Jo Lancaster- Towers

Experience

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  Reed

  Sept 1994 - May 1996

  Recruitment Consultant
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  Computer Futures

  Jan 1996 - Jan 1998

  Recruitment consultant
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  Leap29

  Aug 2000 - Aug 2002

  Business Development Manager
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  Esprit Resource Solutions Ltd

  Aug 2002 - May 2006

  Managing Director

  Specialist Recruitment Consultancy dealing with Senior Appointments, HR, IR and Marketing.

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  AstraZeneca

  May 2006 - Jun 2010

  Recruitment Partner- Global Development

  - Developed and implemented the Global recruitment and sourcing strategy for Pharmaceutical Development

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  Rolls-Royce

  May 2010 - Sept 2010

  External Recruitment Specialist - Civil Nuclear and Global Energy

  Developing and implementing recruitment strategies in partnership with the HR Business Partners, Senior Business Leaders and Hiring Managers to identify and fill vacancies with talented individuals with the right capability and skills in a timely and cost efficient manner. Implement recruitment processes which include anticipating talent needs, developing and executing sourcing plans, screening, interviewing, selecting, offer management and hiring. Establish client relationships by advising and consulting with the business on market trends, supporting the hiring process and assessing talent to assist in the final selection process Show less

• 

  AstraZeneca

  Sept 2010 - Oct 2024

  As the Global Talent Scout (TS) & Capability Lead, I held a strategic position within Global Talent Acquisition. My role sat on the Global TS Leadership team, with accountability for Global Operations spanning 22 countries, including Global Supply Chain, Procurement, PTD, External Supply, and Manufacturing. Talent Scouts at AstraZeneca are external talent search experts. We take a different approach to getting to know our future leaders and key talent. We work to identify the best and brightest across the industry, get to know you, and share our vision and values while understanding your career drivers and ambitions. My key responsibilities encompass:• Led executive search projects, identifying and recruiting top-tier talent and fostering talent pipelines across pivotal business areas.• I strategically aligned external talent pools with overarching business, internal succession and people strategies, which requires close collaboration with T&D and HR, demonstrating my ability to work in a team and understand the importance of cross-functional collaboration.• Leading, Inspiring and managing a team of Global Talent Scouts and Talent Researchers ( based in Poland), ensuring the delivery of operational excellence.• I collaborate closely with business leaders and HR teams and influence at the highest levels of the organisation. I bring valuable external talent insights to discussions, demonstrating my strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.• Leading global projects and serving as a subject matter expert, offering innovative solutions.• Representing AstraZeneca at global congresses and conferences, engaging with top industry talent and showcasing AstraZeneca as a leading employer of choice. Show less Global Talent Scout - Leading business-critical leadership and succession strategies.In my capacity as a Global Talent Scout – Global Commercial Business at AstraZeneca, I identify top talent across the industry. My approach is defined by:• Cultivating meaningful connections with potential leaders, sharing our vision and values, and comprehending their career drivers and ambitions.• Spearheading the development of global executive and leadership talent pipelines tailored to our business-critical and critical roles.• Pursuing best-in-class candidates who share our passion for leveraging science to address unmet patient needs.• Proactively identifying and addressing gaps in existing succession plans, engaging with critical future talent crucial to realising our ambitious objectives. Show less Global Talent Acquisition Lead - Pioneering Talent Strategies for Global OperationsAs the Global Talent Acquisition Lead for Operations at AstraZeneca, I am entrusted with developing, implementing, and delivering successful Talent Acquisition strategies for Global Operations, including Manufacturing, Pharma Development and Technology, Procurement, and Supply. My responsibilities encompass:• Overseeing a community of approximately 14,000 individuals across 22 countries and facilitating around 2,500 hires annually through a team of 25 recruiters and an extended network of regional HR professionals.• Focusing on building and scaling talent acquisition teams across different geographies and areas of specialisation, with a proven track record of optimising internal processes, systems, and talent acquisition capabilities to enhance market insights for driving employer branding and sourcing initiatives.• Collaborating closely with senior Global leadership and stakeholders to shape and implement overall Area talent strategies, ensuring alignment with business objectives.• Serving as a key Centre of Excellence (CoE) business partner, working with country HR Directors, Global HR Business Partners, and HR teams in the business units to ensure that talent acquisition teams adhere to enterprise TA standards while meeting local business needs, balancing global standards with local requirements to create a cohesive and impactful talent acquisition strategy.• Tasked with creating, driving, and implementing the Global Talent Acquisition Strategy across Global Operations within AstraZeneca, collaborating across the business to provide solutions and partnerships as a credible expert. Show less Responsible for the creation and implementation of the Global Recruitment strategy to meet the hiring needs of the new AZ Antibiotic Unit. The Antibiotic Business Unit (BU) will drive to be the global leader in the development and commercialization of clinical-stage anti-bacterial therapies. The Antibiotic BU is emerging at the ideal time to unlock the value of its existing drugs and leading-edge pipeline. We are not simply seeking experts in infection. We are seeking talent that will help to build a dynamic work environment and will share our passion for creating a new type of pharmaceutical group that will challenge the existing commercial, regulatory and payer models and forge an unprecedented path. The Antibiotic Franchise has forecast revenue of c. $1.3bn, and the AZ Antibiotic Business Unit provides all Development and Marketing activity and support for all AZ markets. The BU also has operational accountability for commercialisation activity in 13 markets (below), which represent c. 40% of the total franchise forecast salesResponsible for ensuring AZ has a Global Strategic Partnerships portfolio to meet the business needs. Focus on various strategic vendor solutions, RPO, MSP, Global And local PSL (to name a few) and the various implementation and ongoing development/evolution of these solutions. Show less Responsible for the execution of all Global recruitment activity managed in the UK. Role involves personal campaign workload, team management, engagement and management with third party vendors who deliver outsourced activities. Works with the relevant Strategic HRBPs to obtain and plan for demand forecasting needs. Manages a team of global recruiters who support and deliver campaign management and supplier relationship activities to deliver on recruitment demand for global activities and key business change activities. Member of the Global Recruitment Leadership team, contributing and leading key strategic initiatives. Show less Responsible for attracting, sourcing and presenting outstanding executive talent across all AstraZeneca's key business areas globally to enable the business to effectively select and hire the right candidates at the right time. Understanding the process of executive recruitment in different geographic markets within the global regions and how this translates into effective candidate sourcing, candidate attraction and candidate management. Exploring new and innovative executive recruitment channels based on market insight aligned to customer need. Show less

