Site Engagement Lead, Associate Director (IL, OH, MI, WI)

Summary of Role:

The Associate Director, Site Engagement is responsible for implementing the operational site relationship management strategy for Local Site Management & Monitoring (SMM) at AstraZeneca. The individual will work closely with business stakeholders to position AstraZeneca as the sponsor of choice for clinical sites. Success in this role will require strong leadership skills, as well as effective collaboration and partnership with clinical sites, internal clinical teams, legal contracts, global feasibility, Clinical Research Organization (CRO) partners, Medical Affairs, and other functions within AstraZeneca. The role also involves supporting site feasibility, early asset team (where requested) and contributing to the development and ongoing management of a best-in-class site relationship model.

Territory: IL, OH, MI, W I

Accountabilities:

• Establish strategic partnership models and frameworks for deployment across key clinical sites.

• Strengthen relationships between clinical sites and AstraZeneca teams to enhance performance, resolve obstacles in site feasibility, start-up, and execution, and become the partner of choice.

• Oversee, coordinate, or lead the applicable indication and operational feasibility activities, leveraging AstraZeneca performance data to set realistic, sustainable recruitment targets and strategies. Provide early transparency on recruitment approaches, including use of vendors and site-specific tools.

• Develop knowledge and expertise in applicable therapeutic areas of Biopharma portfolio.

• Implement and maintain site partnerships and initiatives with selected clinical sites.

• Set up and develop the Partners in Care Network (PiCN) within priority disease areas.

• Collaborate with local teams to proactively resolve study-level challenges.

• Develop and maintain comprehensive knowledge of site processes and institutional practices, guiding study teams and leadership in decisions around site inclusion and study management.

• Define and monitor site performance using objective metrics, develop oversight models, and use advanced tools and informatics. Effectively manage interactions to align site and business expectations.

• Review site performance using available data, identify trends and opportunities, and share insights with both local and external stakeholders to drive improvement.

• Actively monitor and report study-level metrics for activation and recruitment. • Track delivery of site partnership agreements, identify challenge areas, and implement actions for success.

• Routinely update site development leadership or manager on site performance status.

• Escalate unresolved study or site issues to leadership or management as necessary.

• Demonstrate in-depth understanding of site networks, business practices, and the competitive clinical trial landscape to advise clinical teams on site selection and management strategies. Support site identification and selection and facilitate cross-study knowledge sharing when appropriate.

• Maintain awareness of market activities, policies, trends, technologies, and information affecting the business, to support the ongoing improvement of clinical recruitment efforts in line with company policies.

• Collaborate with Medical Affairs and other Marketing Company personnel, with the early asset team, to foster site relationships and identify new clinical sites and optimize feasibility assessments

• Champion recruitment and retention initiatives, drive process improvements within Clinical Operations, and support knowledge transfer and best practice sharing.

• Participate in training and mentoring new members of local study teams, ensuring compliance with ICH/GCP requirements and AstraZeneca procedures.

• Contribute to ongoing process improvements, knowledge sharing, and best practice dissemination.

Education and experience:

Bachelor’s degree in related discipline, preferably in life science, or equivalent qualification aligned to the knowledge and skills of the role and ensures successful conduct of responsibilities and appropriate interactions with internal and or external stakeholders. Previous experience in the pharmaceutical industry, preferably in Clinical Operations (CRA / SrCRA / LSAD) or other related fields.  

Relevant knowledge and ability to fulfil key responsibilities, including but not limited to: Drug development process and related GxP processes, international guidelines ICH-GCP, relevant country regulations, medical knowledge and ability to learn relevant AZ Therapeutic Areas, Clinical Study Management including project management, monitoring, study drug handling and data management.

Required Skills: 

• Personal Effectiveness & Drives Accountability in Others

• Learning Agility 

• Financial, Technology & Process Competency

• Active Listening, Fluency in written & spoken business-level English

• Act with Integrity & high ethical standards

• Effectively lead a team across in-person and virtual settings to deliver shared goals, demonstrates cultural awareness

• Identify and champion more efficient delivery of quality clinical trials with optimized cost and time

• Ability to travel nationally/internationally as required 

• Valid driving license, if country employment requirement

• Communication & Teamwork - Influencing, Collaboration, Impactful Site conversations

• Effective, risk-based thinking – Plans & Aligns, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Decision Making, Effective Issue Management

• Deliver Priorities Results & Impact - Recruitment/Retention Planning & Action, Ensures Accountability, Empowerment & Delegation

• Leadership - Feedforward & Coaching, Drives Engagement & Development, Building Effective Teams, Manages Conflict.

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.

The annual base pay (or hourly rate of compensation) for this position ranges from $137,937 to $206,906. Our positions offer eligibility for various incentives—an opportunity to receive short-term incentive bonuses, equity-based awards for salaried roles and commissions for sales roles. Benefits offered include qualified retirement programs, paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves), as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans .

Why AstraZeneca:

Here you will contribute to a bold mission to transform outcomes for people by advancing earlier detection and smarter, faster trials. You will operate at the intersection of innovative science and technology, backed by significant investment and an empowered, collaborative culture that brings clinicians, scientists, and data experts together to accelerate breakthroughs. We value kindness alongside ambition, giving you the trust, tools, and cross-functional partnerships to lead with confidence and shape studies that matter—so your decisions today translate into meaningful patient impact tomorrow.

Call to Action:

Step into this country leadership role to accelerate life-changing trials and turn bold science into result that matter—make your move and help shape what comes next.

Date Posted

Closing Date

Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.