Director, Development & Operations Support Lead
- India - Chennai
ROLE SUMMARY
Every day at Pfizer, we are dedicated to delivering top‑notch, safe, and effective products to those who need them most. In the Digital & Technology (D&T) division, our commitment is reinforced by a science‑driven, risk‑aware quality culture and a shared passion for improving patients’ lives.
The AI‑Driven Business Insights (ABI) team deploys and supports data, analytics, and AI/ML solutions that help Pfizer achieve these goals through faster, more informed decision‑making.
The Development & Operations (DevOps) Support Lead is responsible for managing support and operations for global reporting, analytics, and AI/ML technologies and products within Pfizer’s ERP Business Intelligence platform and the future SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC) system. This role leads a global team of 4 colleagues and 20–30 contracted resources in systems operations and support functions to ensure the delivery of first‑class customer service.
In addition, the DevOps Support Lead plays a key role in shaping the long‑term data and analytics strategy of the ABI organization. Strong technical expertise in SAP analytics platforms and cloud computing enables this role to provide thought leadership and define optimal strategies in partnership with Enterprise Architecture, Solution Engineering, and Infrastructure teams.
This role requires advanced technical knowledge and hands‑on experience with SAP BW, SAP HANA, SAP Datasphere, and SAP and non‑SAP cloud technologies to manage daily support and operations effectively. The DevOps Support Lead will play a critical role in the successful deployment and adoption of the Business Data Cloud Foundations program, which is central to Pfizer’s enterprise data and analytics strategy.
Beyond daily operations, the DevOps Support Lead will oversee application support and integrations with external systems, drive automation initiatives, and deliver continuous improvement efforts. Responsibilities include maintaining system stability and data quality; resolving issues in partnership with Global Business Services and Pfizer Global Supply business units; supporting the deployment of new and enhanced analytics solutions; and collaborating with engineering and architecture teams to evolve Pfizer’s data and information strategy.
ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES
Global Operations & Service Delivery
Own end‑to‑end operations and support for ERP Business Intelligence and SAP Business Data Cloud platforms, ensuring high availability, performance, and customer satisfaction
Establish and manage operational objectives, service metrics, and prioritization across incidents, enhancements, and strategic initiatives
Ensure effective transition of solutions from development into steady‑state operations
Oversee incident, problem, change, and release management processes with a strong focus on risk, quality, and compliance
Ensure data integrity, platform stability, and adherence to internal and external audit requirements
Platform Strategy & Technology Enablement
Contribute to the design, evolution, and operationalization of the SAP Business Data Cloud platform
Partner with Architecture, Engineering, and Infrastructure teams on platform upgrades, migrations, and cloud modernization initiatives
Identify and prioritize automation opportunities to improve efficiency, resiliency, and cost effectiveness
Stay current on industry trends and best practices in SAP DevOps, analytics, AI, and cloud technologies
Leadership & Talent Development
Lead, develop, and mentor a global team of engineers and SMEs, fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and technical excellence
Provide technical and functional leadership across multiple disciplines within the DevOps organization
Enable scalable delivery models that support business growth and evolving analytics demand
Stakeholder Engagement & Communication
Act as a senior point of contact for business and technology stakeholders across Digital & Technology and Pfizer business functions
Prepare and deliver clear, data‑driven updates and recommendations to senior leadership
Influence prioritization and outcomes through structured analysis, risk assessment, and business impact evaluation
Align team objectives and execution with broader ABI, Digital, and enterprise strategies
QUALIFICATIONS
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Information Systems, Data Management, Business, or a related field
8+ years of experience (7+ with a Master’s degree) in SAP data architecture, analytics, and enterprise data platforms
Strong hands‑on experience with SAP BW and SAP HANA, including data modeling, transformations, scheduling, and interfaces
Experience with SAP reporting and analytics tools (BusinessObjects Web Intelligence, Analysis for OLAP, Analysis for Office, SAP Analytics Cloud); experience with Power BI or Tableau is a plus
Proven experience leading globally distributed teams, including vendors and contracted resources
Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional teams and influence outcomes across organizational boundaries
Experience operating within regulated environments with strong quality and compliance expectations
Strong organizational, process, and delivery management skills
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Experience with SAP Business Data Cloud components, including Datasphere and Databricks
Experience supporting AI, advanced analytics, or agentic solutions in an enterprise environment
Pharmaceutical or life sciences industry experience
Budget and financial management experience
NON-STANDARD WORK SCHEDULE, TRAVEL OR ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS
• Willingness to work off-business hours is a must
• Willingness to work weekends during project/program deployments
• Ability to travel up to 10 - 20% of time as required
Financial Accountability
- Indicate the Average Budget or Revenue accountability, as applicable.
