Senior Director, USMA Business Planning

Location: Gaithersburg, MD (3 days per week)

The Lead/Head, USMA Business Planning is a senior strategic leadership role that owns and drives the broader finance and planning cycle for US Medical Affairs (USMA), shaping how the organization plans, prioritizes and executes against enterprise strategy. The role owns the integrated USMA business planning capability (iMAP) – unifying strategy, medical plans, initiatives, resources, budgets, payments and milestones into a single operating model – and gives CIME and USMA leadership one consolidated, decision-ready view of the portfolio and the actions required to advance it. Working directly with the Finance Director, the Lead/Head coordinates the key forums that govern the USMA planning cycle — including the franchise forums — and independently owns the agendas, milestones, timelines, due dates and organizational scorecard that keep USMA aligned and on track.

The Lead/Head builds and leads a future-fit, AI-enabled SPM and Business Specialist organization in partnership with the CIME Innovation team, and works as a trusted strategic partner to the Head of CIME, the USMA Vice President, Franchise Heads, the Finance Director, Commercial OLT Business Planning Leads and GMA MESO leadership. This is an elevated, enterprise-facing role that combines strategic influence, senior people leadership and hands-on portfolio ownership across a complex, matrixed medical organization — with the expectation that the Lead/Head independently leads the USMA finance and planning cycle and the integrated medical planning process end-to-end, rather than simply supporting it.

Key responsibilities

• Strategic portfolio leadership: Own and continuously evolve the integrated USMA business planning capability (iMAP), independently translating enterprise strategy into an integrated portfolio, annual plans, milestones and measures, and positioning USMA as a model for future-fit medical planning.

• SPM leadership: Lead, elevate and develop the franchise/function-aligned SPM organization, carrying direct accountability for driving — in a clear and consistent way — the integrated USMA medical planning process across the team; set strategic objectives and standards, allocate work against enterprise priorities, manage performance, and build capability and succession for the next generation of SPM talent.

• Business Specialist leadership: Lead the USMA Operations Manager and the Business Specialist organization, including oversight of purchase orders, invoicing and budget rephasing in Anaplan, ensuring consistent, high-quality operational services and development across the team.

• Flexible capacity deployment: Assess demand and capacity across the SPM and Business Specialist teams and flexibly deploy or rebalance support against business priority, workload and risk, while building deep Tumor expertise across the Project Manager book of work.

• Governance and planning rhythm: Independently own and drive the USMA planning rhythm and decision-making forums — including coordinating the franchise forums — setting and managing the agendas, milestones, timelines, due dates and the USMA organizational scorecard, and establishing common platforms, lexicon, governance, standards, tools, dashboards, tracking and escalation routes across every TA Franchise.

• Finance and planning cycle ownership: Own and drive the broader USMA finance and planning cycle end-to-end, working directly with the Finance Director. Lead the Mid-Term Planning (MTP) process from start to finish — consolidating inputs across franchises and functions, generating insights, and reviewing and challenging the outputs with the relevant functional leaders — and partner with the USMA Vice President to build the USMA narrative for MTP and Reporting Business Unit (RBU) financial reviews ahead of submission.

• Portfolio storytelling and executive communication: Serve as the primary voice of the USMA portfolio, giving CIME, USMA leadership, the USMA Vice President and Franchise Heads a clear, decision-ready narrative of strategic alignment, execution reliability and team performance.

• Enterprise transformation: Lead or sponsor USMA's most complex cross-franchise, cross-functional and transformation priorities, representing USMA in enterprise-wide forums including MALT and Commercial OLT.

• Enterprise leadership (ONX & USMA All Hands): Lead the entire USMA organization through the operations and planning process for the ONX and USMA All Hands meetings, directing all franchise sub-teams and SPM involvement to ensure the Franchises are fully and successfully supported.

• Operating model and standards: Define and continuously improve business planning methods, tools, templates, systems, service expectations and ways of working, standardizing a coherent, enterprise-wide approach to project management and prioritization across USMA.

• Talent and organization: Own organization design, hiring, onboarding, performance, coaching, development, succession, engagement and team effectiveness across the SPM and Business Specialist function, building a strong talent pipeline and leadership bench.

• Future-fit and AI innovation: Partner with the CIME Innovation team to advance the future-fit Ways of Working for the SPM and Business Specialist organizations, simplifying processes and embedding digital and AI tools in support of the AI2030 mission to improve quality, speed, insight and consistency.

• Compliance: Ensure work follows applicable policies, quality requirements, governance expectations and financial controls.

Essential skills and experience

• Bachelor's degree in business, science, healthcare, technology or a related discipline.

• 8+ years of pharmaceutical experience ideally in Medical Affairs

• Progressive, senior leadership experience across business planning, portfolio/program management and operations, including leading through influence in a complex, matrixed enterprise environment.

• Demonstrated experience leading professional teams and people leaders, including objectives, coaching, performance management, development and succession.

• Strong portfolio judgment, risk management and executive escalation.

• Strong financial and business acumen, with demonstrated experience owning an end-to-end financial planning cycle (e.g., Mid-Term Planning/MTP) — consolidating inputs, generating insights and building the narrative for enterprise financial and portfolio reviews (e.g., MTP/RBU or equivalent) — ideally gained working directly with a Finance Director or senior finance partner.

• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and align franchises and functions without relying solely on direct authority.

• Excellent planning, facilitation, synthesis and executive-communication skills, with demonstrated ability to tell a clear, compelling portfolio story to senior leadership.

Proficiency with portfolio/project management tools, Microsoft 365, analytics and responsible use of AI.

Working knowledge of compliance, quality and governance expectations.

Desirable skills and experience 

• MBA, MS or relevant advanced degree.

• PMP, portfolio management or equivalent certification.

• Medical Affairs, Oncology or pharmaceutical experience.

• Experience leading an enterprise PMO, business planning, strategy execution or portfolio organization, including leading large-scale, cross-functional forums or all-hands meetings.

• Experience leading a geographically distributed or cross-border team, and familiarity with enterprise planning platforms such as Anaplan.

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $195,200- $293, 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.

Date Posted

07-Oct-2026

Closing Date

21-Oct-2026

Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.

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.