AstraZeneca · 1 day ago
Head R&D Strategy & Business Development – Vaccines and Immune Therapies (V&I)
US - Gaithersburg - MD
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
$270K/yr - $405K/yr
10+ years expAstraZeneca is seeking a Head R&D Strategy & Business Development for their Vaccines and Immune Therapies Unit. This role is responsible for developing and executing therapy area strategies and leading business development efforts to foster innovation and partnerships.
BiopharmaBiotechnologyHealth CareMedicalPharmaceuticalPrecision Medicine
Responsibilities
Lead the development and execution of the Therapy Area Strategy and component Disease Area Strategies for V&I, encompassing both near-term and long-term priorities
Establish a clear strategic framework to guide planning, decision making and prioritisation across the V&I unit
Provide competitive intelligence that ensures the development of V&I portfolio, franchise, disease area and therapy area strategies is informed by effective and timely external insight
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams (e.g., Early V&I, Late V&I, V&I Commercial) to align on integrated strategies and operational deliverables
Provide strategic counsel to senior leaders within the organization, ensuring alignment with corporate goals
Oversee key business development activities in the Vaccines and Immune Therapies domains, including search & evaluation, licensing, and collaborations with academic institutions or commercial organizations
Manage the evaluation of early-stage projects, new modalities, and Life Cycle Management opportunities
Lead due diligence teams for potential in-licensing opportunities and partnerships, ensuring thorough scientific evaluation and delivering recommendations to governance bodies
Develop and manage partnerships that enhance our pipeline, fostering new scientific collaborations to drive innovation
Partner with the VP Commercial V&I to provide R&D inputs to the evaluation and due diligence of Commercial BD opportunities
Partner with the V&I Business Development Operations Head in the execution of Clinical and Commercial transactions and with the BPRD BD and Licensing team for Pre-Clinical transactions
Build and maintain a strong external network with biotech, venture capital firms, and peer pharmaceutical companies to identify emerging innovations and foster collaborations
Represent the Vaccines and Immune Therapies strategic initiatives to senior management and external stakeholders to enhance AstraZeneca’s reputation as a partner of choice
Lead and develop the R&D Strategy & Business Development team to ensure high levels of engagement and performance
Work as part of the V&I Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and V&I Leaders Council (VILC), coaching and mentoring colleagues in areas of expertise and acting as a role model for the AZ values
Qualification
Required
BA/BS in Business, Medical or Life sciences is required
10+ years of relevant experience in the therapy area
Proven scientific credibility, with an extensive background in vaccine and immune therapy development and commercialization
Exceptional leadership skills, with demonstrable experience in driving innovative business development strategies that impact product delivery
Strong analytical skills and the ability to communicate complex strategies effectively with diverse audiences
Ability to establish and maintain successful partnerships, demonstrating cultural sensitivity and awareness
Resourceful, motivated, and proactive; adept at prioritizing in a fast-paced environment
Excellent negotiation skills and a proven ability to motivate and influence teams
Strong interpersonal skills, with a consultative approach to building relationships and trust
Preferred
PhD in life sciences related areas or MD preferred
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
AstraZeneca is a pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets prescription medicines. It is a sub-organization of Investor.
10001+ employees
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$5.26B2024-07-30Post Ipo Debt· $1.51B
2023-02-28Post Ipo Debt· $2.25B
2023-02-24Post Ipo Debt· $1.5B
Leadership Team
Pascal Soriot
Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer
Aradhana Sarin
Group CFO and Executive Director
Recent News
Pharma Letter
2026-01-22
Clinical Trials Arena
2026-01-22
2026-01-22
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