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AstraZeneca · 2 hours ago

Head of Early Assets, Hematology

Gaithersburg, MD

Full-time

Onsite

Director/Executive

$270K/yr - $405K/yr

10+ years exp

AstraZeneca is focused on transforming outcomes for patients with hematologic malignancies and related conditions. As the Head of Early Assets in Hematology, you will lead the early commercial strategy and collaborate with various teams to shape the hematology pipeline from preclinical to early clinical development, ensuring alignment with patient impact and long-term commercial value.

BiopharmaBiotechnologyHealth CareMedicalPharmaceuticalPrecision Medicine

Comp. & Benefits

Responsibilities

Lead the early commercial strategy across hematology modalities (TCEs, ADCs, small molecules, and other emerging platforms), integrating disease biology, competitive dynamics, and customer insights to shape target product profiles, positioning, and differentiation

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

Guide and collaborate with insights/analytics to integrate hematologist/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 tailored to hematology

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 hematology commercial and clinical view in cross-functional forums 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 to enable scalable launch pathways for transitions to late development

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

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

Qualification

Commercial strategyHematology expertiseMatrix leadershipStrategic thinkingFinancial acumenProblem solvingCommunicationPeople leadershipMarket researchStakeholder engagementCollaboration

Required

MD required

Industry experience in biopharma, including significant time at the commercial–R&D interface and in early asset strategy or early commercial roles within hematology

10+ years in biopharma with experience across hematology; direct exposure to modalities such as TCEs, ADCs, and small molecules

Demonstrated experience shaping product profiles and early clinical plans amid evolving datasets; familiarity with CMC, manufacturing, and supply/logistics considerations relevant to hematology biologics and small molecules

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 scalable models for emerging hematology modalities

Demonstrated success shaping and executing commercial and development strategies for hematology assets (e.g., TCEs, ADCs, small molecules)

Ability to synthesize science, clinical evidence, market signals, and economics into clear strategic choices and robust business cases

Proven ability to influence across R&D, Medical, Access, and Markets; skilled at alignment-building and decision-making in ambiguous, high-velocity settings

Strong grasp of hematology disease biology and clinical development; able to challenge and partner with R&D on endpoints, comparators, biomarker strategies for various modalities

Structured, data-driven approach with a track record of translating ideas into action and delivering results through others

Excellent written and verbal communication; compelling storyteller who can distill complexity for senior stakeholders and governance bodies

Preferred

Hematology-trained physician strongly preferred

Additional advanced degree (MBA, MSc, PhD) is a plus

Benefits

Short-term incentive bonus opportunity

Equity-based long-term incentive program (salaried roles)

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