Strategic Business Specialist

Job Overview

The Strategic Business Specialist is a key contributor responsible for researching, designing, and evaluating advanced system and data-driven solutions to support organizational strategy as well as daily operations.

This role requires a highly analytical, detail-oriented professional with strong project management, communication, and collaboration skills, as well as a deep commitment to innovation within a rapidly evolving digital and scientific environment.

The position focuses on developing solutions to moderately complex business and technical challenges through rigorous data analysis, business intelligence, and systems integration. The Specialist identifies strategic opportunities and performance gaps, translates complex data into actionable insights, and ensures accurate interpretation of metrics across stakeholders. Responsibilities include defining assignment objectives, supporting long-range organizational goals, and delivering meaningful performance indicators to drive informed decision-making.

Operating under general supervision, the role exercises sound judgment and accountability, with work reviewed for quality, accuracy, and strategic alignment. The Specialist collaborates cross-functionally and engages periodically with senior internal and external stakeholders on matters requiring coordination and alignment. The role also supports business optimization, change management initiatives, and the continuous improvement of systems and processes, while mentoring associate-level team members.

The ideal candidate brings substantial experience in research or regulated environments, strong expertise in data analysis, visualization, and business intelligence tools, and working knowledge of programming and database management. A background in biotechnology, biological sciences, computer science, or related disciplines supported by equivalent professional experience—is required. Fluency in English is essential, with German proficiency and experience in GMP-regulated environments considered strong advantages.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and execute comprehensive project management plans, ensuring clear, transparent communication across all organizational levels.
• Design, build, and refine data queries by consolidating multiple data sources within business intelligence platforms; develop complex logic to support dashboards, workflows, and analytics across systems.
• Coordinate the development of visual workflows, rigorously validate metric definitions, and enable stakeholders to accurately interpret data, minimizing misinterpretation and reducing time to insight.
• Identify key collaborators and facilitate cross-functional coordination to ensure alignment with strategic objectives and business goals.
• Establish and maintain strong, long-term partnerships to support optimized systems integration; respond to management and executive inquiries with thorough analysis, research, and actionable recommendations.
• Perform routine systems analysis and data compliance reviews to enhance performance, ensure data integrity, and proactively diagnose and resolve issues.
• Lead the delivery of key performance indicators and operational metrics to stakeholders, identifying opportunities for optimization and driving continuous improvement initiatives.
• Promote awareness of business and system requirements across organizational units, identifying and addressing process inefficiencies and underperforming systems.
• Monitor global performance metrics to detect outliers or adverse trends, proactively escalating risks to internal stakeholders and evaluating process constraints and bottlenecks.
• Train, mentor, and support associate-level team members to strengthen analytical and technical capabilities.
• Perform additional duties as assigned to support organizational objectives. 

Qualifications and Experience

Qualifications - Education (either): 

• A Master’s degree (M.A. or M.S.) or equivalent in biotechnology or the biological sciences, with demonstrated experience in data analysis and a strong affinity for information and computer technology. An equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience may be considered in lieu of a formal degree.
• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in computer science or software engineering, with prior experience in data analysis within a GMP environment, or a computer science degree complemented by professional experience in the biological sciences, preferably within a GMP-regulated setting. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted in place of a degree.
• Language proficiency: Fluency in English is required; proficiency in German is considered an asset, as is knowledge of additional languages.
   

Experience 

• An excellent communicator with the ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and executing business strategies.
• Proven capability in managing complex projects from initial conception through implementation.
• Documented success in business optimization initiatives and change management efforts.
• Comprehensive knowledge and practical experience with optimization and efficiency methodologies, such as Dynamic Work Design, Six Sigma, Agile, or similar frameworks.
• Strong proficiency in Excel and Power BI is required; experience with other business intelligence tools, such as Tableau, is also acceptable.
• Proven experience with, and foundational knowledge of, at least one programming language such as C++, Python, DAX, VBA, or equivalent.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
• Demonstrated analytical strength, including hands-on experience with data analysis and advanced data visualization techniques.
• Proven ability to manage and analyze large datasets; experience with SQL and database management is strongly preferred.
• Experience with software implementation and system rollouts is preferred.
• Prior experience working in a GMP-regulated environment is desirable.