Director, Global Oncology Policy & Advocacy (Breast Cancer & Pan Tumour)

AstraZeneca•Gaithersburg, MD

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

This role drives the next wave of impact by aligning public policy with rapid advances in oncology. The Director will lead priority efforts in breast cancer to strengthen pathways through wider adoption of biomarker testing and patient navigation, and across cancer types to build compelling investment cases that enable service transformation at scale. Working across global, regional and country teams, and in close partnership with scientific leaders, patient advocates and public health stakeholders, the role helps define a clear vision for the future of cancer care and translate it into actionable reforms in health systems worldwide.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree is required
Minimum of 5 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry
Deep understanding of healthcare systems and how to drive healthcare policy change at country level
Experience / track record of successful projects realized across diverse range of regions or countries
Leadership capability with strong self-awareness and ability to identify winning strategies and solutions for multiple stakeholders and AstraZeneca
Strategic thinker and ability to comprehend complex matters and chart a clear path forward
Self-starting, independent, entrepreneurial attitude – a smart risk-taker who thrives on new challenges and on seeing things through to completion
Eagerness and ability to collaborate with and mobilize different people and organizations; work effectively in a matrix organization and ability to prioritize effectively
Ability to communicate highly effectively with senior leadership, peers, as well as with a variety of stakeholders

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in public health, health policy, health economics, oncology, or related field
Minimum of 5 years relevant experience in areas of oncology is preferred
Direct experience shaping cancer control plans, reimbursement or screening policies with governments or multilateral organizations
Expertise in biomarker testing ecosystems, patient navigation models and quality standards in oncology pathways
Experience developing investment cases and health economic models for service transformation
Proven leadership of multi-country initiatives and public–private partnerships in complex health systems
Strong data literacy and ability to translate evidence into compelling policy narratives
Multilingual capability and experience working across diverse cultural contexts

Responsibilities

Shape and evolve a coherent, forward-leaning policy and advocacy agenda that enables health systems to keep pace with accelerating science and deliver better outcomes for patients.
Advance systemic adoption of biomarker testing and patient navigation by building evidence, co-creating solutions with clinical and patient communities, and enabling country teams to integrate new standards into care.
Develop and socialize robust policy and economic narratives that demonstrate the societal value and return of dedicated funding for cancer service transformation, catalyzing multi-year commitments.
Commission, synthesize and communicate data with external experts, medical societies and NGOs to inform policy design and accelerate real-world implementation.
Build coalitions with government stakeholders, public health leaders and advocacy groups; equip internal and external champions with clear messages and tools to drive reform.
Translate global direction into adaptable frameworks, playbooks and pilots; support priority markets in tailoring strategies to local system needs and policy windows.
Advise senior leadership with crisp insights, risks and options; create narratives that align science, policy and business value to guide decision-making.
Define milestones, metrics and learning loops to track progress, course-correct quickly and scale what works across regions.