Senior Director, Precision Medicine Lead - Oncology

At AstraZeneca, we pride ourselves on crafting a collaborative culture that champions knowledge-sharing, ambitious thinking and innovation – ultimately providing employees with the opportunity to work across teams, functions and even the globe.

Recognizing the importance of individualized flexibility, our ways of working allow employees to balance personal and work commitments while ensuring we continue to create a strong culture of collaboration and teamwork by engaging face-to-face in our offices 3 days a week. Our head office and BlueSky Hub in downtown Toronto are purposely designed with collaboration in mind, providing space where teams can come together to strategize, brainstorm and connect on key projects.

Our dedication to sustainability is also central to our culture and part of what makes AstraZeneca a great place to work. We know the health of people, the planet and our business are interconnected which is why we’re taking ambitious action to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, from climate change to access to healthcare and disease prevention.

We’re investing like never before in our people, in growth, and in new diagnostic techniques and technologies. There are opportunities at every turn, with a variety and breadth that is uncommon to find and an industry-leading pipeline in oncology. Scientists at AstraZeneca are working every day to turn science fiction into science fact. Our ambition - to develop innovative, targeted medicines for every patient that needs them - and to match those treatments to patients most likely to benefit from them – is now a reality. This approach, known as Precision Medicine, is based on those individual characteristics that make some patients respond to treatment better than others. We use this knowledge to develop diagnostic tests that doctors can use to help prescribe the best treatment for each patient. Indeed, it’s now become common practice for patients with cancer to be offered such diagnostic tests before their treatment plan is agreed.

The AstraZeneca Companion Diagnostics Unit within the Precision Medicine and Biosamples function drives scientific leadership through the delivery of innovative companion diagnostics enabling our oncology ambition to transform the lives of patients living with cancer, and ultimately eliminate cancer as a cause of death.

We do this by:

• Utilising artificial intelligence diagnostic solutions and seeing software as a medical device.
• Leading the development of diagnostics across AstraZeneca’s early and late stage oncology portfolios through close collaborations with our external diagnostic partners.
• Developing specific disease area strategies (e.g. lung cancer, breast cancer or hematological malignancies) and new diagnostic modalities.
• Leading companion diagnostic regulatory interactions to secure companion diagnostic approvals in major markets
• Collaborating closely with fellow pharma companies on joint assets.
• Collaborate across AstraZeneca with colleagues in multiple Clinical functions plus commercial to help drive market uptake.
• Leading the development and implementation of patient selection strategies to deliver companion diagnostics programs in support of our business priorities.
• Developing strategies for early cancer detection, near patient testing and implementing testing options for minimal residual disease and early treatment interventions.

Accountabilities:

As a Senior Director, Precision Medicine Lead you will be a member of the Oncology Companion Diagnostic Unit (CDU). Working collaboratively your objective will be to ensure that innovative diagnostic tests or equivalent segmentation tools are delivered to drug products within your therapeutic area of expertise.

You will achieve this by leading a Global Product Diagnostic sub team made up of functional experts and be empowered to deliver all scientific, technical, clinical, financial, regulatory, intellectual property, commercial and partnering aspects needed to implement the diagnostic strategy. You will be accountable for ensuring that the roles and responsibilities of the team are delivered demonstrating behaviours and values aligned to AstraZeneca Code of Conduct and supporting policies, standards and procedures; including accountability for compliant management of Budget, Safety, Health and Environment.

As a key member of the CDU, one that is aligned to a relevant therapeutic area; you will also be expected to support other therapeutic areas as required. You will be accountable for delivery to several Global Product teams and to act as the single point of contact for all Precision Medicine activities to those product team(s).

Being accountable to the Leaders of the relevant product teams you will ensure that the associated diagnostic development reflects outstanding practice in the field and contributes to an increased probability of successful drug launch, reimbursement and return on investment.

Your role will also involve contributing to the personal development of project team members. Providing expert advice on strategic and innovative Precision Medicine approaches and companion diagnostic developments to development teams, you’ll be instrumental in ensuring that we adopt extraordinary practice in the field.

Education, Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• Experience in diagnostic tests or segmentation tools in clinical development, within a diagnostic or pharmaceutical setting
• Effective leadership, performance management and talent management
• Evidence of excellent skills in communication, influencing, programme management, and regulatory interactions
• Significant experience of Precision Medicine approaches and diagnostic development within the relevant therapeutic area
• PhD or equivalent experience in a relevant subject
• Comprehensive understanding of the functions involved in companion diagnostic development and how they contribute to achieving the objectives of the business.

Desirables:

• Evidence of external interactions in the diagnostic field e.g. diagnostic partnering, regulation of drugs and linked diagnostics, payer and policy considerations, ethical and legal aspects
• High quality scientific expertise in the Precision Medicine field and relevant therapeutic area as evidenced by publications and external reputation
• Effective leadership of global teams
• Significant previous experience in similar role in different companies
• Delivery of diagnostics, regulatory interactions and commercialization

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Are you interested in working at AZ, apply today!

AstraZeneca is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion and providing a workplace that is free from discrimination. AstraZeneca is committed to accommodating persons with disabilities. Such accommodation is available on request in respect of all aspects of the recruitment, assessment and selection process and may be requested by emailing [email protected].