Statistical Programming Lead

Astellas Pharma Inc; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A global healthcare company in the UK is seeking a Statistical Programming Lead to drive the department's technical vision. In this role, you will lead and manage programming for clinical studies, ensuring quality and regulatory compliance. The ideal candidate has significant experience in statistical programming in the pharmaceutical industry and excels in vendor collaboration. This permanent position offers a hybrid working model with required office presence in Addlestone.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in statistical programming with significant experience in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Substantial experience leading programming efforts for complex drug development programs.

Responsibilities

• Produce high-quality, on-time statistical programming deliverables.
• Design and drive programming strategies for global regulatory submissions.
• Lead internal programming teams and collaborate closely with vendor leads.
• Oversee and optimize vendor performance.
• Develop innovative solutions to enhance programming efficiency.
• Coach programming leads to deliver best-in-class QSEG support.

Skills

Statistical programming

Vendor collaboration

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s or master’s in statistics, mathematics, or related field

Job description

Join to apply for the Statistical Programming Lead role at Astellas Pharma.

About Astellas

At Astellas we are a progressive health partner, delivering value and outcomes where needed. We pursue innovative science, focusing initially on the areas of greatest potential and then developing solutions where patient need is high, often in rare or under‑served disease areas and in life‑threatening or life‑limiting diseases and conditions. We work directly with patients, doctors and health‑care professionals on the front line to ensure patient and clinical needs guide our development activities at every stage. Our global vision for patient centricity is to support the development of innovative health solutions through a deep understanding of the patient experience. We work closely with regulatory authorities and payers to find new ways to ensure access to new therapies, delivering insights and real‑world evidence to inform decisions for patients and their caregivers. Beyond medicines, we support stakeholder communities to drive initiatives that improve awareness, education, access and ultimately standards of care.

Opportunity

As the Senior Programming Leader, you’ll provide clear direction and expert guidance that shape the department’s technical vision and elevate its overall capability. You’ll lead strategy and execution for clinical and Medical Affairs studies — including exploratory, PK/PD, biomarker, and regional projects. You’ll hold global accountability for all programming deliverables across studies and submissions within your focus areas, while overseeing vendors and driving initiatives that strengthen departmental infrastructure and innovation. In your role as Global Programmer Lead (GPROGL), you’ll take the lead on late‑phase or novel assets, ensuring strategic alignment, effective resource planning, and successful inspection readiness. You’ll also mentor and inspire other programmers, lead cross‑functional collaboration, and drive key objectives within Quantitative Sciences and Evidence Generation (QSEG), ensuring excellence in programming strategy and delivery across the organization.

Hybrid Working

We recognise the importance of work/life balance and offer a hybrid working solution allowing time to connect with colleagues at the office with the flexibility to work from home as permitted by Astellas’ Responsible Flexibility Guidelines.

Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• Producing high‑quality, on‑time statistical programming deliverables, including datasets and TLFs, ensuring all outputs meet Astellas, industry, and regulatory standards and are submission‑ready.
• Designing and driving programming strategies for global regulatory submissions across all projects within your focus area.
• Leading internal programming teams for insourced work and collaborating closely with vendor leads for outsourced projects.
• Overseeing and optimising vendor performance, providing regular oversight of FSP activities, and acting as the key liaison between FSPs and Astellas.
• Partnering with peers to develop innovative solutions that enhance programming efficiency and delivery.
• Coaching and supporting programming leads to deliver best‑in‑class QSEG support across all Astellas development programs.

Personal Development / Collaboration

• Challenging and influencing peers and senior leaders inside and outside QSEG by promoting best practices and excellence in programming.
• Building and maintaining relationships through external professional networks and industry associations, representing Astellas and strengthening its professional brand.
• Aligning your work with Astellas’ mission, ensuring your team stays up to date with global regulatory changes and upholding the highest standards in statistical programming.
• Contributing to recruitment, training, and professional growth efforts that attract and retain top programming talent.
• Partnering with the SRS Leadership Team to define short‑ and long‑term strategic goals for the programming function.
• Collaborating with programming teams across Astellas sites, ensuring consistency, efficient resource use, and cohesive global development.
• Part of Quantitative Sciences and Evidence Generation (QSEG), the Statistical & Real World Data Science (SRS) team drives data‑informed decisions across Astellas’ development programs, partnering globally with key functions, applying advanced methods and real‑world insights to deliver robust evidence that supports regulatory approval, access, and reimbursement.

Essential Knowledge & Experience

• Demonstrated expertise in statistical programming, with significant hands‑on experience in the pharmaceutical industry and vendor collaboration.
• Substantial experience leading programming efforts for complex drug development programs.

Education

• Bachelor’s or master’s in statistics, mathematics, or related field, or equivalent.

Additional Information

• The is a permanent, full‑time position based in the UK.
• This position follows our hybrid working model. Role requires a blend of home and a minimum of 1 day a quarter in our Addlestone office. Flexibility may be required in line with business needs. Candidates must be located within a commutable distance of the office.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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