  • Global Talent Scout & Capability Lead - Global Operations ( Global Leadership Role)

    Mar 2022 - Oct 2024

  • Global Talent Scout -Global Commercial Biopharm

    Jun 2019 - Mar 2022

  • Global Talent Acquisition Lead for Global AstraZeneca Operations (Leadership Role within TAQ)

    Apr 2017 - Mar 2022

  • Global Talent Acquisition Lead for Global IT ( Management role with Global Team)

    May 2016 - Jun 2017

  • Global Recruitment Lead for infection Antibiotic Unit. Recruitment Strategic Supplier Manager

    Oct 2014 - Jun 2016

  • Head of UK Recruitment Service Delivery ( TAQ Leadership Role)

    Jun 2012 - Nov 2014

  • Global Executive Recruitment Partner

    Sept 2010 - Jun 2012
• 

  Omni RMS

  Nov 2024 - now

  Director of Executive Search Solutions

  As the Director of Executive Solutions at Omni, I lead our specialist Executive Search division, which helps organisations secure transformative leaders. We operate as an independent consultancy, partnering exclusively with clients at the Board and Senior Leadership levels to deliver tailored solutions that meet their unique needs.Our services include: *Executive Search*Talent Scouting for Succession pipelines*Talent Mapping and Competitive benchmarking* Executive Psychometric and Integration Assessments* Market Analysis &Salary Benchmarking* Strategic Workforce Planning. By aligning Leadership Strategies with our client's Business Goals, we help organisations build strong Leadership Pipelines that drive innovation and create long-term value.I prioritise a people-first philosophy, combining insight and collaboration to identify exceptional leaders who align with professional expectations and organisational culture. At Omni, the client and candidate experience is at the heart of everything we do. We redefine leadership acquisition by focusing on precision, partnership, and ensuring every appointment drives meaningful impact.If you're looking to strengthen your Leadership Team, build proactive talent pipelines, navigate Succession Planning, or gain Market Intelligence, let’s connect to discuss how I can support your goals and exceed your expectations. Show less