Executive Director, Multimodal & Minimally Invasive Biomarker Strategy

As Executive Director, Multimodal & Minimally Invasive Biomarker Strategy you will…

Define Enterprise Strategy and Drive Portfolio Impact

• Establish enterprise strategy for minimally invasive and multimodal biomarkers, with emphasis on ctDNA across tumor-naïve and tumor-informed approaches
• Build decision frameworks that guide when these approaches should and should not be used, ensuring consistent application and demonstrable ROI across programs
• Develop approaches that enable comparability, reuse, and learning across studies
• Define and track metrics that demonstrate value: impact on decision-making, timelines, and development efficiency

Enable Critical Development Decisions

• Partner with Translational Medicine to align biomarker strategies with development plans and influence key decisions: go/no-go, dose selection, and patient selection
• Guide development of ctDNA monitoring strategies that assess target engagement, depth and durability of response, and emergence of resistance, contributing to molecular response endpoints that complement or extend traditional radiographic endpoints
• Articulate and defend biomarker strategies in governance discussions with senior leadership

Lead Multimodal Integration and Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Drive collaboration across BST functions (Translational Pathology, Radiology and Theranostics, Translational Proteomics, and Biosamples) to integrate blood-based, tissue, and imaging biomarkers and build a unified view of patient biology
• Advance approaches that move from exploratory multimodal datasets toward focused, scalable, deployable solutions

Build and Develop High-Performing Teams

• Lead and develop team of scientists and strategists across career levels, from early-career scientists to senior directors
• Set strategic priorities, ensure alignment with portfolio needs and enterprise strategy, and build capability in both scientific depth and systems-level thinking
• Foster culture of accountability, collaboration, and scientific rigor with focus on measurable outcomes

Drive Technology Strategy and Strategic Partnerships

• Evaluate emerging technologies based on ability to inform development decisions and scale across the portfolio
• Lead engagement with external partners and vendors: selection, performance management, and negotiation of multi-year agreements
• Ensure technology investments support a coherent platform approach rather than fragmented adoption

Establish Operational Excellence and Regulatory Strategy

• Establish standardized, scalable approach to minimally invasive biomarkers while allowing appropriate program flexibility, and build systems that enable portfolio-level learning and continuous improvement
• Collaborate with Precision Diagnostic Development to translate research biomarkers into regulated companion diagnostics, incorporating regulatory requirements and diagnostic feasibility from inception
• Lead strategic discussions with regulatory authorities on novel biomarker approaches and qualification pathways

Required Education, Experience & Skills

Essential

• PhD, MD, or MD/PhD in molecular biology, cancer biology, genomics, or related scientific discipline
• 15+ years of progressive experience in oncology biomarker development with demonstrated advancement into senior leadership roles
• Deep experience with ctDNA and other minimally invasive biomarker approaches, including understanding of different technologies, their appropriate use, and their application across tumor-naïve and tumor-informed strategies
• Proven ability to develop decision frameworks and establish when biomarker approaches should and should not be used, with track record of demonstrable ROI
• Demonstrated success connecting biomarker strategy to clinical development and influencing major development decisions at the portfolio level (go/no-go, dose selection, patient selection)
• Experience working in complex, matrixed environments and influencing across functions and senior leadership levels without direct authority
• Track record of building and leading high-performing teams across multiple career levels, with focus on developing both scientific depth and systems-level thinking
• Experience developing approaches that enable reuse and learning across multiple programs rather than one-off implementations
• Proven ability to articulate and defend complex scientific strategies in governance discussions with senior leadership
• Executive-level communication skills with ability to engage audiences from bench scientists to C-suite leadership and regulatory authorities
• Experience managing strategic vendor relationships, negotiating multi-year agreements, and ensuring technology investments support coherent platform approaches
• Demonstrated ability to build systems that enable portfolio-level learning and continuous improvement

