strategic decisions without direct authority
  • Excellent communication, stakeholder management, consulting, and executive presentation skills with the ability to translate complex technology topics into business value
  • Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving capabilities, with experience building business cases and driving value realization
  • Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field required; Master's degree preferred
  • Passion for innovation, digital transformation, and building high-performing teams in a fast-paced, global environment

Every day, Lonza's products and services have a positive impact on millions of people. For us, this is not only a great privilege, but also a great responsibility. How we achieve our business results is just as important as the achievements themselves. At Lonza, we respect and protect our people and our environment. Any success we achieve is no success at all if not achieved ethically.

People come to Lonza for the challenge and creativity of solving complex problems and developing new ideas in life sciences. In return, we offer the satisfaction that comes with improving lives all around the world — the satisfaction that comes with making a meaningful difference.

Lonza is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a qualified individual with disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reference: R77498
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