Diagnostic Lead

Do you have expertise in, and passion for science working and creating value for our customers and patients?  If so, AstraZeneca might be the one for you!

ABOUT ASTRAZENECA

AstraZeneca is a global, global, science-led, patient-focused Biopharmaceutical business that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious diseases. But we are more than one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. At AstraZeneca, we are dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. Where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science and unleash your entrepreneurial spirit. There is no better place to make a difference to medicine, patients and society. An inclusive culture that champions diversity and collaboration. Always committed to lifelong learning, growth, and development. Our strategic priorities reflect how we are working to deliver our strategy and achieve our Purpose. As a workforce, we are the catalyst for our values: we are entrepreneurial; we do the right thing; we play to win; we put patients first and we follow the science. As a company we appreciate and take great pride in each team member where every person is brought together through shared values, that underpins a shared purpose. There is no better place to feel inspired and energised. Answer unmet medical needs by pioneering the next wave of science, focusing on outcomes and crafting the patient ecosystem.
At AstraZeneca, we’re dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. Where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science and unleash your entrepreneurial spirit. Join the fastest-growing pharmaceutical in our markets, set up to fuel further growth. Be part of our shared ambition and pride: our strong heritage, our turnaround story, and early investment and commitment in international markets. There’s no better place to feel inspired and energized.

ABOUT THE MEDICAL TEAM?

You will be joining a top-performing medical team that combines medical expertise with a business mindset. Problem-solving comes naturally, and the team proactively takes ownership and is willing to step out of their comfort zones to achieve the best results, driven by an agile enterprise mindset.

What you will do?

Act as catalysts, with a deep understanding of the health system (environment, priorities, clinical pathways, patient journeys) and its challenges, to gather insights and execute according to the medical strategic plans to deliver strategic, scalable & sustainable clinical practice transformations, enhancing access to equitable quality care for patients and enabling the adoption of our innovative medicines.

Developing and enhancing professional relationships and partnerships with healthcare professionals and other healthcare ecosystem stakeholders according to the Integrated Engagement Plan. Provides scientific, technical, and pharmaco-economic information to HCPs and key stakeholders through one-on-one discussions and medically lead meetings as experts and confidence generation activities. Can be involved and may lead evidence generation activities as part of the implementation of the medical strategy.

Job Description 

The Diagnostic Lead supports the timely, high quality in-market companion diagnostics / testing solutions to enable optimal patient access and treatment throughout the lifecycle of oncology and rare disease portfolios. It includes providing insights to the core medical team, brand teams, interacting with key diagnostic stakeholders and HCP’s. An important element of this role is to develop and implement tactical plans with an understanding of clinical and diagnostic operational issues in the testing pathway thereby ensuring tailored testing solutions and appropriate access support. They will work collaboratively with the medical scientific liaisons, local sales teams and market access colleagues and execute on tactical plans with a good understanding of the medical and clinical operational issues on the interface between the Oncologists, Haematologists; Nephrologists and other specialists; Geneticists, Pathologists and Molecular Pathologist and the testing pathway, helping to deliver appropriate information, insights, and solutions. The Diagnostic Lead is to coordinate with cross-functional teams including Medical Scientific Liaisons, Commercial and Market Access teams etc, to gather insights and deliver education as appropriate to internal and external stakeholders. They will execute on tactical plans with a deep understanding of the medical environment and disease/pathology to facilitate optimal testing, removal of barriers and advance the scientific development of appropriate testing solutions as needed.

The Diagnostic Lead demonstrates Customer Centricity, Innovative: thinking, Managing Ambiguity, Analysis and Decision-making, Entrepreneurial Thinking, Shared & Servant Leadership. You have a deep understanding of patient journey(s) and related treatments in defined disease area(s), enabling engagement at the specialist level. You have the ability to learn and unlearn quickly, take risks and experiment, and contribute to the learning cycle by sharing knowledge with others inside and outside. This role ensures the timely, high quality in-market companion diagnostics/testing solutions to enable optimal treatment throughout the patient journey. An important element of this role is to develop and implement tactical plans with an understanding of clinical and diagnostic operational issues in the testing pathway thereby ensuring tailored testing solutions.