Desirable

• Experience translating biomarkers into regulated diagnostics such as companion diagnostics, with understanding of regulatory requirements from inception through approval
• Familiarity with diagnostic development and regulatory frameworks (FDA, EMA, PMDA) and experience leading strategic discussions with regulatory authorities
• Experience with multimodal data integration across tissue, blood, and imaging modalities to build unified views of patient biology
• Experience with AI/ML applications and computational approaches in biomarker development
• Broad experience across tumor types (lung, breast, GI, bladder, etc.) and therapeutic modalities (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, ADCs)
• Experience developing molecular response endpoints that complement or extend traditional radiographic endpoints
• External scientific visibility through high-impact publications or presentations at major conferences
• Experience contributing to organizational or strategic transformation initiatives
• Track record of establishing standardized, scalable approaches while maintaining appropriate program flexibility
• Experience positioning organizations as preferred partners with leading diagnostic providers

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That's why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we're not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.

This role is suited for a leader who wants to move beyond individual biomarker strategies and build a more consistent and scalable approach that improves how decisions are made across the oncology portfolio.

Are you ready to make a difference? Apply today!

Great People want to Work with us! Find out why…

• GTAA Top Employer Award for 10 years
• Top 100 Employers Award
• Canada's Most Admired Corporate Culture
• Learn more about working with us in Canada
• View our YouTube channel

Are you interested in working at AZ, apply today!

AstraZeneca is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion and providing a workplace that is free from discrimination. AstraZeneca is committed to accommodating persons with disabilities. Such accommodation is available on request in respect of all aspects of the recruitment, assessment and selection process and may be requested by emailing AZCHumanResources@astrazeneca.com.

Follow the science and pioneer new frontiers. Join the team dedicated to Oncology, with an ambition to eliminate cancer as a cause of death. It's our big vision that unites and inspires us. With multiple indications and high-quality molecules at all stages of our innovative pipeline, we keep pushing forward.

This is a senior leadership position within Biomarker Sciences and Technologies (BST), responsible for defining how minimally invasive and multimodal biomarkers are used across AstraZeneca's oncology portfolio to inform development decisions and improve patient care.

BST integrates patient samples, imaging, and biological data to enable better development decisions. This executive director role establishes how blood-based and other minimally invasive approaches are applied across programs as a coherent system which informs patient selection, deepens our understanding of mechanism of drug action and resistance, and establishes new clinical endpoints based on molecular response.

You will lead a team of scientists and strategists, building and implementing a scalable, reusable approach to minimally invasive biomarkers across the portfolio. The focus extends beyond advancing technologies to ensuring they consistently influence development decisions and can be translated into clinical practice.

As Executive Director, Multimodal & Minimally Invasive Biomarker Strategy you will…

Define Enterprise Strategy and Drive Portfolio Impact

• Establish enterprise strategy for minimally invasive and multimodal biomarkers, with emphasis on ctDNA across tumor-naïve and tumor-informed approaches
• Build decision frameworks that guide when these approaches should and should not be used, ensuring consistent application and demonstrable ROI across programs
• Develop approaches that enable comparability, reuse, and learning across studies
• Define and track metrics that demonstrate value: impact on decision-making, timelines, and development efficiency

Enable Critical Development Decisions

• Partner with Translational Medicine to align biomarker strategies with development plans and influence key decisions: go/no-go, dose selection, and patient selection
• Guide development of ctDNA monitoring strategies that assess target engagement, depth and durability of response, and emergence of resistance, contributing to molecular response endpoints that complement or extend traditional radiographic endpoints
• Articulate and defend biomarker strategies in governance discussions with senior leadership

Lead Multimodal Integration and Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Drive collaboration across BST functions (Translational Pathology, Radiology and Theranostics, Translational Proteomics, and Biosamples) to integrate blood-based, tissue, and imaging biomarkers and build a unified view of patient biology
• Advance approaches that move from exploratory multimodal datasets toward focused, scalable, deployable solutions

Build and Develop High-Performing Teams

• Lead and develop team of scientists and strategists across career levels, from early-career scientists to senior directors
• Set strategic priorities, ensure alignment with portfolio needs and enterprise strategy, and build capability in both scientific depth and systems-level thinking
• Foster culture of accountability, collaboration, and scientific rigor with focus on measurable outcomes

