National Account Director

The National Account Director is responsible and accountable for the AZ business, product access, profitability, and strategic account management acrossa defined group of accounts, as well as, ensuring access alignment across the vertically aligned accounts in partnership with the Upstream National Account Director.  

The focus of the National Account Director is to create profitable access for AstraZeneca’s portfolio by positively influencing the appropriate formulary placement of AstraZeneca medicines, treatment algorithms, pharmacy policies and medical policies.  This includes leading end to end profitable contract negotiations and terms, monitoring performance and optimizing terms to support both patient access and the business objectives. 

This role requires deep market insight across therapeutic areas, cross-functional collaboration, and strong external engagement to shape strategy, mitigate access and profitability risks and maximize opportunity across therapeutic areas.

The National Account Director maintains proficiency in marketplace trends, policies, dynamics to stay ahead of any shift in customer business needs and innovative opportunities that are mutually beneficial.  The Account Director must facilitate both internal and external stakeholder management. 

Typical Accountabilities:

Access & Profitability

• Deliver on Access and Profitability Goals across assigned accounts

• Develop and implement tailored access strategies that align with portfolio priorities

• Lead full contract lifecycle: strategy, negotiation, execution and performance monitoring

Strategic Account Management

• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders across accounts across (Trade Directors, Pharmacy, Medical Oncology, CVRM, Resp, Client Services, Case Management, and with internal cross-functional partners that cover additional organizations that influence the account (provider groups, hospital systems, regional payers). 

• Understand and influence customer decision-making to secure favorable formulary and policy positions

• Leverage data and analytics to advise strategy and optimize contract outcomes

Cross Functional Leadership

• Collaborate with internal partners (e.g. Portfolio Contract strategy, Access Strategy,Field Reimbursement Team, BBU/OBU teams) 

• Represent the full AZ business at assigned accounts, including sales, market share, rebates, invoicing, and competitive activity

• Stay ahead of market trends, policy shifts, and customer needs to identify innovative, mutually beneficial opportunities

Travel

• Travel as needed for customer meetings, conferences and internal collaboration

• Occasional International Travel may be required

Essential Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree required

• 8+ years of pharmaceutical or healthcare experience

• Thorough understanding of market dynamics across multiple therapeutic areas and across various business segments 

• Proven experience in account management, customer facing engagement and cross-functional partner management

• Strong understanding of the broader healthcare managed markets, legislative environment and ability to strategically apply that knowledge to targeted accounts through development and implementation to accomplish business objectives 

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a matrix organization and influence senior leaders and peers to shape and implement account strategy

• Excellent communication, analytical and project management skills

• Ability to prioritize across diverse functions and therapeutic areas

• Experience with organized customers preferably at the C-Suite level

• Ability to learn and effectively communicate with customer’s detailed clinical information regarding AZ and competitive medicines.​ 

Desirable:

• Account management experience with proven negotiation proficiency

• Managed Care/Market Access Experience

• Oncology and specialty care marketplace experience reimbursement model

• Understanding of financial concepts and contracting issues including legal and best price implications 

• Prior experience in sales management 

• Conflict Resolution Skills 

• Negotiation Skills