Launch Project Manager - 12 months FTC

Launch Excellence PMO - CVRM
AstraZeneca UK – BBU Commercial (Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism)
12 Month Fixed Term Contract
Location: Pancras Square, London

Introduction to Role

This is a pivotal opportunity to shape a best‑in‑class launch for our product in the UK. As Launch Excellence PMO, you will orchestrate the end‑to‑end launch plan, drive cross‑functional execution, and embed disciplined governance that accelerates launch trajectory while protecting quality, compliance, and patient impact. You will be the integrator across medical, market access, marketing, sales, digital, regulatory, supply, and analytics—providing clarity, cadence, and accountability. The ideal candidate brings a consulting or advanced project management background in pharma, succeeds through influence without authority, and can hold teams to account while enabling high performance.

Key Accountabilities Launch Strategy, Planning and Governance

• Integrated Launch Plan (ILP): Build, own, and continuously refine the ILP covering pre‑, at‑, and post‑launch phases (strategy, evidence and insight generation, value/access, regulatory milestones, HCP and patient engagement, field readiness, supply, digital, omnichannel, and analytics). Establish critical paths, interdependencies, and phase gates.
• Operational Planning & Governance: Design and run the launch governance model (steerco, x‑functional workstreams, decision logs). Set the meeting cadence, agendas, and decision rights; ensure clear outcomes, and risk management.
• Readiness & Certification: Define cross‑functional Day 0 readiness criteria and checklists; run readiness reviews, mock launches, and go/no‑go processes; coordinate materials VVPM approval tracking in accordance with ABPI and AZ standards.

Cross‑Functional Leadership and Influence

• Stakeholder Alignment: Align medical, market access, marketing, sales, regulatory, supply chain, finance, procurement, and digital partners around shared goals, timelines, and measures of success.
• Influencing without Authority: Drive delivery from senior and peer stakeholders by establishing clear commitments, transparent status reporting; resolve dependencies and remove blockers.
• External Interfaces: Coordinate with global/region launch excellence teams, and  external agencies to ensure coherence local execution plan.

Execution Excellence and Performance

• Milestones & Critical Path: Track progress to key launch milestones (e.g., HTA submissions and outcomes, pricing approvals, supply release, field force certification, promotional material approval, go‑live activities). Maintain forward‑looking risk registers with mitigations and owners.
• Metrics and Insight: Define and monitor KPIs spanning pre‑launch readiness, launch uptake, and early post‑launch performance (e.g., local formulary status, HCP activation, channel performance, adoption, supply). Provide insight and recommendations.
• Issue Resolution & Escalation: Lead cross‑functional scenario planning as needed; escalate and drive timely decisions; ensure lessons learned are captured and translated into actionable improvements.

Communications and Change

• Narrative & Engagement: Craft concise, compelling updates for senior leadership and future field teams, linking activities to patient outcomes and commercial objectives. Curate a consistent “red thread” through all launch forums and materials.
• Change Management: Partner with functional leads to prepare teams for new processes, tools, and ways of working; enable adoption through training plans, comms, and feedback loops.

Tools, Processes and Ways of Working

• PMO Tooling: Implement pragmatic tooling for planning, RAID logs, dashboards, and document control (e.g., MS Project/Planner, Power BI, Teams/SharePoint). Ensure single source of truth and version control.
• Standards & Compliance: Embed ABPI, information governance, promotional compliance, and medical governance checkpoints into the plan. Coordinate with Medical, Legal, and Compliance to ensure timely approvals.

Budgeting and Resourcing

• Budget Tracking: Coordinate workstream budget inputs, track spend versus plan, manage change requests, and flag variances with options and recommendations.
• Vendor & Agency Coordination: Support scope definition, onboarding, deliverable tracking, and performance management for agencies supporting launch activities.

Confidentiality & Professionalism Operate with discretion and integrity, maintaining strict confidentiality and upholding AstraZeneca values.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Project management background: Experience delivering cross‑functional projects or workstreams in pharmaceuticals or life sciences consulting, with familiarity with common PM methodologies (e.g., Prince2, Agile, PMP preferred but not required). Demonstrated ability to manage timelines, dependencies, and RAID for defined scopes.
• Pharmaceutical launch exposure: Hands‑on experience supporting a UK (or comparable) pharma launch or major brand initiative, with working knowledge of medical governance, ABPI, HTA milestones, pricing and market access processes, and field readiness activities.
• Influence and delivery through others: Proven ability to coordinate and influence peer and workstream stakeholders, secure clear commitments, and drive follow‑through via transparent status reporting and issue tracking; escalates effectively when needed.
• Strategy‑to‑execution translation: Able to interpret brand and access strategies provided by senior leads and convert them into detailed workplans, deliverables, and metrics within assigned workstreams or components of the Integrated Launch Plan.
• Clear, concise communication: Strong written and verbal communication; capable of preparing stakeholder updates, action‑oriented summaries, and meeting materials that enable timely decisions by senior leaders.
• Analytical and digital proficiency: Proficient with MS Office and Teams/SharePoint; comfortable building trackers and simple dashboards or reports (e.g., PowerPoint, Excel, Power BI basics) to translate data into actionable next steps.
• Sound judgement and resilience: Reliable prioritisation and attention to detail; stays organised under time pressure; anticipates risks within scope and proposes practical mitigations.
• AZ/UK ecosystem familiarity: Experience collaborating within a UK affiliate or global/region team across medical, market access, marketing, sales, regulatory, and supply functions, with an understanding of how these teams interact during launch.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Therapy Area Experience: Background in cardiovascular, renal, or metabolic therapy areas and/or rare/orphan launches with complex access dynamics.
• Project Management: Prince2, Agile, Prosci or equivalent accreditation; experience running project teams or sprints.
• Data & Omnichannel: Exposure to omnichannel launch approaches, CRM enablement, content factory operations, and digital measurement frameworks.
• Degree‑Level Education: Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (MBA, Life Sciences) advantageous.

What We Offer

• Contract: 12‑month Fixed Term Contract at E grade, with the opportunity to establish as a permanent role based on launch success and evolving business needs.
• Environment: High‑impact role at the heart of a flagship launch, with senior visibility and cross‑functional collaboration.

Date Posted

14-Apr-2026

Closing Date

25-Apr-2026

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the 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.