Executive Director, Portfolio Strategy & Business Development - OBU Strategy

AstraZeneca • Gaithersburg, MD

23d

About The Position

Drive innovation and impact at AstraZeneca by leading strategy for our industry-leading oncology pipeline. Collaborate with R&D and the Oncology Business Unit (OBU) to shape and deliver cutting-edge therapies that improve patient outcomes and bring us closer to eradicating cancer. Working with a team of experts across Oncology R&D and the Oncology Business Unit, responsible for creating and implementing strategies to deliver an industry-leading and innovative oncology pipeline that improves patient care and outcomes. Strategies will be multi-brand or brand agnostic and built through analyses, insights, innovative thinking and cross-functional teamwork. An opportunity for a motivated, collaborative data-driven leader to help AstraZeneca one day eradicate cancer as a cause of death. The role includes people management responsibilities, overseeing a high-performing team and fostering a culture of collaboration, maintaining high-performance and accountability.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree
• 15 years of relevant industry experience (or MBA/PhD with 10 years of relevant experience)
• Extensive experience in oncology +/- haematology
• Strong consultative and communication skills
• A strong scientific background and strategic analytical skills
• Industry or consulting experience in pharmaceutical pipeline strategy (market assessment, competitor analysis, forecasting)
• Excellent analysis and fact-based decision-making
• Experience with data and/or a science research/bio-pharmaceutical environment
• Motivated by working in a fast-paced field with clear societal impact
• Understanding of general business and core marketing principles and application to future healthcare market challenges
• Familiar with the oncology drug development process and necessary strategic and commercial touch points
• Prior experience managing direct reports
• Able to influence without authority and establish and maintain credibility with senior audiences
• Resourceful, motivated, decisive and proactive; must be able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-growing organization
• Attention to detail while also a big picture thinker & communicator
• A critical thinker with experience of identifying and driving key projects and providing researched, verified, relevant information to leaders.

Nice To Haves

• MBA or PhD with 10 years of relevant experience
• Experience of setting up short- and long-term strategic plans
• Understanding of clinical data and clinical trial design
• Experience in at least two major geographies (e.g. US, EU, Japan, China)
• Experience in cell therapy and/or radioconjugates
• Thorough understanding of regulatory and pricing dynamics in major markets
• Comfortable with AI and utilizing AI to support ethical and accurate analyses of data

Responsibilities

• Leads the development and implementation of Business Unit therapy area, multi-brand or brand-agnostic strategies that integrate into one company-wide oncology strategy built with counterparts in global franchises and oncology R&D
• Drives portfolio strategic initiatives that enhance AZ’s competitiveness and deliver sustainable growth
• Frequently engages with C-Suite level leaders (SET and SET-1) to provide disciplined insights-driven valuations and strategies
• Drives clarity and consistency across priority business processes in major governance forums. These include investment decisions, TA Strategy/Portfolio reviews and long range plans across the specific tumour portfolios
• Engages with Finance VPs to ensure robust assessment of value in annual impairment review (key audit process)
• Leads the portfolio team in delivery of the commercial analysis, business development valuations, forecasting, market research and insight generation to shape and deliver OBU priorities: R&D decisions, supply planning and TA scenario analysis – including leadership of other team members working across the OBU Strategy team. You will work closely with the tumor area heads in OBU Strategy to do this.
• Understanding and communication of complex study design, TPPs, CDP’s, combination approaches, competition, pricing, prioritization, and decision making considerations expected in the context of our competitors’ strategies
• Managing large investment requests and business development opportunity assessments with extreme confidentiality, quality and rigor for consistency in approach
• Influence with and without authority a large number of senior stakeholders (SET, SET-1, SET-2) across OBU and ORD and criss-crossing tumour and asset alignment meetings
• Monitor market trends, competitive dynamics, and emerging science to inform strategic planning and business development priorities.
• Support Head of OBU Strategy to coordinate, oversee and integrate all tumor into one portfolio strategy
• Collaborate closely with Corporate Development, Finance, and R&D to support deal negotiations and integration planning.
• Guide and direct team members at the director and associate director level
• Maintain trusted partnering, credibility and collaboration with clinical, commercial and strategy leaders

Benefits

• qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]
• paid vacation and holidays
• paid leaves
• health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage

What This Job Offers

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