Sr Director, US Medical Early Assets - Market Access

Sr Director, US Medical Early Assets - Market Access

Are you ready to turn ideas into life-changing medicines? At AstraZeneca, we are committed to addressing the unmet needs of patients worldwide through scientific innovation. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, US Medical Early Asset Team Lead, you will be part of a team focused on the development of ambitious US medical strategies for our early pipeline. You will influence across a complex global matrix to ensure US payer, health-system, policy, and affordability needs are integrated into asset development and investment decisions. 

Accountabilities:

The Sr Director, US Medical Early Asset - Market Access is the strategic lead for shaping the US access and value strategy for our BBU portfolio pipeline assets from late discovery through Phase 2. The Senior Director ensures that payer, health-system, policy, pricing, and affordability considerations are incorporated early into asset development, evidence generation, and investment decisions. Serving as the senior US access voice on cross-functional asset teams, the Senior Director provides clear, evidence-based recommendations that strengthen future differentiation, reimbursement, and patient access.

Key Responsibilities 

• US Value Strategy and TPP Input: Define US payer-relevant elements of the  Target Product Profile (clinical endpoints, comparators, subpopulations, line of therapy) and shape differentiation claims that resonate with payers and health systems. 

• Evidence and Study Design Influence: Provide US access input to clinical and RWE plans (endpoints, PROs, inclusion/exclusion, duration, head-to-heads, external controls) to support label, compendia, guideline inclusion, and payer coverage. 

• Payer Value Proposition & Dossier Foundations: Lead early value story development (unmet need, clinical and economic value drivers), outline core claims, and define requirements for future AMCP dossier modules and global value dossiers. 

• Early Pricing and Contracting Hypotheses: Develop US WAC/NET ranges, reference pricing considerations, budget impact boundaries, and contracting scenarios (e.g., outcomes-based, indication-based) with assumptions and risks. 

• HEOR & RWE Strategy: Co-create early economic models and RWE plans (burden of illness, treatment patterns, comparative effectiveness, adherence/persistence) to support access and inform trial design. 

• Access Policy and Channel Strategy: Assess policy landscape (Medicare, Medicaid, ACA, IRA/Part D redesign, 340B, state policies), site-of-care and channel dynamics (buy-and-bill, pharmacy benefit, specialty distribution), and implications for design and launch. 

• Payer, IDN, and PBM Insights: Plan and synthesize early payer/IDN advisory input and rapid tests (concept reviews, value message testing, coverage criteria simulations) to de-risk access hurdles. 

• Competitive and Class Access Analytics: Maintain landscape of class coverage criteria, step/edit rules, utilization management, coding/reimbursement precedents; identify opportunities to differentiate and anticipate barriers. 

• Forecasting & Investment Support: Build access assumptions for early forecasts (gross-to-net, access mix, UM intensity, speed-to-coverage) and partner with Finance on rNPV/scenario analyses for governance. 

• Governance and Cross-Functional Leadership: Represent US access in global/US asset teams and at governance gates (indication sequencing, go/no-go, TPP approval), driving clear, evidence-backed recommendations. 

• Compliance and Ethics: Operate within US promotional and pre-approval communication standards and company policies; ensure research and external interactions meet compliance requirements. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in health economics, public health, pharmacy, life sciences, business, economics, or a related discipline; advanced degree such as an MPH, MS, PharmD, PhD, or MBA strongly preferred.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, payer, or consulting environment, including substantial experience in US Market Access, HEOR, pricing and reimbursement, or early asset strategy.
• Profiles, clinical development plans, evidence strategies, and asset investment decisions.
• Deep understanding of the US payer and healthsystem environment, including commercial and government payers, medical and pharmacy benefit dynamics, pricing and reimbursement, utilization management, distribution and site-of-care considerations, and relevant policy trends.
• Strong understanding of HEOR, realworld evidence, payer research, economic modeling, and value proposition development, with the ability to translate technical analyses into strategic recommendations.
• Demonstrated experience representing a function or market perspective on cross-functional asset teams, governance forums, or senior decision-making bodies.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead across Clinical Development, Medical, HEOR, Regulatory, Commercial, Finance, Policy, and global market access organizations without direct authority.
• Strong strategic judgment and the ability to make clear recommendations in conditions of scientific, commercial, and access uncertainty.
• Execellent communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information, construct a compelling value narrative, and influence senior and global stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple assets, priorities, and decision timelines in a complex, matrixed environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in health economics, outcomes research, public health, pharmacy, medicine, science, economics, or business. 
• Experience spanning more than one relevant discipline, such as Market Access, HEOR, Clinical Development, Medical Affairs, new product planning, pricing, policy, or finance. 
• Direct experience supporting early-stage or first-in-class assets from late discovery through Phase 2. 
• Experience influencing global asset strategy and translating US access needs into global development and evidence plans. 
• Experience contributing to governance decisions involving asset progression, indication prioritization, evidence investment, licensing, or portfolio prioritization. 
• Experience developing innovative pricing, contracting, or value-based access approaches. 
• Therapeutic-area experience relevant to the assigned pipeline portfolio. 
• Experience coaching colleagues or building organizational capability in early market access, HEOR, payer strategy, or value development. 

This position is based at our Wilmington, DE campus headquarters for our US Biopharma business. 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. 

Next Steps – Apply Today!

Are you ready to make a difference? Apply now and join our mission to transform lives with our science! 

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