Director, Policy & Advocacy (CVRM)

The global burden of CVRM diseases on people, economies and healthcare systems is startling. The increasing rates of obesity coupled with an ageing population will dramatically increase the risk of CVRM diseases over the next decade. Many of these conditions remain underdiagnosed and undertreated. Our goal at AstraZeneca is to fundamentally change how CVRM diseases are detected, diagnosed and treated to make a difference for patients.

The Policy Director role will be responsible for global CVRM related public policy strategy. The CVRM Policy Director serves as the lead for collaborations focused on shaping government and healthcare system policies, increasing understanding of unmet patient/medical needs and building world class policy evidence and argumentation that support improvements to care and access to medicines. The role will report to the Head of BBU Policy & Advocacy with a dotted line to the Global Head of Corporate Affairs, CVRM.

Accountabilities

• Develop and implement specific areas of the CVRM policy shaping strategy and drive implementation against these plans, being co-accountable with priority markets to realise policy change goals at the local level.
• Partner closely with CVRM Patient Advocacy Director to support effective integration of policy & advocacy strategies, and development of impactful partnership and set up platforms and partnerships at the above-country level (e.g., with patient advocacy groups (PAGs), medical societies, public health experts, academia, policymakers) to facilitate high quality policy evidence-generation and stakeholder engagement to support policy & advocacy programmes and objectives at local, regional, and global levels.
• Collaborate with key internal (including Corporate Affairs, Medical, Payer, Commercial) and external parties to define and implement multi-year global/regional/local country policy programmes with quantifiable ambitions aligned to business priorities that improve earlier diagnosis and patients’ access to appropriate treatment and care.
• Drive development of robust evidence and argumentation to support policy shaping initiatives including development of peer reviewed publications, quality standards and consensus on the case for change.
• Leverage AstraZeneca relationships with supra-national organisations and internal capabilities to advance the CVRM policy & advocacy agenda.

Essential Skills/Experiences

• Solid years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry; demonstrated track-record in government affairs / patient advocacy group and NGO relations.
• Deep understanding of healthcare systems, how to drive healthcare policy change at country level and experience of successful projects realized across diverse markets.
• Ability to comprehend complex matters and chart a clear path forward.
• Self-starting, independent, entrepreneurial attitude – a smart risk-taker who thrives on new challenges and on seeing things through to completion.
• Eagerness and ability to collaborate with and mobilise different people and organisations; work effectively in a matrix organisation and ability to prioritise effectively.
• Ability to communicate highly effectively with senior leadership, peers, as well as with a variety of parties and collaborators.

Desirable Skills/Experiences

• Proven experience in areas of CVRM.

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. At AstraZeneca, you’ll be part of a dedicated distributed team driving innovation to better serve patients every day. We thrive on intellectually stimulating work that challenges us and keeps us engaged. Our entrepreneurial spirit fuels creativity and smart risk-taking, allowing us to make a significant impact on patients’ lives. With countless opportunities for growth and development, you’ll build an unrivalled reputation while contributing to something bigger. Ready to make a difference? Apply now and be part of our dynamic team!

Date Posted: 24-Jun-2025

Closing Date: 09-Jul-2025

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.