- Shared responsibility for approximately $1.5M in operating expenses
Supervision
- Indicate the typical number of Colleagues managed; include direct & indirect reports and matrix responsibility. Note if direct reports are people managers or individual contributors. Indicate additional resources (i.e. contingent workers) managed, as applicable.
- 10+ colleagues managed plus 20+ contracted resources. International FTE resources managed as part of this team. Team on effective date will start with ~10 colleagues and will grow to 15 as other groups are consolidated into this.
- Manage a team of 4 colleagues who are SMEs in their respective areas
Work Location Assignment: Hybrid
Pfizer is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable equal employment opportunity legislation in each jurisdiction in which it operates.
Information & Business TechBreakthroughs that change patients’ lives
Research confirms what intuition tells us: that purpose-driven companies perform better, are more innovative, attract and retain the best people, and know how to unleash the power of those people. Pfizer’s purpose—Breakthroughs that change patients' lives—fuels everything we do and reflects our passion for building on our legacy as one of the greatest contributors of good to the world.
Each word in our purpose has meaning and reflects the value we strive to bring to patients and society:
“Breakthroughs” - These are the innovations, scientific and commercial, that we seek to deliver every day. All colleagues, regardless of role, level or location, strive for breakthroughs every day.
“Change” - We want to do more than simply improve patients’ medical conditions; we want to dramatically change their lives for the better.
“Patients’ lives” - We consider not only patients, but everyone they touch—including their families, caregivers, and friends—and everything they love to do. It’s an intentionally holistic view.
Our purpose ensures that patients remain at the center of all we do. We live our purpose by sourcing the best science in the world; partnering with others in the healthcare system to improve access to our medicines; using digital technologies to enhance our drug discovery and development, as well as patient outcomes; and leading the conversation to advocate for pro-innovation/pro-patient policies.
Every decision we make and every action we take is done with the patient in mind—and to nurture an environment where breakthroughs can thrive.
Our Values
To fully realize Pfizer’s purpose, we have established a clear set of expectations regarding “what” we need to achieve for patients and “how” we will go about achieving those goals.
The “how” is represented by four simple, powerful values—courage, excellence, equity, and joy—that define our company and our culture.
Courage: Breakthroughs start by challenging convention, especially in the face of uncertainty or adversity. This happens when we think big, speak up, and are decisive.
Excellence: We can only change patients’ lives when we perform at our best together. This happens when we focus on what matters, agree who does what, and measure our outcomes.
Equity: We believe that every person deserves to be seen, heard, and cared for. This happens when we are inclusive, act with integrity, and reduce healthcare disparities.
Joy: We give ourselves to our work, but it also gives to us. We find joy when we take pride, recognize one another, and have fun.
Pfizer Digital
Pfizer Digital takes immense pride in being at the forefront of innovation, harnessing cutting-edge smart technology that profoundly impacts the lives of our patients.
With the transformative potential of digital solutions, we revolutionize how we discover, develop, and deliver medicines, enabling us to achieve breakthroughs faster and more efficiently.
By streamlining and automating transactional processes, we create valuable time and resources, empowering our talented team to focus on meaningful work that truly makes a difference in healthcare and beyond.
Benefits at Pfizer
Pfizer offers competitive compensation and benefits programs designed to meet the diverse needs of our colleagues. Our Pay for Performance Philosophy and Practices reward colleagues based on the contributions they make to our business.
Our Competitive Benefits Programs help our colleagues by:
- Promoting Health and Wellness to help colleagues maintain and improve their physical and mental wellbeing. Pfizer offerings include health and disability insurance, preventative health programs, medical screenings, free or reduced-cost vaccinations, discounts on Pfizer products, mental health support, nutrition and fitness counseling and more.
- Strengthening Colleagues’ Financial Security by providing company contributions to retirement plans, life insurance and financial planning education to help colleagues achieve their financial goals.
- Providing Benefits and Time off for the Moments that Matter to ensure Pfizer colleagues have the time away from the office to recharge, recover and return to work as the best version of themselves. Vacation, Holiday time and Sick time are just the beginning, with a 12 week parental leave policy for both parents of a new born, 10 day of caregiver leave for those times when your family needs you whether it’s a child, spouse or parent, bereavement leave, and additional country-specific programs.
- And so much more, depending on your country and site, Pfizer offers childcare facilities or discount programs, on-site health and/or fitness centers, movement and mindfulness solutions, “Log in for your Day” work flexibility and so much more.
For U.S. based jobs, view an overview of Pfizer’s U.S. benefits program (opens in a new window)