Associate Director, Records & Information Management

Do you want to be part of an inclusive team that works to develop innovative therapies for patients? Every day, we are driven to develop and deliver innovative and effective new medicines to patients and physicians. If you want to be part of this exciting work, you belong at Astellas!

Astellas Pharma Inc. is a pharmaceutical company conducting business in more than 70 countries around the world. We are committed to turning innovative science into medical solutions that bring value and hope to patients and their families. Keeping our focus on addressing unmet medical needs and conducting our business with ethics and integrity enables us to improve the health of people throughout the world. For more information on Astellas, please visit our website at [Register to View] .

This position is based in Northbrook, Illinois. Remote work from certain states may be permitted in accordance with Astellas’ Responsible Flexibility Guidelines. Candidates interested in remote work are encouraged to apply.

Purpose and Scope:

• Under the leadership of the Global Head of RIM, the Associate Director RIM serves as a thought leader and person of authority on the global records and information for the organization and educates stakeholders on RIM decisions, principles, policies, and procedures.
• Given that all functions and divisions are responsible for implementing the RIM Program in their business areas, the Associate Director works proactively with the various business units and other internal departments and organizations to implement practices that meet Astellas’ defined policies and standards for records and information management. This position is also accountable for proactively identifying and mitigating risks to the Company’s ability to achieve its corporate objectives under the Corporate Strategic Plan.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

• Provides leadership and critical input to the strategic direction of the global RIM program, defining scope, goals, and objectives, identifying risks, and negotiating support from key stakeholders and decision-makers.
• Manages the ongoing evolution of the overall RIM strategy based on legal and regulatory requirements, technology capabilities and the changing needs of internal staff, external partners, and the RIM industry; collaborates with key stakeholders to develop a communication and outreach strategy to achieve awareness and integration of RIM program.
• Champions RIM program within the organization to heighten awareness and position the function as a key business resource by establishing credibility and integrity with key stakeholders and senior managers.
• Leads development of RIM policies and procedures. Identifies business process improvements that will facilitate more efficient information management and compliance with RIM governance.
• Partners with Information Systems (“IS”) to assure the best technology and methods are implemented to manage information consistent with RIM governance.
• Partners with Litigation on strategic RIM issues to assure information lifecycle management messages are consistent with Legal Hold Order requirements and management.
• Collaborates with Ethics & Compliance, Privacy, IS, HR and Legal on RIM related records and information management issues.
• Collaborates with global colleagues to strengthen global integration of RIM program and participate on global projects from a strategic level; sets direction and leads projects.
• Overseeing and providing senior management and business clients updates on changes in regulatory developments affecting the pharmaceutical industry in the areas of RIM.
• Collaborate and lead staff by coaching, mentoring, and resolving issues to support the business operations of the RIM function. Identify strategic outsourcing opportunities to assist in meeting business objectives.
• Support business areas in ensuring records are controlled and managed in a compliant manner throughout their life cycle including storage and archiving, and that records management systems and long-term digital archiving solutions meet company procedures, regulatory requirements, and industry standards.
• Support the intake or transfer of paper or electronic records and information in the event of a merger, acquisition, divestiture, or closure (MADC). Maximizing the realization of benefits of MADC activities by mitigating the higher cost related to the potential risk of lost or misidentified records and by consistent application of retention obligations defined by multiple regulating agencies.
• Represent Astellas in various external industry groups, forums, conferences, and professional associations related to RIM.
• Overseeing relevant RIM systems, tools, and technologies to promote process efficiency for the end user and operational excellence, including collaborating with Information Systems to participate in system development and process design activities to ensure optimal performance.
• Leading other projects as may be requested by the Global Head of RIM, Legal Lead for Privacy, Data Security, and RIM, Legal Head of CRP, or General Counsel.
• Overnight travel, including international travel, as needed.

Organizational Context:

• The Associate Director, Records & Information Management reports to the Global Head of RIM.
• Responsible for the global records and information management (RIM) Program and providing full range of support for all matters involving RIM across the global Astellas enterprise.
• Works closely, collaborates, and coordinates with other teams reporting into the Legal Head of Commercial, Regulatory and Privacy (“CRP”) as well as the Legal Heads of Legal Strategic Transactions; Legal Governance, Corporate Strategy and Administration; Litigation, Investigations and Legal Strategic Learning; IP Legal; and Legal Transformation.