Associate Director - Portfolio Contract Strategy

Associate Director, Portfolio Contract Strategy 

Location: Wilmington DE

At AstraZeneca, we turn ideas into life changing medicines. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big and partnering with colleagues and customers to make the seemingly impossible a reality. We're focused on the potential of science to address the unmet needs of patients around the world.  The Biopharmaceutical Business Unit (BBU) develops and drives therapeutic area and product strategies that address unmet patient needs globally. We integrate commercial, market access, medical, digital, and corporate functions to drive scientific innovation and commercial excellence in respiratory, cardiovascular, renal, and diabetes disease areas.

This role is based at AstraZeneca’s Wilmington headquarters and reports to the Sr. Director, Portfolio Contract Strategy, CVRM.

Assist in creating and defining contract strategies that include financial analytics and platforms for Brands within the AZ BBU product portfolio for key Market Access customers and business segments and maintain consistency with that strategy as it is implemented.  Drive business analytics to support contract strategy activities and partner with Customer Facing account roles, including National & Regional Payer teams, Provider Network teams, and Channel account teams.   

This role assists in bringing forward marketplace perspective and pragmatic solutions / analyses to optimize AstraZeneca's net price, access objectives and continued leadership in innovative contracting.  This individual will assist in the development of contract and channel strategies that align with Brand Team / Therapeutic Area business strategies for launch and in-line products.  The Associate Director of Contract Strategy may partner with customer facing account teams in direct customer engagement around identified key initiatives, build/align, and execute negotiation strategies with customer-facing teams.  This role will also collaborate with a wide variety of internal stakeholders such as Access Strategy, Brand Leadership, Value Strategy and Evidence, Brand and Market Access Finance, Contract Operations, and Legal. 

A key deliverable of this role is ensuring all contract strategies and offerings have financial justification based on ROI and sound business judgment and assist in assessing the performance of existing contract strategies & offerings.  They are responsible for ensuring the timely and regular re-evaluation of current strategy and deliver segment strategies for their Therapeutic Areas. 

Typical Accountabilities :

• Assist in the development of contract strategies and lead strategies through the applicable approval/governance processes

• Directly partner with customer facing teams around prioritized key initiatives  

• Co-develop and execute contracting negotiation strategies 

• Coordinate with team of analysts/specialists in operational activities such as rebates, chargebacks, government reporting, contract writing and process approvals.  

• Monitor environment for shifts in trends or behaviors, interpret likely impact and suggest appropriate actions around life-cycle contracting and pricing considerations. 

• Develop deep understanding of competitive market conditions that affect pricing for individual brands, therapeutic areas and overall industry. 

• Serves as a resource for Licensing and Business Development in assessing pricing on potential opportunities 

Education, Qualifications, Skills and Experience  

Essential: 

• Bachelor’s degree; preferably in a relevant field (Marketing, Science, Economics or Finance) 
• 3+ yrs of experience in the pharmaceutical or healthcare industry
• Understanding of Market Access and Healthcare delivery systems as well as the impact of government policies and proposals 
• Analytical skills including problem solving, forecasting, contract development and financial modeling 
• Demonstrated negotiation & relationship building skills 
• Solution/Innovation mindset 

Desirable: 

• MBA/JD 
• Understanding of healthcare marketing and sales practices 
• Thorough understanding of pharmaceutical manufacturing business models with specific knowledge of brand team operations, brand finance, and sales 
• Finance, market access and/or analytics background 
• Contract development and negotiation experience 
• Clinical Acumen/Health Economics 
   

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $147,200- $220, 500. Hourly and salaried non-exempt employees will also be paid overtime pay when working qualifying overtime hours. Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition, our positions offer a short-term incentive bonus opportunity; eligibility to participate in our equity-based long-term incentive program (salaried roles), to receive a retirement contribution (hourly roles), and commission payment eligibility (sales roles). Benefits offered included a qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]; paid vacation and holidays; paid leaves; and, health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Additional details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base pay (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.