Associate Director, Above Brand Strategy
Location: Gaithersburg
Hybrid - 3 days per week in office
At AstraZeneca, we’re not afraid to do things differently. We’re resetting expectations of what a bio-pharmaceutical company can be. This means we’re opening up new ways to work, ground breaking and cutting-edge methods and bringing unexpected teams together.
The Oncology therapy area at AstraZeneca is unparalleled. We have built and strategically acquired one of the most promising Oncology pipelines in the industry. You will be among inspiring oncology industry leaders who will keep you engaged and empower you to be the best. We seek out opportunities to do dynamic meaningful work which means we won't just follow the same course of action time and again if we can see potential in a different way of creating life changing medicine.
Associate Director, Oncology Policy Strategy
As the Associate Director of Oncology Policy Strategy, you will be responsible forleading in the identification and analysis of policy changes affecting drug reimbursement and access in order to developbrand and business unit strategies. This role will have primary responsibility for helping to lead AstraZeneca’s oncology policy and business strategy involving the latest policy changes impacting oncology care, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). This will include specific emphasis on assessing policies from the federal government and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), various state policy elements affecting the oncology business, and other policy proposals affecting the pharmaceutical industry. This role will focus on oncology but will also provide opportunity to engage across the AstraZeneca enterprise, including with the Biopharmaceutical Business Unit, Rare Diseases Business Unit, Market Access team, Global teams, and others.
In this role, you’ll play a pivotal role in channelling our scientific advances and helping drive policystrategies to make a positive impact on improving patients’ lives. You will be able to deliver AstraZeneca’s cutting-edge science and commercial capabilities through critical institutional intermediaries to enable healthcare practitioners to make informed patient care decisions.
The AssociateDirector of Oncology Policy Strategy will be part of AstraZeneca’s US Oncology Market Access Strategy team, providing brand and above-brand strategy and oncology policy analysis. This includes identifying and understanding policies specific to drugs but also broader policy changes that relate to oncology care, such as precision medicine and provider services. This Access Strategy role is responsible for overseeing and implementing strategies that work across many functions to ensureappropriate patient access to AZ oncology products.
Typical Accountabilities
Lead the development of policy strategies, brand tactics,and positions based on AZ above-brand and brand initiatives in conjunction with cross-functional team and leadership input
Lead the identificationof oncology-relevant policy issues, analysis of proposals, and provide strategic recommendations to US Oncology business teams and leadership on federal and state policy issues, including analysis of the implications and impact of legislative and regulatory policies. Includes topics involving reimbursement of drugs and services across various settings of care, precision medicine issues involving biomarker testing, cancer screening, and other issues affecting the healthcare system
Help Lead primary research on policy-related issues and the implications of policy proposals for all oncology stakeholders and AZ brands
Support development of policy strategies aligned with Brand-specific and above-Brand objectives and lead strategic cross-functional workstreams
Help create and communicate policy issues to internal and external teams
Incorporate evidence and data-driven materials in policy deliverables to support AZ strategies and engagements
Help lead policy projects and manage multiple workstreams across an array of oncology policy priorities, including leading internal cross-functional teams
Support creation, prioritization and oversee US Policy deliverables, including timeline milestone management across multiple simultaneous projects, while also guiding team members throughout process
Support preparation and help lead engagements with external policy stakeholders
Help to own policy budget and guide team through review, comments and recommendations across all workstreams
Provide strategic direction to AZ team members, policy team members, cross-functional colleagues, and external stakeholders on policy issues as representative of the AZ oncology business
Works closely with US Policy and Access Strategy to develop internal analysis, education, and generate materials on relevant health policy topics
Manage budgets associated with oncology policy workstreams
Engages Marketing, Access Strategy, Market Access, Oncology Field Teams, Medical Affairs, and Corporate Affairs to determineAZ strategy withoncology societies
Essential Qualifications
Bachelor’s degreerequired; MPH, MPP, MBA, JD, or other related graduate education preferred
3+ years pharma and/or other healthcare related experience specifically in on Health Policy, Government Affairs, Market Access,healthcare consulting, government service, provider/payer/patient organizations, or Access Strategy for healthcare services
Demonstrated experience (2+ years) in analyzingpolicies, including experience with federal regulations such as rules, guidance documents, and other regulations from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and/or legislation or other statutory language from Congress
Demonstrated ability to set strategies at both individual brand and organizational levels
Demonstrated ability to analyze policies and translate information to the business, including determining brand, business, and stakeholder (i.e., payer, provider, channel customer, and patient)implications in both qualitative and quantitative terms
Demonstrated understanding of drug pricing and reimbursement issues, including varying sources of insurance (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid, commercial), drug supply chain and intermediaries (e.g., GPOs, PBMs), healthcare providers (e.g., varying settings of care and practice types; 340B entities), and drug pricing concepts (e.g., WAC, ASP, best price)
Demonstrated ability to engage and coordinate cross-functional team partners across multiple disciplines and skill sets, teams, and business units to deliver and execute business strategies
Experience in translating policy and business implications to inform business financial forecast models
Understanding of federal policy and legislative processes
Demonstrated leadership, project management ability and ability to operate independently without direction
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with and influence peers and management
Demonstrated communication and platform skills (i.e., Excel, PowerPoint, and Word), including ability to create deliverables independently
Ability to effectively communicate complex topics to a variety of audiences
Demonstrated strategic planning capabilities
Budget management experience
Desirable Qualifications
Prior Oncology experience a plus
Prior experience in a life sciences companycommercial function a plus
Prior health policy experience working for a life sciences company, provider organization, or health plan a plus
Key Organizational Partnerships
Access Strategy
Marketing
Sales
National Oncology Account Team
Oncology Field Teams
Medical Affairs
Corporate Affairs
Diagnostics
Field Reimbursement
Nurse Educators
Global Teams
The annual base pay for this position ranges from $182,000- $273,000. Hourly and salaried non-exempt employees will also be paid overtime pay when working qualifying overtime hours. Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition, our positions offer a short-term incentive bonus opportunity; eligibility to participate in our equity-based long-term incentive program (salaried roles), to receive a retirement contribution (hourly roles), and commission payment eligibility (sales roles). Benefits offered included a qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]; paid vacation and holidays; paid leaves; and, health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Additional details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base pay (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.
Date Posted
18-Aug-2025Closing Date
31-Aug-2025Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.
AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorisation and employment eligibility verification requirements.
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