Medical Advisor, Rare Disease, Metabolic, Gulf

ABOUT ASTRAZENECA

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-focused biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization 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

AstraZeneca is accelerating the expansion of our geographical footprint in rare diseases following the acquisition of Alexion in 2021. Rare diseases is a high-growth therapy area with rapid innovation and significant unmet medical need. Over 7,000 rare diseases are known today – yet less than 1% of them have an approved treatment.

The Rare Disease Medical Advisor (RD MA) is responsible for driving the execution of medical activities across the Gulf region. The role ensures the delivery of scientific engagement, medical education, evidence support, and insight generation in alignment with the TA medical plan.

Working under the direction of the Medical Manager, META+, Gulf, you will act as a trusted partner to healthcare professionals, centers of excellence, and cross-functional teams — ensuring that science, ethics, and patient needs remain at the core of every initiative.

This role requires strong therapeutic knowledge, scientific acumen, and the ability to connect insights from the field to the broader business and medical strategy.

What you’ll do:

Field Medical Excellence

• Execute the Medical Affairs Plan in alignment with guidance from the Medical Manager and cross-functional brand teams.
• Deliver scientific exchange with healthcare professionals (HCPs) and decision-makers to support appropriate use of AstraZeneca’s rare disease medicines.
• Drive the implementation of disease education, diagnostic initiatives, and patient identification projects in collaboration with cross-functional partners.
• Support the rollout of launch readiness and lifecycle management activities for assigned indications.

Scientific Engagement and External Collaboration

• Build strong peer-to-peer relationships with Key External Experts (KEEs), academic partners, and referral centers to advance medical understanding and patient management.
• Organize, support, and present in scientific meetings, advisory boards, and symposia as a subject-matter expert.
• Actively contribute to speaker training, CME partnerships, and scientific programs aligned with medical strategy.
• Gather and communicate scientific insights that inform the local strategy and identify new opportunities for data generation or access improvement.

Evidence Generation and Data Dissemination

• Support the planning and operationalization of local studies, registries, and Investigator-Initiated Studies in coordination with the Medical Manager, Evidence Generation and Clinical Operations teams.
• Contribute to the development and review of scientific materials, ensuring accuracy, balance, and compliance.
• Disseminate emerging clinical data to internal and external stakeholders in an ethical and scientifically objective manner.

Cross-Functional Medical Support

• Partner closely with Market Access, Commercial, and Regulatory teams to ensure scientific and medical integrity in all activities.
• Provide field-based medical input to access dossiers, value communication, and payer interactions where appropriate.
• Deliver medical training and scientific support to internal colleagues (e.g., sales, market access, or diagnostics teams).
• Support the implementation of early access and expanded access programs under guidance from the Medical Manager.

Compliance and Medical Governance

• Ensure all activities comply with AstraZeneca ethical standards, SOPs, and local regulatory frameworks.
• Maintain up-to-date training on Ethical Interactions, GPEI, and Rare Disease policies.
• Accurately document medical interactions, adverse event reports, and insights in compliance systems.

Essential for the role

• Advanced degree (MD, PharmD, or PhD preferred; MSc in Medical or Biological Sciences considered with strong experience).
• Minimum 4 years of experience in Medical Affairs or related scientific roles, ideally within rare diseases or specialty.
• Proven ability to translate scientific data into clinical value and communicate with scientific credibility.
• Strong presentation, analytical, and project coordination skills.
• Deep understanding of Gulf healthcare systems, referral patterns, and access pathways.
• Fluency in English (Arabic preferred).
• Willingness to travel across the Gulf (50-60%).

Desirable for the role:

• Experience supporting product launches or early-access programs.
• Active contribution to medical education or registry collaborations.
• Familiarity with real-world data, market access dossiers, or diagnostic collaborations.
• Demonstrated ability to work in cross-functional teams with both medical and commercial stakeholders.

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 Instagram
• Follow AstraZeneca on Facebook

Date Posted

Closing Date

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.