Director, Medical Evidence Generation Procurement

AstraZeneca • Gaithersburg, MD

3d

About The Position

Introduction to role: Are you ready to shape how Real World Evidence is sourced, scaled, and translated into decisions that help patients faster? As Director, Primary Real World Evidence Procurement, you will set the strategy and lead execution for a critical supplier ecosystem that powers clinical development, market access, and lifecycle optimization across regions and therapeutic areas. You will combine deep market intelligence with data-driven decision-making to develop category strategies, negotiation playbooks, and supplier partnerships that raise quality, speed, and value. By uniting stakeholders around clear outcomes and leveraging digital and AI-enabled capabilities, you will streamline complex engagements and deliver measurable impact where it matters most—better, faster evidence for patients and the business. Do you see the opportunity to turn spend, contracts, and supplier performance into a strategic engine for growth? Accountabilities: Category Strategy Leadership: Build and refresh global category strategies for primary real world evidence and access programs, grounded in external market signals and internal demand, to enable faster, higher-quality evidence at scale. Negotiation Leadership: Set and execute negotiation strategies and playbooks for complex global MSAs, rate cards, rebates, and commercial terms to secure value, control, and speed. Supplier Relationship Ownership: Own SRM for strategic partners; lead governance, QBRs, performance scorecards, and corrective actions to elevate supplier performance and innovation across markets. Spend Analytics and Value Delivery: Analyze global spend and cost drivers to identify value opportunities, harmonize rates, optimize scope, and quantify savings, cost avoidance, quality, and growth/value delivery in alignment with Finance. Preferred Supplier Ecosystem: Curate and manage Preferred Supplier Lists aligned to business priorities; coordinate engagements across multiple therapeutic areas and regions to drive consistency, compliance, and outcomes. Execution Excellence: Lead sourcing events, RFPs, and program implementations for tools and systems; ensure flawless execution of category strategies with clear turning points, risk management, and stakeholder communications. Cross-Functional Leadership: Facilitate structured decision-making across diverse teams; translate strategy and data into clear recommendations that secure buy-in and accelerate delivery. Market Intelligence: Continuously scan the supplier landscape, evidence models, and technology trends; translate insights into business cases and strategy refreshes that unlock new capabilities, including digital and AI. Governance and Risk Management: Partner with Legal on risk, IP, data privacy, compliance, audit rights, and brand safety; uphold policies and sustainability expectations, including DEI and environmental considerations.

Requirements

• 6+ years of experience in strategy, operations, and/or procurement within a sophisticated environment, preferably across Medical Communications, Marketing, Services, and/or Measurement/analytics categories.
• Subject matter expertise in indirect and medical communications -related spend categories.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Demonstrated experience in data analysis, spend analytics, and should-cost modeling.
• Experience managing complex supplier relationships and performance routines.
• Proficiency in sophisticated negotiations across varied commercial models and deal structures, including media transparency and audit provisions.

Nice To Haves

• Direct experience in Medical Communications or complex services procurement categories is a plus.
• Leadership experience across real world evidence vendors, data suppliers, CROs, or evidence generation consultancies
• Proven success shaping global category strategies and SRM in a complex, matrixed, highly regulated environment
• Advanced degree in business, supply chain, health economics, data science, or related field
• Recognized procurement credentials (e.g., CIPS, CPSM) and experience with should-cost modeling and benchmarking at global scale
• Proficiency with digital procurement tools, advanced analytics, automation, and AI-enabled insights
• Track record driving sustainability, DEI, and risk mitigation through the supply base
• Executive presence with strong storytelling and the ability to influence senior stakeholders

Responsibilities

• Category Strategy Leadership: Build and refresh global category strategies for primary real world evidence and access programs, grounded in external market signals and internal demand, to enable faster, higher-quality evidence at scale.
• Negotiation Leadership: Set and execute negotiation strategies and playbooks for complex global MSAs, rate cards, rebates, and commercial terms to secure value, control, and speed.
• Supplier Relationship Ownership: Own SRM for strategic partners; lead governance, QBRs, performance scorecards, and corrective actions to elevate supplier performance and innovation across markets.
• Spend Analytics and Value Delivery: Analyze global spend and cost drivers to identify value opportunities, harmonize rates, optimize scope, and quantify savings, cost avoidance, quality, and growth/value delivery in alignment with Finance.
• Preferred Supplier Ecosystem: Curate and manage Preferred Supplier Lists aligned to business priorities; coordinate engagements across multiple therapeutic areas and regions to drive consistency, compliance, and outcomes.
• Execution Excellence: Lead sourcing events, RFPs, and program implementations for tools and systems; ensure flawless execution of category strategies with clear turning points, risk management, and stakeholder communications.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Facilitate structured decision-making across diverse teams; translate strategy and data into clear recommendations that secure buy-in and accelerate delivery.
• Market Intelligence: Continuously scan the supplier landscape, evidence models, and technology trends; translate insights into business cases and strategy refreshes that unlock new capabilities, including digital and AI.
• Governance and Risk Management: Partner with Legal on risk, IP, data privacy, compliance, audit rights, and brand safety; uphold policies and sustainability expectations, including DEI and environmental considerations.

Benefits

• qualified retirement programs
• paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves)
• health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees