Director of Patient Advocacy, CVRM

Role Summary

Director of Patient Advocacy to lead the development and implementation of global patient advocacy group/non-profit strategy across key patient and professional groups spanning Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolic (CVRM) diseases. Role involves strategic thinking, decision-making, and creating shared agendas across AstraZeneca functions and external patient advocacy/non-profit groups, with a focus on advancing policy reforms and engaging with policy makers. Reports to Global Head of Corporate Affairs, CVRM.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategic partnerships with patient advocacy groups/NGOs/non-profits, aligning with AstraZeneca's priorities and managing agreements to ensure shared success.
• Define and implement multi-year global/regional/local country patient advocacy programmes with quantifiable ambitions aligned to business priorities and policy agendas that improve earlier diagnosis and patients‚Äô access to appropriate treatment and care.
• Drive implementation of agreed plans, co-accountable with colleagues and priority countries to realize advocacy goals with a focus on achieving policy reform targets.
• Support the development of robust evidence and argumentation to advance policy reform initiatives and access to innovation; contribute to peer-reviewed publications, health system quality standards and consensus publications on the case for change and rationale/benefits of reform proposals.
• Oversee operational effectiveness of PAG/NGO relationships in the therapeutic area, including development and implementation of relevant capabilities, standards and processes/systems.

Qualifications

• Graduate ‚Äî Bachelor‚Äôs or Master‚Äôs degree with a minimum of ten years' experience/working knowledge of global Pharmaceutical market, NGOs, non-profits and innovative life sciences environment
• Extensive experience working for or with the biopharmaceutical industry, and with patient advocacy groups and other NGOs
• Expertise in delivering policy reforms in disease areas
• Deep understanding of healthcare systems and how to drive advocacy and healthcare policy change at country level
• Proven success in convening non-profit group coalitions
• Experience leading disease campaigns targeted at specific audiences
• Track record of successful projects realized across diverse countries
• Leadership capability with strong self-awareness and ability to identify winning strategies for multiple stakeholders
• Experience developing cross-sector coalitions/partnerships to support policy change
• Strategic problem solver with the ability to comprehend complex matters and chart a clear path forward
• Self-starting, entrepreneurial attitude with ability to see tasks through to completion
• Ability to collaborate with and mobilize different people and organizations in a matrixed organization
• Effective communication with senior leadership, peers, and various team members
• Strong learning agility

Skills

• Strategic partnership development
• Policy advocacy and reform execution
• Stakeholder management across global, regional, and local levels
• Evidence generation and policy argumentation
• Coalition building across medical societies, academics, patient groups, NGOs
• Project program management with global/regional scope

Education

• Bachelor‚Äôs or Master‚Äôs degree

Additional Requirements

• Occasional travel as required to manage global/regional/local programs