Head of Marketing – R&I

Head of Marketing  R&I

Do you bring deep expertise and a passion for leading marketing strategy—and want to use it to improve patient outcomes at a company that follows the science and turns ideas into life‑changing medicines? If so, the Marketing Head role at AstraZeneca could be your next step! 

ABOUT ASTRAZENECA

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-focused biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious diseases. But we’re more than one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies.

Join a high-performing team, empowered to cut through the noise and drive real change. Our agility and pace, coupled with scientific focus, powers us to spot opportunities in the market that keep us moving forward and into new spaces.

SITE DESCRIPTION

AstraZeneca is experiencing a significant transformation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, driven by a commitment to advancing healthcare, innovation, and sustainable growth. Building on our global legacy, AZ KSA is rapidly evolving its operations to better serve patients, collaborate with healthcare stakeholders, and contribute to the ambitious goals outlined in the Saudi Vision 2030. We are investing in talent, digital solutions, and new ways of working; all designed to enhance our impact on patient outcomes and reinforce our leadership in therapeutic areas. This dynamic environment calls for visionary, agile professionals who thrive in change and are motivated to help shape the future of healthcare in KSA.  

What you’ll do

Shaping, developing & successfully implementing Strategic and Tactical Marketing plans

• Works with the BUD and International brand teams to help shape Therapy area/Marketing direction ensuring the critical success factors for KSA are supported.
• Leads the creation of innovative and highly effective Strategic Marketing plans across the Therapy area/Brand.
• Leads the Marketing company product launch and Life Cycle management.
• Ensures that through a deep understanding of the patient journey, the Marketing plans deliver essential short term growth and long term brand success.
• Works with cross functional teams to develop clear ‘value’ proposition for patients and individual Healthcare systems/Healthcare professionals.  Ensures that these are sanctioned and aligned with the Global Brands strategy.
• Ensures engaging operational and tactical implementation of the Therapy area/Brand plans, analyzing, anticipating and, where possible, shaping marketplace changes and identifying and maximizing new growth opportunities.
• Implements a truly cross-function account planning and customer engagement strategy for the Therapy area/Brand and regularly seeks cross-functional feedback to ensure it is functioning effectively and explore new and innovative approaches.
• In conjunction with procurement, sources and engages external agencies and suppliers to help enhance the Therapy area/Brand performance. Leads regular performance review meetings to ensure optimal performance and value for money.
• Oversees the budget management for the Marketing function.
• Agrees and delivers upon Growth, Sales and Operational; metrics, measurements and targets for the Therapy areas/Brands.

Operational Brand Management & Customer Excellence

• Actively builds the brand strategy by providing customer insights acquired during interactions with external and internal customers.
• Participate in the development of the Business Action Plan in close collaboration with the BUD.
• Ensure full implementation of the operational Business Action Plan in close collaboration with the key functional team members.
• Keep the Business Action Plan updated, implement the plan to ensure that Brand objectives are realized.
• Lead the operational roll-out of the pre-agreed strategic and operational plan (campaign task force, monthly implementation meeting).
• Identify potential new market insight and collaborate with Market Intelligence to leverage all important market data to refine action plans or to prioritize activities.
• Develop and understand market research principles/sources/tools/methodology.
• Work with local data to contribute to forecasting models.

Stakeholders’ management

• Build relationships with key internal / external clients.
• Leads the KSA R&I Marketing Team and ensuring proper coaching & guidance to enable developing and implementing plans for KEE development & marketing strategy implementation.
• Ensures proper developmental plans for Marketing team while driving their capabilities and driving an accountable mindset.
• Cooperates with sales leads, strengthening their capacity to implement business strategy. Though: client field visits with MRs at regular intervals to gain insight on current and future marketing initiatives and ensure correct product information is delivered, providing training to MRs on the promotional materials and product strategy, addresses MRs concerns or questions regarding brand strategy and promotional materials).
• Report on the status of implementation of the tactical plan to internal customers.
• Establish and maintain strong customer relationships with KEEs across KSA.
• Gain insight into market & campaign effectiveness, key stake holder input by ensuring proper time allocation for customer facing interactions.

Corporate responsibility

• Maintains highest ethical standards and work in a spirit of AstraZeneca Code of Ethics, following rules & norms set by corporate policies
• Ensures that all conducted activities are done in accordance with local legislation and corporate standards.
• Timely reports (as per respective procedures): health/environment/wellbeing related accidents; adverse events that you became aware about; change in status of your Conflict of Interest.

Essential for the role

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. 

Essential Capabilities:

• Ability to analyze data to formulate business plans.
• Customer Orientation - making efforts to listen to and understand the customer (both internal and external); anticipating customer needs; giving high priority to customer satisfaction.
• Professional and Business Awareness – demonstrates knowledge of the company, customers, products, and the pharmaceutical industry; maintains current knowledge of new trends and developments in one’s profession.
• Effectiveness and Productivity - ability to maximize the use of resources, produce a strong result, enhanced productivity.
• Flexibility and Adaptability – makes effective decisions and achieves desired results during major changes in responsibilities, work processes, organizational culture, or work environment.
• Assertiveness – able to express thoughts, feelings and beliefs in a direct, clear, honest and appropriate way; influencer, listens and negotiates so that others choose to cooperate willingly. 
• Patient centricity - being passionate about really understanding patients, their attitudes to health, and who they interact with/are influenced by along the patient journey – to ensure patient needs are at the heart of decision-making.
• Translate information into actionable insight - rigorously analysing and synthesising multiple sources of information to uncover powerful new insights that can be applied to create business advantage, both now and in the future
• Execute with brilliance - delivering compelling experiences that help us create stronger connections with target audiences, rigorously reviewing performance and seizing opportunities to optimise in real-time, and to achieve greater effectiveness and efficiency
• Engage with Broader organization - understanding broad business operations and optimising relationships with cross-functional teams to inspire and mobilise them behind the experience plan. Applying sound commercial acumen to deliver patient benefit and optimal financial return

Applicants should possess the following qualifications to go through initial screening: 

• Minimum of 10 years in pharmaceutical business.
• Minimum of 4 Years Marketing Experience.
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in leading marketing team in a multinational pharmaceutical company.
• Academic qualification (marketing, life science/pharma).
• Therapy Area experience is preferred.
• People management /leadership skills is a must.
• Launch experience is a must. 
• Cross-functional collaboration.
• Excellent Interpersonal, organizational and presentation skills.

Why AstraZeneca?

At AstraZeneca we’re dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. Where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science and unleash your entrepreneurial spirit. There’s no better place to make a difference to medicine, patients, and society. An inclusive culture that champions diversity and collaboration, and always committed to lifelong learning, growth, and development. We’re on an exciting journey to pioneer the future of healthcare.

So, what’s next?

• Are you already imagining yourself joining our team? Good, because we can’t wait to hear from you.
• Are you ready to bring new ideas and fresh thinking to the table? Brilliant! We have one seat available, and we hope it’s yours.

Where can I find out more?

Our Social Media, Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn

Follow AstraZeneca on Facebook

Follow AstraZeneca on Instagram

Date Posted

28-أكتوبر-2025

Closing Date

04-نوفمبر-2025

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 authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.

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.