Typical Accountabilities will include

Scientific Exchange:

• Engage in peer-to-peer level dialogue with key external stakeholders and deliver appropriate clinical/scientific content

• Respond to unsolicited customer inquiries and provide focused and balanced clinical / scientific information that supports the safe and appropriate use of AstraZeneca’s products and services.

• Provide scientific/clinical support and deliver presentations to internal and external stakeholders.

• Identify and establish relationships with key customers and other scientific thought leaders for engaging them in ongoing scientific dialogue on AstraZeneca products and unsolicited discussions about compounds in development.

• Organize and facilitate scientific events to enhance stakeholder education based on their relevance in the patient journey for the related disease.

• Deliver informative lectures at scientific events tailored to healthcare professionals, aligning with the field medical communication strategy.

• Collaborate with KEEs on study proposals (ESR or Local Study) and/or publications of interest to AstraZeneca.

Customer Insights and Strategic Relationships:

• Effectively identify, gather, analyse, synthesise, report and forward relevant new knowledge about the external scientific/medical environments to internal stakeholders

• Provide internal stakeholders with actionable items related to medical / product strategy or clinical development based on customer perspectives.

• Partner with traditional and non-traditional stakeholders to identify gaps in the patient experience journey as insights to be included in the medical / product strategies.

• Identify and develop needs-based relationships with pathologists, molecular pathologists, molecular diagnostics kit suppliers, scientific experts, laboratory decision makers, thought-leaders, and scientific organizations.

• Identify barriers to testing through partnerships with diagnostic companies, lab networks, and Health Care Professionals (HCPs). Execution of tactical plans locally to support and educate on appropriate testing.

• Help develop robust testing facilities in strategic centres, including protocol support, working on identification and removing bottlenecks in testing through education, awareness, and advocacy.

• Help to deliver appropriate, approved, educational information on disease, pathology and diagnostics to internal and external stakeholders. Deliver highly technical and medical data presentations to Pathologists, HCPs and multidisciplinary teams.

• Support externally sponsored research as appropriate

• Share diagnostic quality data with laboratory staff.

• Encourage multi-disciplinary diagnostic quality assurance programs at Institutions.

• Understand the current and emerging diagnostic testing environment.

• Share internally approved, educational information on diagnostics to the heads of clinical/pathology Laboratories and their staff.

• Support strategy roll out and educate on need for testing.

• Enforce the AZ Code of Conduct, SOPs as well as align with all regulatory and compliance requirements for the role.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• Must be a Qualified Medical Doctor or completed / MSc/PhD in a scientific discipline 

• MSL, Medical Advisor Management experience and Medical Affairs Manager role - minimum 5 years in medical affairs role

• Medical/Scientific knowledge in diagnostics in Oncology and Rare Diseases

• Interest in a long-term career in the pharmaceutical industry.

• MSc/PhD  in a scientific discipline would be advantageous 

• Understanding of multiple aspects within Medical Affairs

• Experience of Medical Affairs function within a pharmaceutical industry

• Experience in relationship and stakeholder management 

• Project management experience

• Excellent presentation and communication skills 

• Ability to travel. 

• Fluency in English is required. 

Why AstraZeneca?

We are proud to have achieved Top Employer certification in South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria, as well as our Best Place To Work certification in Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, and Senegal. It is the fourth year South Africa and Kenya have been awarded the Top Employer certification. Amongst the world's top 30 workplaces in 2023 This distinction is a confirmation of our commitment and ability to sustain people, partnerships, and employee engagement and foster an innovative workplace environment.

At AstraZeneca, we’re dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. Where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science and unleash your entrepreneurial spirit. There’s no better place to make a difference to medicine, patients and society. An inclusive culture that champions diversity and collaboration, and always committed to lifelong learning, growth and development. We’re on an exciting journey to pioneer the future of healthcare. Join the fastest-growing pharmaceutical in our markets, set up to fuel further growth. Be part of our shared ambition and pride: our strong heritage, our turnaround story, and early investment and commitment in International markets. There’s no better place to feel inspired and energized.

SO, WHAT’S NEXT?

Are you already imagining yourself joining our team? Good, because we can’t wait to hear from you!

Click the link to apply no later than 06 December 2024 and we’ll be in touch as soon as we can.

WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE?

Our Social Media, Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/1603/

Follow AstraZeneca on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/astrazenecacareers/

Close Date: 06/12/2024

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorisation and employment eligibility verification requirements.