Medical Affairs Director, BBU, Gulf

Medical Affairs Director, BBU, Gulf

ABOUT ASTRAZENECA

At AstraZeneca we fuse the worlds of Medical and Commercial to spot opportunities and pioneer approaches that better serve our patients. Bridging Commercial and Scientific goals, we apply our people and leadership skills to launch cutting-edge products into our growing healthcare ecosystem. It takes a holistic mindset to treat each unique patient and tailor the whole experience – from early diagnosis to treatment. We step up and take accountability to deliver new ways of doing things that will create a better future for our markets.

Job Description:

The role is responsible for leading a high-performing Biopharmaceuticals Business Unit (BBU) Medical Affairs team across the CVRM and R&I Therapy Areas in the AstraZeneca Gulf cluster. Prioritizes across both therapy areas according to BBU strategy and organizational impact, with a deep understanding of the Gulf healthcare systems, their priorities and challenges across the disease areas.

Ensures excellence in the development and execution of integrated CVRM and R&I Medical Affairs Plans – composed of confidence and evidence-generation activities, as well as fundamental and sustainable clinical-practice transformations that strengthen healthcare ecosystems, improve treatment outcomes, and enable equitable access to quality patient care in alignment with the BBU portfolio.

Recognizes and leverages innovation wherever appropriate to drive strategic and sustainable impact internally and externally. Leads the team to identify, activate and measure scalable healthcare practice shaping initiatives across both therapy areas, with integrated partnership engagement plans composed of key traditional (e.g. HCPs and scientific leaders in cardiology, nephrology, endocrinology/diabetes, respiratory and immunology/rheumatology) and non-traditional (e.g. policy and decision makers, PAGs, government, payers, innovative solution providers) stakeholders.

Drives operational effectiveness, impact and efficiencies of the CVRM and R&I Medical Affairs teams through measurable outcomes and a continuous improvement approach, balancing resources appropriately across the two therapy areas. Communicates on the quality, delivery and value of the BBU Medical Affairs teams with a good understanding of the internal business ecosystem.

Leads the BBU Medical Affairs teams as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, partnering closely with the CVRM and R&I commercial BUDs. Acts as part of the leadership team for the Gulf organization and participates in organizational decisions with an entrepreneurial mindset.

Typical Accountabilities:

Medical Strategy

• Accountable for setting the integrated CVRM and R&I Medical Affairs strategy for the Gulf cluster, ensuring appropriate resources and delivering the strategic Medical Affairs plans across both therapy areas with maximum impact and effectiveness.
• Accountable for the strategic direction, business planning and team leadership of the BBU (CVRM & R&I) Medical Affairs function within the Gulf cluster, aligning local plans with the global/area CVRM and R&I medical strategies and the Gulf launch sequence.
• Translates the differing scientific, evidence-generation and stakeholder needs of CVRM and R&I into a single prioritized plan, balancing investment, capabilities and focus across the two therapy areas.
• Leads the BBU Medical Affairs organization as part of the cluster’s senior leadership team and represents the local company externally on the topic of science and healthcare across the cardiovascular, renal, metabolic, respiratory and immunology disease areas.
• Manages and leads change initiatives, challenges current thinking and assumptions within the organization, and collaborates with cross-functional teams and across organizations at various levels.

Team Leader

• Manages and coaches the CVRM and R&I medical teams – e.g. Medical Advisors, Medical Managers and MSLs – for performance with purpose, holding the team accountable for timely and effective delivery in the prioritized areas that drive the greatest impact across both therapy areas.
• Establishes required standards of medical core – and new capabilities, ensures medical operational excellence, business and resource planning and people processes (recruitment, talent management, motivation, retention).
• Drives performance with impact-focused goals and measurable outcomes, continuously validating and improving strategies through data-driven insights.
• Builds and sustains deep therapy-area and scientific expertise across CVRM and R&I, and drives a collaborative, patient-centric culture with an innovative mindset that focuses on impact.

External Engagements

• Knowledgeable of the global and Gulf healthcare ecosystem – its priorities, challenges, opportunities and issues.
• Ensures scalable and sustainable strategic solutions to Transforming Care are incorporated and prioritized into the CVRM and R&I Medical Affairs plans to strengthen healthcare ecosystems and improve treatment outcomes.
• Drives Scientific Leadership across cardiovascular, renal, metabolic, respiratory and immunology care.
• Establishes collaborative engagements with Key Opinion Leaders of the HC ecosystem (e.g. cardiologists, nephrologists, endocrinologists/diabetologists, pulmonologists, immunologists/rheumatologists, payers, policy makers, regulatory bodies and PAGs) to drive consensus and successfully advocate for policy changes that improve access to quality patient care.

Medical Evidence Generation Oversight

• Ensure building of high-quality Gulf Medical Evidence Plans to generate Clinical, Payer, Policy evidence in line with brand strategy
• Ensure meeting local and above market RWE study program KPIs (startup timelines, recruitment, etc)  
• Ensure high quality medical insights provided to area/regional Evidence Generation strategies
• Ensuring GCP Quality and compliance with local GCP Quality Management System (QMS) SOP and all applicable AZ policies and Standards

Medical Excellence and Governance Oversight

• Ensure Nominated Signatory, Medical Information, Ethical Interactions policies are implemented and tracked
• Ensure setting up and conduct regular review of Field Medical Quarterly Dashboard (KPIs) and assessment of MSL Capabilities
• Ensure Medical function are compliant with AZ Code of Ethics, Corporate Governance, Audit requirements, guidelines, policies, procedures, development/ updating of SOPs in timely manner. Ensures and monitors compliance by team members and third parties by (a) positively reinforcing the Code of Ethics and all relevant AstraZeneca Policies and Standards, (b) ensuring completion of all required training, (c) fostering a culture of openness in which employees are comfortable raising questions or concerns, and (d) immediately addressing and reporting, as appropriate, instances of non-compliance.
• As a leader with accountability for GxP areas, understands the legal and regulatory requirements of the role in providing appropriate resources (human, financial, material, facilities and equipment) to maintain the Quality system and continually improve its effectiveness.
• Collaborates with Compliance to ensure full adherence to company standards on ethical interactions.

Essentials for the role

• Science degree and/or Master’s degree in a scientific discipline.
• Extensive experience of the Medical Affairs function within the pharmaceutical industry.
• Therapy-area knowledge across CVRM and/or R&I (cardiovascular, renal, metabolic, respiratory or immunology).
• Experience leading or supporting Medical Affairs across more than one therapy area.
• Extensive experience in relationship and stakeholder management.
• Extensive team management / people-leadership experience.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Desirables for the role

• Doctoral degree in a scientific discipline (e.g. M.D., Ph.D., Pharm.D.).
• In-depth scientific expertise in one or more CVRM or R&I disease areas (e.g. heart failure, chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, severe asthma, COPD, immunology/rheumatology).
• Experience supporting product launches within CVRM or R&I.
• Experience of the Gulf / GCC healthcare environment and stakeholders.
• Extensive knowledge of the latest technical and regulatory developments.
• Innovative and solution-oriented mindset; ecosystem-scaled project experience.
• Experience with research, drug discovery, drug development and drug lifecycle management.

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.