Associate Director, Portfolio Contract Strategy

AstraZeneca • Wilmington, DE

7d • $147,200 - $220,500 • Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Director, Portfolio Contract Strategy supports the creation and definition of contract strategies, financial analytics, and platforms for brands across AstraZeneca’s Biopharmaceutical Business Unit (BBU) portfolio. The role focuses on key Market Access customers and business segments, maintaining consistency as strategies are implemented, and driving business analytics in partnership with customer-facing account teams, including National & Regional Payer, Provider Network, and Channel teams.

Based at AstraZeneca’s Wilmington headquarters, the role helps bring marketplace perspective and pragmatic solutions to optimize net price, meet access objectives, and support innovative contracting. It contributes to contract and channel strategies aligned with Brand Team and Therapeutic Area strategies for launch and in-line products. The Associate Director may support direct customer engagement on identified initiatives and help build, align, and execute negotiation strategies with customer-facing teams.

The position collaborates with internal stakeholders across Access Strategy, Brand Leadership, Value Strategy and Evidence, Brand and Market Access Finance, Contract Operations, and Legal. A key responsibility is ensuring contract strategies and offerings have financial justification based on ROI and sound business judgment, assessing existing offerings, and regularly reevaluating strategies to deliver segment strategies for Therapeutic Areas. The role reports to the Sr. Director, Portfolio Contract Strategy, CVRM.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree; preferably in Marketing, Science, Economics, or Finance.
• At least 3 years of experience in the pharmaceutical or healthcare industry.
• Understanding of Market Access and healthcare delivery systems, including the impact of government policies and proposals.
• Analytical skills, including problem solving, forecasting, contract development, and financial modeling.
• Demonstrated negotiation and relationship-building skills.
• Solution- and innovation-oriented mindset.

Nice To Haves

• MBA or JD.
• Understanding of healthcare marketing and sales practices.
• Thorough understanding of pharmaceutical manufacturing business models, including brand team operations, brand finance, and sales.
• Background in finance, market access, and/or analytics.
• Contract development and negotiation experience.
• Clinical acumen or health economics knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Assist in developing contract strategies and lead them through applicable approval and governance processes.
• Partner directly with customer-facing teams on prioritized key initiatives.
• Co-develop and execute contracting negotiation strategies.
• Coordinate with analysts and specialists on operational activities such as rebates, chargebacks, government reporting, contract writing, and process approvals.
• Monitor changes in market trends and behaviors, interpret their likely impact, and suggest actions concerning life-cycle contracting and pricing.
• Develop a deep understanding of competitive market conditions affecting pricing for individual brands, therapeutic areas, and the industry.
• Serve as a resource for Licensing and Business Development in assessing pricing for potential opportunities.
• Support business analytics and financial analyses for contract strategy activities.
• Ensure contract strategies and offerings are financially justified based on ROI and sound business judgment, and help assess their performance.
• Ensure timely, regular reevaluation of current strategies and deliver segment strategies for Therapeutic Areas.

Benefits

• Short-term incentive bonus opportunity.
• Eligibility to participate in an equity-based long-term incentive program for salaried roles.
• Qualified retirement program (401(k) plan).
• Paid vacation and holidays.
• Paid leaves.
• Medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director