Actuary Strategy Director

At AstraZeneca, we work together across global boundaries to make an impact and find answers to challenges. We do this with the utmost integrity even in the most difficult situations because we are committed to doing the right thing.

We’re stronger because of our network of teams across the globe and because we all take personal accountability for our actions. We’re constantly learning and developing through the teamwork and communication between our people and our network of specialists.

The Director, Actuarial Strategy will report directly into the Senior Director, Value Strategy & Evidence for the US Market Access organization. This is a role that will expand the development of an Actuarial function within the Market Access organization.  This includes providing leadership to develop, scale and evolve an approach to enhance our account messaging and strategies to support the Commercial, Medicare and Medicaid RFP bid cycles and to support the financial story for product launches, including innovative and alternative approaches to traditional rebates.

Furthermore, this role will ensure that the US Market Access organization leverages unique insights from actuarial sciences to help position AZ and our product portfolio within key accounts. The Director in this role will translate AZ value propositions into the vernacular and positioning that will resonate beyond the Trade function, into the actuarial function of our payer customers, with the goal of increased access for our products. They will also utilize data to set strategy and guide implementation of a more informed Payer Value Proposition.

Main duties and responsibilities

• As a critical member of the Value Strategy & Evidence Team, the Director of Actuarial Strategy will:
• Provide unique insights to the access and contract strategy, marketing and account management functions, including informing the annual budgeting and forecasting process.
• Conduct competitive analyses in anticipation of market events.
• Closely partner with company leadership in domains such as performance/insights, finance, and policy to identify opportunities to leverage data and analysis to inform and execute strategy in these areas
• Leverage Medicare expertise including manufacturer discount program, rebate dynamics, Medicare price negotiation, and risk adjustment.
• Provide actuarial insights to inform new product launch strategies.
• Conduct analysis, pricing & risk assessments to estimate financial implications of account projections.
• Evaluate changes in account-specific payer contracts and programs to make recommendations to improve brand performance
• Provide analysis of regulatory and policy reforms and articulate implications on both internal and external stakeholders (such as payers, providers, and patients)
• Leverage CMS guidance and regulatory changes to evaluate actuarial related impacts to Medicare bid process or other markets from the payer perspective and communicate to stakeholders across the organization. 
• Create best-in-class actuarial messaging and ways of working across the Market Access organization within AZ.
• Lead and support educational sessions on payer perspective, actuarially-driven decision making, and other related topics.
• Support development of innovative contracting strategies.
• Collaborate with other actuarial directors to strategically build out the function and enhance the development of actuarial best practices to change how we interact with key accounts and to support going broader and deeper with key stakeholders.
• Connect with industry thought leaders in actuarial science and provide ad-hoc support and liaise with top actuarial firms to support key objectives as outlined above. 

Success Measures

• Influence in market access strategy development & contract negotiations
• Value-added actuarial models inform strategic decision-making.
• Assessment of regulatory policy changes that inform strategic approaches & internal education.
• Collaborate across multiple dynamic projects and teams, removing obstacles to achieve desired outcomes.
• Enhanced insights into payer feedback and actuary modeling for scenario planning

Essential requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required (actuarial science, mathematics, statistics, data science, or related)
• Actuarial credentials:
• Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) in the Health track and
• Member of the American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA)
• 7+ years of healthcare actuarial experience
• Actuarial consulting
• Deep experience in healthcare industry with payers and pharmaceuticals
• Experience working as an actuary at a PBM, health plan, or GPO
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Strong project management skills including the ability to lead and drive multiple high priority projects with senior leadership, build project work plans, anticipate major contingencies, synthesize discussions, and seek action.
• Proven track record in business planning, developing and executing projects with cross-functional team
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team-based environment and gain alignment across multiple stakeholders in the organization.
• Adept at managing business challenges, conflict resolution, and making appropriate trade-offs to meet business objectives.

Desired requirements

• Second degree, e.g. Masters, MBA, PhD
• Medicare actuarial experience

Why AstraZeneca?

At AstraZeneca when we see an opportunity for change, we seize it and make it happen, because any opportunity no matter how small, can be the start of something big. Delivering life-changing medicines is about being entrepreneurial -finding those moments and recognizing their potential. Join us on our journey of building a new kind of organization to reset expectations of what a bio-pharmaceutical company can be. This means we’re opening new ways to work, pioneering groundbreaking methods and bringing unexpected teams together. Interested? Come and join our journey.

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $181,500- $272,200 Hourly and salaried non-exempt employees will also be paid overtime pay when working qualifying overtime hours. Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition, our positions offer a short-term incentive bonus opportunity; eligibility to participate in our equity-based long-term incentive program (salaried roles), to receive a retirement contribution (hourly roles), and commission payment eligibility (sales roles). Benefits offered included a qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]; paid vacation and holidays; paid leaves; and, health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Additional details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base pay (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

So, what’s next!

Are you already imagining yourself joining our team? Good, because we can’t wait to hear from you.

Where can I find out more?

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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.