Local Study Associate Director (Field-US)

Introduction to role:

Are you ready to lead country-level delivery of pivotal cancer trials and turn complexity into high-quality data that changes lives? This is your opportunity to direct Local Study Teams across one or more studies, accelerating start-up, safeguarding quality, and ensuring every site is set up to succeed—so patients can access innovative treatments sooner.

You will join a fast-moving, purposeful environment focused on earlier detection and treatment, with strong emphasis on early-stage clinical trials. Working from start-up through close-out, you will bring together investigators, CRAs, CSAs and global partners to remove obstacles, optimize execution and deliver to plan. Can you see yourself orchestrating sites, timelines, and budgets to hit first-patient-in faster while maintaining uncompromising quality?

In this role, you will translate strategy into results at the country level—owning delivery, leading risk, and elevating performance. Your leadership will directly contribute to our ambition to make death from cancer a thing of the past by ensuring robust, timely data that fuels critical decisions.

Accountabilities:

• Has overall responsibility for the study commitments within the country and for timely delivery of data to required quality.

• Leads Local Study Team consisting of CRA(s), CSA(s), for assigned study/studies.

• Leads and optimizes the performance of the Local Study Team(s) at country level ensuring compliance with AZ Procedural Documents, ICH-GCP and local regulations.

• Ensures, as required, that clinical and operational feasibility assessment of potential studies is performed to the highest quality.

• Coordinates the site selection process by identifying potential sites/investigators, performing initial Site Quality Risk Assessment, and conducting Site Qualification Visits to evaluate suitability and quality risks.

• Ensures timely submission of application/documents to EC/IRB at start up and for the duration of the study. Works together with Regulatory Affairs to ensure timely delivery of application/documents for submissions to Regulatory Authority for the duration of the study, and in line with local regulations.

• Ensures timely preparation of country financial Study Management Agreement (fSMA) and maintains accurate study budget in AZ clinical studies financial system by regular checks of the system and financial reports (as agreed with Director, SMM/ Director, Country Head.

• Ensures timely preparation of local Master CSA (including site budget) and amendments as needed.

• Ensures timely preparation of country level Master Informed Consent Form (MICF) and subsequent site level ICFs, as required, including any relevant translations, and in line with relevant AZ SOPs and local regulations.

• Ensures all country and site level trial essential documents required by ICH-GCP prior to study start have been collected and verified for correctness, prior to setting sites ready to enrol, and in line with AZ SOPs.

• Plans and coordinates applicable local drug activities (from local purchase or reimbursement to drug destruction).

• Sets up and maintains the study in CTMS at study country level as well as local websites as required by local laws and regulations.

• Oversees, leads, and coordinates monitoring activities from site activation through to study closure at country and site level in accordance with the Monitoring Plans.

• Reviews monitoring visit reports (as required and following AZ SOPs) and pro-actively advices the monitor(s) on study related matters.

• Performs any required co-monitoring, Accompanied Site Visits/training visits with study CRAs.

• Proactively identifies risks and facilitates resolution of sophisticated study problems and issues.

• Organizes regular Local Study Team meetings on an agenda driven basis. • Actively works towards achieving good personal relationships with all Local Study Team members, sites’ staff, and global partners.

• Reports study progress/update to the Global Study Associate Director/ Global Study Team including SMM Lead.

• Contributes to patient recruitment strategy including regular communication with participating Investigators as vital.

• Develops, maintains, and reviews risk management plans on country study level proactively leads sites, stakeholders, local and global vendors, and customers to ensure risks are timely identified, mitigated, and managed.

• Communicates and co-ordinates regularly with National Co-ordinating Investigator / National Lead Investigator on recruitment and other study matters, if applicable.

• Plans and leads National Investigator meetings, in line with local codes, as required.

• Assists in forecasting study timelines, resources, recruitment, budget, study materials, and drug supplies.

• Ensures relevant systems required to facilitate business critical, license to operate activities (for example, Safety Reporting, Regulatory submissions, Clinical Trial Transparency) are set-up, updated and access is organized at country level.

• Ensures accurate payments related to the study are performed according to local regulations and agreements.

• Participates in training and coaching new members of the Local Study Team ensuring compliance with ICH-GCP and AZ Procedural Documents.

• Ensures completeness of the eTMF and ensures essential documents are uploaded in a timeline manner to maintain the eTMF “Inspection Ready.”

• Ensures that all study documents are ready for final archiving and completion of local part of the eTMF.

• Plans and leads activities associated with audits and regulatory inspections in liaison with CQAD and QA.

• Provides input to process development and improvement.

• Provides regular information to Line Managers at country level on study/ies and planned study milestones/key issues.

• Updates Line Managers about the performance of the CRAs/CSAs.

• Ensures that study activities at country level comply with local policies and code of ethics.

• Provides feedback on any research related information including sites/investigators/competing studies that might be useful for the local market.

• Ensures compliance with AstraZeneca’s Code of Ethics, company policies and procedures relating to people, finance, technology, security, and SHE (Safety, Health, and Environment).

• Collaborates with local Medical Affairs team.

• Supports SMM in different initiatives (local, regional, or global) as agreed with the SMM Line Management.

Essential Skills/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in related discipline, preferably in life science, or equivalent qualification.

• Minimum 3 years of experience in Development Operations (CRA, SrCRA) or other related fields (Medical Affairs-led or Academic-led studies).

• Good knowledge of international guidelines ICH-GCP as well as relevant local regulations.

• Proven ability to lead and motivate cross functional teams to deliver clinical trials according to or ahead of time plan, budget and with required quality.

• Excellent project management skills.

• Excellent team building and people skills.

• Excellent Organisational skills.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Excellent ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks.

• Excellent attention to details.

• Exceptional knowledge of spoken and written English.

• Good negotiation skills.

• Good ability to learn and to adapt to work with IT systems.

• Ability to travel nationally and internationally as required.

Desirable Skills/Experience:

• Good medical knowledge and ability to learn relevant AZ Therapeutic Areas.

• Good knowledge of the Drug Development Process.

• Exceptional understanding of the Clinical Study Process including monitoring.

• Good understanding of the Study Drug Handling Process and the Data Management Process.

• Integrity and high ethical standards.

• Good analytical skills.

• Valuable resource management skills.

• Good decision making and delegation skills.

• Good fiscal management skills.

• Basic change management skills.

• Basic coaching skills.

• Basic ability in handling crisis situations.

• Good intercultural awareness.

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.

The annual base pay (or hourly rate of compensation) for this position ranges from $137,937 to $206,906. Our positions offer eligibility for various incentives—an opportunity to receive short-term incentive bonuses, equity-based awards for salaried roles and commissions for sales roles. Benefits offered include qualified retirement programs, paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves), as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans.

Why AstraZeneca:

Here you will contribute to a bold mission to transform outcomes for people by advancing earlier detection and smarter, faster trials. You will operate at the intersection of innovative science and technology, backed by significant investment and an empowered, collaborative culture that brings clinicians, scientists, and data experts together to accelerate breakthroughs. We value kindness alongside ambition, giving you the trust, tools, and cross-functional partnerships to lead with confidence and shape studies that matter—so your decisions today translate into meaningful patient impact tomorrow.

Call to Action:

Step into this country leadership role to accelerate life-changing trials and turn bold science into result that matter—make your move and help shape what comes next.

Date Posted

07-Jul-2026

Closing Date

12-Jul-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.