Associate Director

Job Description

At Lilly, we believe in the power of data to drive scientific discovery and improve patient outcomes. As we continue to shape the future of research and development, We are seeking a visionary and experienced leader to drive the LRL Functional Data Strategy, Tools and Solutions and Architecture and lead our engineering teams within our R&D IT organization. This individual will be responsible for defining, leading, and executing LRL-grade data solutions that support R&D initiatives including drug discovery, clinical trials, product research & development, regulatory submissions and patient safety. The role will partner with business and IT leaders, data scientists, engineers, and technologists to modernize and optimize the R&D data landscape, accelerate the data solution implementations across the value chain and also streamline the processes so that our engineers are focused on the most critical efforts to impact our portfolio.

Path/Level:

M1

Note:Roles are posted at the lowest level of a band. Howe'ver, employees should search across all levels of the band to identify all opportunities. Employees hired on banded positions (eg, P1-P3, R1-R2, B1-B3) transfer at their current level, regardless of the level indicated in the posting.

Lilly Capability Center, India (LCCI) provides Information and Digital Services (TECHLILLY), as part of LCCI s broader strategy, to support current and future Information Technology needs across the enterprise. TECHLILLY at LCCI is rapidly expanding and is now a critical component of Eli Lilly and Company s global TECHLILLY strategy.

TheAssociate Director - R&D Informatics Data Capabilitywill play a critical leadership role in shaping and executing the data and operations strategy across Lilly Research Labs (LRL), including both discovery and development domains. This role will be responsible for the people, process, portfolio and technology delivery from LCCI for modernizing and managing our global data ecosystem, supporting scientific applications, accelerating AI readiness, and ensuring delivery excellence across a complex, multi-functional data landscape. The ideal candidate will bring strong leadership, cross-domain expertise, and a deep commitment to driving business value through data and digital transformation.

The Director - TechLilly LRL will lead all aspects of people, process, portfolio and technology delivery from LCCI covering strategy, tactical and execution. The primary objective of this role is to ensure that LRL TechLilly LCCI is strongly positioned to manage end to end capabilities, scale existing services, deliver key strategic initiatives and to strategize, propose, develop and operationalize the new capabilities and services with a high degree of consistency, security, quality compliance, and scalability.

This leader in LRL TechLilly LCCI should be strategic both from technical and capability, product standpoint. Should be bold to bring the right issues for discussions with the leader of the function and should span their contributions across LRL tech function. Should have a strong technical knowhow including architecture, exposure to multiple products and capabilities, exposure to multiple tech stack and its implementations along with good understanding of the domain.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Transformation

- Lead the data and technology strategy, governance, and compliance efforts for LRL Data and Operations, fostering collaboration across LCCI, global LRL, and partner teams.
- Define and deliver a multi-year strategic data roadmap aligned with LRL s future vision, focusing on accelerated business value outcomes across drug discovery and development.
- Act as a change agent, transforming LRL s data and operations into a future-ready, AI-enabled ecosystem capable of supporting future and ongoing key initiatives, and promoting rapid, high-impact innovation.
- Collaborate with enterprise data teams to ensure alignment between LRL s strategic data priorities and enterprise platforms and programs.
- Promote visibility and engagement by communicating strategic initiatives and outcomes effectively to senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams.

2. Organizational Optimization & Delivery Excellence

- Restructure and optimize the LCCI Data Hub, aligning talent to the most impactful areas while ensuring delivery of the current book of work.
- Establish and lead a high-performing, cross-functional team, leveraging internal and external talent to meet 2025 strategic commitments and long-term goals.
- Drive Agile delivery excellence through structured PI planning, accountable leadership, and delivery of measurable value in each sprint.

3. Data Ecosystem Modernization

- Accelerate data delivery and integration by building scalable ingestion pipelines, reusable data products, and intuitive find-and-access capabilities.
- Drive investment and innovation in data engineering, analytics, and search capabilities to enhance decision-making and scientific discovery.
- Champion engineering maturity through the adoption of DevX tools and frameworks, delivering measurable improvements in product quality and operational efficiency.

4. Application Management & Support

- Serve as the custodian and system owner for the entire LRL application ecosystem both legacy and modernized ensuring business continuity, modernization, and performance optimization.
- Lead and re-define the support model for all LRL applications, ensuring seamless day-to-day operations, high user satisfaction, and alignment with evolving R&D priorities.

5. Talent Development & Leadership Culture

- Mentor and grow diverse technical talent, building a strong leadership pipeline and fostering a culture of inclusion, continuous learning, and collaboration.
- Champion bold leadership by challenging the status quo, driving accountability, and cultivating an environment of innovation across teams and functions.

Basic Qualifications:

- Degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, Bioinformatics, Life Sciences, or a related technical field.
- Demonstrated experience in leading data strategy, application ownership, or technology programs in R&D or life sciences.
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams across geographies and organizational boundaries.
- Strong knowledge of Agile methodologies, portfolio delivery, and stakeholder engagement practices.

Preferred Qualifications:

- Experience managing large-scale data ecosystems (eg, data lakes, data mesh, application modernization).
- Deep understanding of scientific computing or pharma R&D application landscape.
- Background in data engineering, AI/ML, and driving automation in research or development environments.
- Strong leadership in managing hybrid teams including internal employees, sister orgs, and contractors.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to build professional networks with diverse groups of individuals and to work effectively within geographically dispersed teams and partners

Role:Head - Data Science

Industry Type:Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences

Department:Data Science & Analytics

Employment Type:Full Time, Permanent

Role Category:Data Science & Machine Learning

Education

UG:Any Graduate

PG:Any Postgraduate

---