Project and Portfolio Management Associate Director, OBU Global Medical Affairs

Are you ready to orchestrate complex global medical plans that speed life-changing cancer medicines to patients? Do you thrive at the intersection of strategy, delivery and cross-functional collaboration, where clear decisions and strong execution unlock impact at scale?

Based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, you will lead strategic planning and portfolio execution for our global oncology medical organization, working closely with a Medical Head/Senior Global Medical Affairs Leader and reporting into a Tumor Portfolio Director. You will connect science, evidence and medical strategy to real-world delivery—aligning global and local efforts, shaping launch readiness, and ensuring our teams move with clarity and pace. In this role, you will turn ambition into measurable outcomes, advancing programs that change clinical practice and improve patient experience.

Accountabilities/responsibilities: 

• Partners with the Medical Head and GMALs (Global Medical Affairs Leaders) to progress from conceptualization to implementation on overarching asset strategies and optimizes global to local interfaces for delivery. 

• Ensures efficient functioning of the Medical Implementation Team (MIT) and connectivity with Integrated Business Team (IBT) (enabling cross-functional collaboration with the asset / indication). 

• Leads effective meeting management for an asset such as Medical Indication team meetings with clear agendas, concrete action items and tracking of results for on-target submission. 

• Facilitates overall budget and strategic workforce planning across the functional groups including forecasting, phasing, and prioritization across the business planning cycle. 

• Responsible for strategic planning for key franchise team deliverables including development of Medical Plans, Evidence Generation plans, Study proposals, launch plans, Congress plans, and Scientific exchange plans. Works with franchise teams and across GMA to ensure efficient, high-quality, and on-time delivery. 

• Ensures efficient functioning of the Medical Implementation Teams (MITs) and ensures connectivity with Integrated Business Teams (IBTs). 

• Drives External Engagement Planning and execution, including congress planning oversight and tactical execution. 

• Drives review of externally sponsored proposals/grants for asset strategy alignment and funding decisions. 

• Co-ordinates and assists senior GMAL in preparation of presentations and communications on key topics and initiatives. 

• Drives continuous improvement on ways of working, sharing and adopting best practices to streamline and simplify the business processes. 

• Partners with the Tumor Portfolio Leader to help shape portfolio strategy; gathers and provides timely input from the asset team. 

• Accountable for implementation of medical standards to ensure compliant functioning of the organization. 

Required experience: 

• Bachelors degree. MBA / Ph.D. desired. 

• Minimum of 5 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry or regulated medical products industry and/or related industries or experience

• Demonstrated project management experience in a matrix environment. 

• Experience of successful influencing cross functionally, cross-culturally and cross-brands. 

• Experience of effective working in a multi-cultural, matrixed environment. 

• Experience working in a global setting, managing stakeholders across different time zones. 

• Experience preparing and/or delivering presentations to executive leadership. 

• Experience in planning and leading strategic initiatives. 

Preferred Requirements: 

• Graduate level degree in sciences or business degree. 

• Minimum of 2 years experience in Medical Affairs, Commercial, and R&D organizations (Global, regional, or local). 

• Six Sigma Medical/Process Excellence and/or Project Management/PMP/FPX certification is a plus but not required. 

• Depth of understanding of medical, scientific and/or commercial pharmaceutical marketplace of Oncology. 

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That's why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we're not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.

Why AstraZeneca: Join a global oncology community united by a clear purpose: advancing science to transform cancer care. Here, unexpected combinations of experts come together to solve tough problems, with access to industry-leading research, cutting-edge technology and a pipeline built for meaningful launches. You will find the pace and empowerment to lead, the partnerships to scale your ideas, and a culture that values kindness alongside ambition—so your leadership not only delivers results but also helps shape how the world experiences cancer medicine.