Country President - Austria

Country President, Austria

Vienna, Austria

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company driven by one purpose: to push the boundaries of science to deliver life-changing medicines. We are now seeking an exceptional leader to take on the role of Country President, Austria — a pivotal position at the heart of our growth ambitions in Western and Southern Europe. 

The Opportunity

As Country President, Austria, you will lead a high-performing organisation of approximately  280 people, with full accountability for a ~$300M business spanning four therapeutic areas. The Austrian market is on a compelling growth trajectory, with a rich pipeline of launches ahead across all therapy areas. The opportunity to shape market access, reputation and partnership outcomes are significant.  

Reporting directly to the Area Vice President for Western and Southern Europe (WESE), you will sit on the WESE Leadership Team, contributing to area-level strategic priorities whilst setting the vision and direction for Austria. 

This is a role for a leader who thrives on complexity, builds trust through authenticity, and is energised by the prospect of transforming patient outcomes at scale. 

What You'll Do

Strategic Leadership & Business Performance

• Set the vision and strategy for AstraZeneca Austria, ensuring alignment with corporate direction and driving profitable, sustainable growth. 

• Own the full P&L for the Austrian marketing company, delivering financial and operational results with rigour and accountability. 

• Translate long-term ambition into action, guiding strategic and operational planning across the organisation and continuously adapting to evolving market conditions. 

• Lead the budget and planning process, including sales, cost and profit forecasts, in partnership with your leadership team and the wider WESE Area. 

External Engagement & Market Shaping

• Serve as AstraZeneca's senior representative in Austria, building the company's reputation and ensuring a positive external presence. 

• Engage with government, policymakers and healthcare system stakeholders to shape the local access environment and position AstraZeneca as a trusted partner in health policy discussions. 

• Work across the healthcare ecosystem to help transform patient care and co-create value through impactful partnerships. 

Organisational Leadership & Culture

• Lead, develop and performance-manage senior leaders, building capability and ensuring robust succession planning. 

• Optimise organisational structure, establishing clear accountability and aligning resources with strategic priorities. 

• Embed a culture of ethics, integrity and compliance, ensuring transparent governance in partnership with Global Compliance. 

• Accelerate the AI agenda across the Austrian organisation, championing digital innovation and data-driven decision-making. 

• Foster an inclusive, high-performing culture where diverse talent thrives and teams are engaged, capable and future-ready. 

What We're Looking For

Visionary & Results-Driven

You set bold strategies that enable breakthrough results. You balance ambition with pragmatism, anticipate beyond your term in role, and course-correct with agility. You focus the organisation on what truly matters — critical P&L levers, enterprise priorities and market access realities. 

Innovative & Entrepreneurial

You challenge the status quo, encourage experimentation, and tie innovation to measurable outcomes. You create the conditions for psychological safety, ideation and scalable solutions that drive real business impact. 

Inspiring & Inclusive

You attract and develop diverse talent, foster authenticity and engagement, and build a learning organisation. You lead by example, seek feedback, and demonstrate resilience and a relentless commitment to higher standards. 

Decisive in Complexity

You make sound, data-driven decisions under ambiguity and pressure. You weigh short- and long-term trade-offs with integrity, always considering what is best for patients, the organisation and its licence to operate. 

A Connector & Influencer

You build followership by translating vision into compelling stories. You open doors for collaboration, navigate enterprise interdependencies with skill, and communicate with credibility and executive presence — including in high-visibility, external-facing contexts.  

Experience & Track Record

• Proven commercial leadership of a small or medium country, or a large and complex business unit with a P&L exceeding $100M. 

• Depth of therapeutic area expertise, including launch experience — ideally in Oncology and other therapy areas. 

• Demonstrated success in developing and executing brand or therapeutic area strategies, with strong organisational acumen, patient-centricity and scientific knowledge. 

• Track record of building and managing external reputation, including collaboration with government bodies, regulators and key stakeholders. 

• Experience leading cross-functional teams across sales, marketing, medical, market access and business excellence. 

• Evidence of progressive career growth, with increasing scale and complexity of accountabilities and demonstrated learning agility. 

• Fluent in English

Preferred (Not Essential)

• Comprehensive understanding of the Austrian market. 

• Global marketing or strategy experience. 

• International experience — having lived and worked outside your home country. 

• Fluent in German

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary starting from €187,120 annual gross, with overpayment possible depending on qualifications and experience. 

• A comprehensive compensation package including performance-related bonus, company car, pension and additional insurance benefits. 

• Strong development opportunities, including exposure to senior leadership and international future career paths. 

• Flexible working hours with the option for hybrid work. 

• An environmentally conscious organisation with the ambition to become climate-neutral by 2030. 

Why AstraZeneca?

At AstraZeneca, we believe in the power of what science can do. We are committed to making a meaningful difference in patients' lives, and we back that commitment with investment, innovation and a culture that values bold thinking. Austria represents one of our most exciting growth markets, and this role offers the chance to shape its future at a truly transformative moment.

Date Posted

29-Jun-2026

Closing Date

12-Jul-2026

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.