Drive Technology Strategy and Strategic Partnerships

• Evaluate emerging technologies based on ability to inform development decisions and scale across the portfolio
• Lead engagement with external partners and vendors: selection, performance management, and negotiation of multi-year agreements
• Ensure technology investments support a coherent platform approach rather than fragmented adoption

Establish Operational Excellence and Regulatory Strategy

• Establish standardized, scalable approach to minimally invasive biomarkers while allowing appropriate program flexibility, and build systems that enable portfolio-level learning and continuous improvement
• Collaborate with Precision Diagnostic Development to translate research biomarkers into regulated companion diagnostics, incorporating regulatory requirements and diagnostic feasibility from inception
• Lead strategic discussions with regulatory authorities on novel biomarker approaches and qualification pathways

Required Education, Experience & Skills

Essential

• PhD, MD, or MD/PhD in molecular biology, cancer biology, genomics, or related scientific discipline
• 15+ years of progressive experience in oncology biomarker development with demonstrated advancement into senior leadership roles
• Deep experience with ctDNA and other minimally invasive biomarker approaches, including understanding of different technologies, their appropriate use, and their application across tumor-naïve and tumor-informed strategies
• Proven ability to develop decision frameworks and establish when biomarker approaches should and should not be used, with track record of demonstrable ROI
• Demonstrated success connecting biomarker strategy to clinical development and influencing major development decisions at the portfolio level (go/no-go, dose selection, patient selection)
• Experience working in complex, matrixed environments and influencing across functions and senior leadership levels without direct authority
• Track record of building and leading high-performing teams across multiple career levels, with focus on developing both scientific depth and systems-level thinking
• Experience developing approaches that enable reuse and learning across multiple programs rather than one-off implementations
• Proven ability to articulate and defend complex scientific strategies in governance discussions with senior leadership
• Executive-level communication skills with ability to engage audiences from bench scientists to C-suite leadership and regulatory authorities
• Experience managing strategic vendor relationships, negotiating multi-year agreements, and ensuring technology investments support coherent platform approaches
• Demonstrated ability to build systems that enable portfolio-level learning and continuous improvement

Desirable

• Experience translating biomarkers into regulated diagnostics such as companion diagnostics, with understanding of regulatory requirements from inception through approval
• Familiarity with diagnostic development and regulatory frameworks (FDA, EMA, PMDA) and experience leading strategic discussions with regulatory authorities
• Experience with multimodal data integration across tissue, blood, and imaging modalities to build unified views of patient biology
• Experience with AI/ML applications and computational approaches in biomarker development
• Broad experience across tumor types (lung, breast, GI, bladder, etc.) and therapeutic modalities (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, ADCs)
• Experience developing molecular response endpoints that complement or extend traditional radiographic endpoints
• External scientific visibility through high-impact publications or presentations at major conferences
• Experience contributing to organizational or strategic transformation initiatives
• Track record of establishing standardized, scalable approaches while maintaining appropriate program flexibility
• Experience positioning organizations as preferred partners with leading diagnostic providers

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That's why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we're not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.

This role is suited for a leader who wants to move beyond individual biomarker strategies and build a more consistent and scalable approach that improves how decisions are made across the oncology portfolio.

Are you ready to make a difference? Apply today!

Great People want to Work with us! Find out why…

• GTAA Top Employer Award for 10 years
• Top 100 Employers Award
• Canada's Most Admired Corporate Culture
• Learn more about working with us in Canada
• View our YouTube channel

Are you interested in working at AZ, apply today!

AstraZeneca is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion and providing a workplace that is free from discrimination. AstraZeneca is committed to accommodating persons with disabilities. Such accommodation is available on request in respect of all aspects of the recruitment, assessment and selection process and may be requested by emailing AZCHumanResources@astrazeneca.com.

Date Posted

Closing Date

Our 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.