Medical Advisor, HER2 Breast Cancer

JOB TITLE

Medical Advisor, HER2 Breast Cancer

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.

ROLE SUMMARY

A hybrid role (at least 50% in the field), Medical Advisor provides scientific expertise in highly strategic therapeutic area and builds/ maintains AZ scientific leadership. The role involves working extensively with external stakeholders to forge strong relations and foster scientific and strategic partnerships with major hospitals and institutions/ authorities in their assigned territory and non-traditional stakeholders (E.g. policy and decision makers, payer groups, government researchers and others) to help bridge the gaps, strengthen healthcare ecosystem, improve treatment outcomes that enable patient access to quality care.

Medical Advisor provides strategic inputs and is involved in the development of brand/ medical strategy and LCM and takes the lead in the design and implementation of medical activities aligned with Strategy. The role exerts therapeutic area leadership with cross-functional team with particular attention to decision on transforming care.The role also involves other internal responsibilities such as delivery of medical education and clinical support to medical professionals, training sales teams and acts as a buddy for new Medical Science Liaison (MSL) and mentor for existing MSLs by providing operational and compliance guidance based on Global/ Local standards.

The role may take responsibility as reviewer for activities and promotional materials and may lead Medical Information and Pharmacovigilance within a particular market.

What you’ll do

Design and deliver Medical strategic plan 

• Work closely with Medical Affairs Leadership and cross functional teams to provide inputs to medical and brand strategies.
• With strong understanding of the market and healthcare systems.  Identify opportunities and initiate discussion of potential strategic, scalable, and sustainable clinical practice transformation initiatives that can impact on patient access to quality care.
• Develop and implement KEE engagement plan in collaboration with Medical Affairs Leadership.
• Develop and implement pre-launch medical plan/ activities for new products at least 2 years prior to planned launch in the country to address key clinical and scientific challenges.
• Act a strategic partner of brand team on life cycle management plan and actions.
• Leverage technology, available data or dashboards to drive data-driven decisions to support internal discussions and external engagements.
• Collect, share and provide inputs on field and external stakeholder insights and perspectives in medical and brand internal strategic discussions and communicate internally on actionable items as appropriate.
• Ensures own knowledge of best practices and new relevant developments are kept up to date and communicates with medical team, and cross functional team as appropriate.

Build, enhance, and maintain advocacy of Key External Experts (KEEs)

• Identify, prioritize, and expand KEEs to include non-traditional stakeholders (E.g. policy and decision makers, payer groups, government, researchers, and others) based on scientific/clinical expertise and practice change influence within a specific hospital and institution/ authorities, and engage in robust scientific discussions and medical advancements in a balanced, objective, and accurate way.
• Identify, and prioritize accounts based on patient care pathway and map the multidisciplinary team and maturity.
• Provide AZ with an understanding of the local medical community, clinical practice trends, HCP insight and real or perceived gaps in current scientific knowledge, patient journey, and disease management.
• Foster scientific partnerships with KEEs to help advance disease understanding and to achieve evidence-based changes in medical practice that are consistent with Medical Affairs strategy & objectives, such as:
  • Interact in the field with the medical community in the context of various medical projects such as clinical trials, Non-Interventional Studies, Investigator Sponsored Studies (ISSs), scientific exchange.
  • Identify potential speakers and train speakers as appropriate for local events.
  • Lead/ co-lead the planning and execution of advisory board meetings.
  • Present scientific data to HCPs in both group (Medically led meetings) and one on one setting.
  • Facilitate continuing medical education events for HCPs.
  • Support evidence generation in the region aligned with the medical strategy of disease area and brand.

Build and implement scientific programs and partnerships to address unmet medical needs in priority disease area(s)

• Collect and share actionable insights that enhance the value and appropriate use of AZ products and disease management to internal stakeholders.
• Lead in strategic planning meetings and medical-scientific presentations with medication access stakeholders, institutional decision makers and other external stakeholders to drive better clinical decisions and enhance medication accessibility within the assigned hospital or institution.  These discussions are scientific in nature and must be clearly separated from promotional and/ or other business discussions.
• Organize and facilitate scientific events on healthcare institutions and their multi-disciplinary teams related to the therapeutic area to ensure holistic approach to patient care within their hospital and institution.
• Embed a comprehensive healthcare system and patient experience understanding in prioritized hospitals and institutions to transform care and improve patient outcomes.
• Support Clinical team in the selection of appropriate investigators and sites to optimize quality and delivery.
• Collaborate with KEEs on study proposals (ESR or Local Study), including study design and feasibility, and/ or publication of interest to AZ.

Act as scientific expert in priority disease area for internal stakeholders and mentor to other Medical Affairs team members

• Demonstrate expertise and knowledge of AZ products, emerging therapies, competitors, patient and treatment trends, clinical trials, and scientific activities within the disease area and continuously updates this expertise and knowledge.
• Provide the AZ internal stakeholders with an understanding of the local medical community, clinical practice, trends and real or perceived gaps in current scientific knowledge and medical treatment options/ guidelines through periodic therapeutic area and product trainings.
• Provide scientific support at AZ sponsored educational events.
• Co-lead and execute regional medical activities during the product launch processes.
• Support and provide advice to a team of MSLs to ensure excellence in execution of role and activities and compliance to local and global standards.

Corporate responsibility and Medical Information and Governance

• Review activities and materials to ensure compliance with internal policies and procedures.
• Respond to unsolicited requests for information about unapproved AZ products or unapproved uses of approved products, presenting such information in an objective, well balanced, substantiated manner that is scientific in tone and content, free of promotional messages, truthful, and is not misleading.
• Demonstrate appropriate response and documents the provision of accurate, scientific data in response to unsolicited scientific questions posed by healthcare providers with Company Policies, and applicable laws, regulations, and ethical standards.
• May lead in the management of medical information and pharmacovigilance within a particular market.
• Ensure compliance with AZ Code of Ethics, corporate governance, audit requirements, guidelines, industry codes, policies and procedures, and discloses potential breach.
• Ensure that company confidentiality is maintained (i.e. intellectual property, product, strategic and salary information)
• Ensure that all conducted activities are done in accordance with local legislation and corporate standards. 
• Report health/ environment/ wellbeing related accidents, adverse events, and conflict of interest as per respective procedures and on a timely manner.

Only applications based in KSA will be considered.

Essential for the role

• Bachelor’s degree in medicine or pharmacy is required
• Post-graduate master’s degree is an advantage
• Oncology experience is preferable
• Minimum of 2 years of solid and consistent performance in Medical Affairs role
• Strategic and scientific mindset
• Successful experience of driving cross-functional projects
• Extensive experience in relationship and stakeholder management
• Extensive knowledge of the latest technical and regulatory developments
• Excellence Communication, Influence, Planning and Organizational skills
• Excellent Scientific knowledge
• Ability to develop strategic partnerships

Desirable for the role

• Knowledge of company products and allocated therapeutic areas, expertise at relevant therapy area
• Acts independently, is willing to take on challenges, and can say no to stakeholders when necessary
• Sets high standards of work and makes others accountable for achieving outstanding performance

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

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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.