Director, Global Patient Advocacy Lead

AstraZeneca•Boston, MA

2d•$151,753 - $227,630•Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting to the VP Global Head Patient Experience, this position is part of the Alexion AstraZeneca Rare Disease Patient Experience team and is responsible for leading the Global patient advocacy strategy and patient engagement within the Alexion Rare Disease Business unit. This role will drive the global strategy to understand and support the patient journey, including accelerating time to diagnosis, disease awareness and resources, treatment advances, and providing caregiver support to improve health outcomes. The Director, Patient Advocacy will be responsible for driving, building, and enhancing strategic alliances with disease-specific advocacy organizations, umbrella groups, and other rare/ultra-rare disease-oriented organizations to drive Alexion AstraZeneca Rare Disease global patient advocacy strategic goals. This role will enhance Alexion’s commitment to patient centricity by bringing the patient perspective into decision-making.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
10+ years of progressive industry/relevant professional experience or 7+ years of patient advocacy experience, including in global/ international roles
Solid knowledge and established connections with the global rare disease advocacy community
Ability to lead with influence in a complex internal matrix
Broad knowledge of the biopharma industry; solid understanding of drug development, HEOR, product launch, access and reimbursement, and commercialization and compliant patient engagement.
Robust knowledge of current compliance, legal, regulatory and other issues that impact the biopharmaceutical industry and its protocol for patient engagement
Outstanding interpersonal skills, ability to successfully influence without authority, and effectively work with global colleagues efficiently across functions in a complex organization and business environment
Strong ability to initiate and maintain partnerships with key internal and external partners and work cross-functionally to identify and prioritize company goals to accomplish with patient advocacy groups
Excellent project, vendor and budget management to deliver business results

Nice To Haves

Existing relationships with disease-specific organizations such as relevant rare disease groups
Experience managing product launches and life cycle management in a co-promotion framework
Proven experience providing leadership and direction to agency partners
Knowledge of healthcare systems within individual markets, especially ex-US

Responsibilities

Establish Alexion as a strong partner to the global relevant patient communities promoting strategic, long-term partnerships by strengthening existing collaborations and identifying new groups for partnerships and engagement.
Shape and coordinate execution of global patient advocacy strategy and plans for disease areas in scope through effective cross-functional partnerships with Therapeutic Area leaders of Alexion’s Medical and Commercial organizations and coordinate with critical internal partners.
Advance patient-focused drug development, ensuring strategic partnership with rare disease communities in support of R&D programs and clinical trials, working closely with Global Patient Insights and Solutions (GPIS) towards facilitating and implementing early patient engagement and insights activities and supporting clinical trial awareness and recruitment.
Lead patient identification, engagement and relationship development to support PEX organized frameworks (STAR workshops, Patient Frictions Coefficients, Patient Insights Forum, etc.) to ensure effective cross-sectional representation of patient and caregivers within those platforms.
Promote patient-partnered alliances and initiatives with PAGs to advance access and equity by shaping policies and guidelines that are informed by the lived experience of patients and caregivers. Partner closely with Corporate Affairs teams towards actions that support system changes supporting the advancement of policy positions that embrace appreciation of innovation and the importance of optimal treatment as it applies to the disease areas in scope for this role.
Link appropriate patient groups with the information and resources needed to support patients and caregivers to advocate for appropriate care. Build a sense of community and collaboration among these groups and with Alexion.
Serve as a liaison to the rare disease community by working appropriately with global colleagues on cross-disease initiatives while prioritizing engagement on disease-specific work and ensuring coordinated outreach and further establishing our external rare disease leadership.
Support collection of patient’ and caregiver’s insights and proactively and routinely sharing and integrating insights from patient advocacy groups to shape programs, research and activities related to Alexion programs.
Lead internal thought leaders patient centricity sessions and represent Alexion externally in patient focused congresses and patient meetings to enhance our corporate reputation and connections with patient communities.
Align closely with other AZ business units towards optimal alignments and coordinated approach to partnering with patient groups and communities that are shared across the different AZ areas of work.
Partner closely with all in-country patient advocacy teams (US, EUCAN & International, China, Japan) providing strategic guidance and actional frameworks and resources. Ensure alignment and synergies between global and local patient advocacy strategies and plans in this TA supporting local teams deliver key projects and initiatives and the effective participation of local PAG leaders in global PEX initiatives.
Represent Patient Advocacy in the relevant TA cross-functional leadership teams ensuring the patient advocacy perspective is adequately integrated and reflected in internal strategies, plans as well as decision-making.
Provide impactful points of connection for patient advocacy groups with Alexion employees and senior leaders.