Global Medical Affairs Leader

AstraZeneca • Gaithersburg, MD

3d • $193,281 - $289,922 • Hybrid

About The Position

In this role, you will lead the strategy that brings transformative science to patients faster, directly influencing how physicians understand and adopt new standards of care. With a rich and advancing pipeline and an enterprise-wide focus on 61 new indication launches, your leadership will drive clarity, confidence and momentum where it matters most. As the accountable strategic medical leader for complex indications or assets, you will own the end-to-end Global Medical Strategy—bridging research and commercialization, guiding evidence generation, and orchestrating launch readiness at a global scale. You will translate insights into action, close care gaps, and help advance health equity by ensuring the right evidence and education reach the right audiences at the right time. How will you build confidence in transformative oncology science across markets and accelerate its impact on patient outcomes?

Requirements

• Advanced degree required (MD, PhD, PharmD, or equivalent scientific degree).
• Significant experience in Medical Affairs (~ 10 yrs) within the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, ideally at the country, Region and global level.
• Demonstrated success in leading evidence generation strategies, Medical Plans, publications, or scientific communication programs.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders across Commercial, R&D, and Medical Affairs.
• Experience engaging external experts and scientific communities.

Nice To Haves

• Previous global Medical Affairs leadership experience in oncology.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams in highly complex, multi-indication environments.
• Experience navigating launch environments, new MoAs, new CDx, complex biomarker landscapes, or challenging safety profiles (aligning to GMAL complexity criteria).

Responsibilities

• Own and deliver the Global Medical Plan for your assigned indication(s)/asset(s); set clear priorities, make evidence-based trade-offs, and adapt rapidly to external dynamics and performance against launch KPIs.
• Define, track and interpret KPIs to diagnose progress and barriers; use data to refine strategy and sharpen decision-making throughout launch.
• Represent Global Medical on Integrated Business Teams to shape commercial strategy and on Global Product Teams to inform development plans, evidence requirements and lifecycle management.
• Lead global Medical Integrated Teams to align global, regional and country execution behind the launch strategy; resolve misalignment and reinforce global priorities during market engagements.
• Drive Medical input into Launch Readiness Reviews and Strategic Brand Reviews; ensure medical needs shape trial design, evidence plans, target product profiles and commercialization strategies.
• Build capability through delegation, coaching and mentorship; create clarity of roles and empower medical teams to execute with excellence.
• Lead global and regional gap analyses to pinpoint critical clinical, real-world and mechanistic evidence needs; integrate diagnostic, digital and RWE sources into a coherent plan.
• Shape the scientific and strategic design of AZ-sponsored interventional Medical Affairs studies and own key protocol elements; conceptualize RWE studies with observational research partners; govern milestones, resources and compliance.
• Own the Global Publications Plan from late-stage development onward with publications partners; ensure timely, credible and compliant scientific communications.
• Embed modern analytics, networked evidence generation and innovative study designs to increase insight quality and speed without adding complexity.
• Lead the global scientific narrative beginning ahead of Phase 3 ID; build accountability for an integrated confidence plan and ensure consistent scientific messaging across evidence, publications, congresses and education.
• Set educational priorities, define audiences and learning objectives, and guide formats across digital, hybrid and in-person channels; ensure scientific rigor in programs delivered by internal and external partners.
• Shape and execute an engagement plan with external experts, societies, health systems and global organizations; gather insights that inform strategy and influence practice and guidelines.
• Lead congress strategy end-to-end—direct abstracts, presentations and preparation pre-congress; orchestrate post-congress insight synthesis, dissemination and follow-up to sustain momentum.

Benefits

• short-term incentive bonus opportunity
• equity-based long-term incentive program
• 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: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree