Digital Transformation Lead (Corporate Platforms & Global Business Systems) (m/f/d)

At Daiichi Sankyo, the mission is to improve lives through innovative medicines. The company traces its roots back to 1899 and now operates in more than 30 countries with over 19,000 employees. Guided by the 2030 vision to be an innovative global healthcare company contributing to the sustainable development of society, they are seeking a Digital Transformation Lead to shape the global corporate platforms and global business systems from their Munich, Germany site.

The role is based onsite in Munich and will partner with functions such as Legal, Compliance and Human Resources to build scalable, compliant solutions that accelerate digital transformation across the company’s worldwide footprint. It’s about defining a technology roadmap for corporate platforms and ensuring the delivery of innovative programs that align with mid- and long-term business goals.

This position suits someone who can connect high-level business aims with practical IT delivery, manage diverse, cross-regional teams and vendors, and translate complex programs into measurable value for the organization.

Shaping Global Digital Platforms And Programs

The Digital Transformation Lead will work with global corporate stakeholders to ensure IT initiatives reflect business objectives, prioritizing projects and steering roadmaps that support the company’s mid- and long-term goals. They will head global application implementation efforts, coordinating with external vendors to design, develop, and deploy standardized global applications across multiple regions, and they’ll ensure smooth transitions from implementation into ongoing maintenance while actively managing risks.

They will champion IT standards and best practices by driving strategic transformation projects that optimize processes, boost efficiency, and deliver innovative solutions. The role requires providing expertise on project management and software development lifecycle practices to ensure compliant and effective delivery, guiding teams through governance, quality, and risk considerations.

Financial stewardship is part of the job too, with responsibility for planning and budgeting digital programs and global business systems, ensuring investments deliver measurable ROI and resources are used efficiently in line with enterprise priorities. The role also involves mentoring a diverse team that includes IT System Owners and consultants, fostering a collaborative, multicultural environment and supporting professional growth across regions.

The Right Candidate For This Role

Must-have credentials include a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field, plus a minimum of 10 years of experience in global applications development and implementation within the pharmaceutical industry. The ideal candidate has proven global people management experience, especially across Japan and other international regions, and a strong track record in budget management, vendor negotiations, and delivering cost-effective technology investments. They should be familiar with SDLC, SIAM, SaaS, PaaS, and ITIL frameworks, with PMP certification preferred. Excellent leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills are essential, along with the ability to work effectively with regional teams, business stakeholders, and external vendors. Strong communication, analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills are a must, and a willingness to travel internationally as required.

Nice-to-have: a PMP certification is preferred, signaling formal project management expertise that complements hands-on leadership experience.

Guidance For Applicants

Lead your resume with a clear snapshot of your global pharma programs. Start with 10+ years of global applications development and implementation, and call out your experience across Japan and other international regions, plus concrete examples of budget stewardship and vendor negotiations that delivered ROI.

Demonstrate the must-have skills with specific, quantifiable results. Describe a global transformation project you led from business alignment through deployment and into maintenance, highlighting how you managed risks, ensured regulatory alignment, and delivered scalable, compliant solutions using SDLC, SIAM, SaaS, PaaS, or ITIL practices.

Prepare for interviews by outlining a full end-to-end example: how you aligned stakeholders, defined the architecture, coordinated internal teams and external partners, managed the budget and timeline, and handled post-implementation stabilization. Be ready to discuss how you handle cross-regional collaboration and travel requirements, and how you measure success in digital transformation initiatives.

Ask a thoughtful question about the current platform landscape and roadmap, for example: what is the current mix of corporate platforms across Legal, Compliance and HR, and what are the top priorities for the next 12–24 months? How does the team gauge ROI for global digital investments, and what governance model guides vendor relationships and delivery across regions?