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AstraZeneca · 7 hours ago

Head of Early Assets, Cell Therapy

Gaithersburg, MD

Full-time

Onsite

Director/Executive

$270K/yr - $405K/yr

10+ years exp

AstraZeneca is focused on realizing the full curative potential of cell therapies across cancer. As the Head of Early Assets, Cell Therapy, you will shape the early pipeline from preclinical through early clinical development, partnering with various teams to build strategies that ensure patient impact and long-term commercial value.

BiopharmaBiotechnologyHealth CareMedicalPharmaceuticalPrecision Medicine

Comp. & Benefits

H1B Sponsor Likely

Responsibilities

Lead the early commercial strategy across cell therapy modalities (auto, allo, TCRs, in vivo), integrating disease biology, competitive dynamics, and customer insights to shape target product profiles, positioning, and differentiation

Provide strategic commercial input to discovery and early development teams on indication prioritization, study design, endpoints, inclusion/exclusion, line-of-therapy, and bridging/CMC considerations to optimize clinical and regulatory line-of-sight

Define early go-to-market hypotheses and customer engagement models across hematology and solid tumors, including site-of-care requirements, treatment pathway integration, provider economics, and care delivery logistics

Guide and collaborate with our insights/analytics teams to integrate HCP/center-of-excellence, patient/caregiver, payer, and provider insights and competitive intelligence; partner closely to inform value stories, price/reimbursement scenarios, and risk/opportunity assessments that support commercial decision-making

Partner with Market Access & Pricing on early access strategies, affordability models, and system readiness. Shape early evidence needs (clinical, RWE, PROs, HEOR) and payer value narratives

Shape lifecycle options, next-wave indications, and inform investment cases for internal programs and external opportunities in collaboration with Search & Evaluation and BD

Represent the commercial view in cross-functional forum and governance (e.g., therapy area leadership, early stage portfolio committees), ensuring alignment to OBU strategy and enterprise priorities

Coordinate with priority markets (notably US) to pressure-test assumptions, assess site readiness and supply/logistics feasibility, and establish scalable launch pathways for future transitions to late development

Lead Forecasting, Long-Term Planning (LTP), scenario planning, and budget needs; provide sensitivity analyses for clinical and market uncertainties

Build and maintain networks with key clinical experts, industry leaders, patient advocacy, payers, and cell therapy centers to bring the external voice into strategy and development

Qualification

Cell therapy commercial strategyStrategic management consultingHematology oncology experienceEarly asset strategyMatrix leadershipFinancial acumenClinical development knowledgeMarket access strategiesCommunication skillsProblem solving

Required

Bachelor's degree in Business, Life Sciences, or related field required

Prior cell therapy commercial experience (local, global, or both)

10+ years in biopharma, including experience at the commercial–R&D interface and in early asset strategy or early commercial roles

Prior strategic management consulting experience in pharma and/or biotech

Experience across hematology and/or solid tumor oncology

Demonstrated experience shaping product profiles and early clinical plans amid evolving datasets

Familiarity with CMC and supply/logistics considerations for cell therapy

Broad commercial experience including pre-launch strategy, forecasting, market research, pricing & reimbursement, competitive intelligence, and early go-to-market design

Evidence of building investment cases and collaborating with BD/Search & Evaluation on external opportunities

Experience engaging external stakeholders: clinical experts, centers of excellence, payers, patient advocacy, and provider systems

Successful people leadership or significant matrix leadership experience

Comfortable operating in ambiguity and establishing new-to-world commercial models for emerging modalities

Preferred

Advanced degree (MBA, MSc, PhD, MD/PharmD)

Direct exposure to cell therapy modalities (autologous, allogeneic, TCRs; in vivo cell engineering preferred)

Benefits

Short-term incentive eligibility

Comprehensive benefits program

Equity-based long-term incentive program

Retirement contribution (hourly roles)

Commission payment eligibility (sales roles)

Qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]

Paid vacation and holidays

Paid leaves

Health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage

Company

AstraZeneca

Glassdoor4.1

AstraZeneca is a pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets prescription medicines. It is a sub-organization of Investor.

Founded in 1999

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, GBR

10001+ employees

https://www.astrazeneca.com

H1B Sponsorship

AstraZeneca has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)

Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship

Represents job field similar to this job

Trends of Total Sponsorships

2021 (2)

2020 (11)