Senior Director, Contract and Trade Operations

At AstraZeneca, we turn ideas into life changing medicines. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big and working together to make the impossible a reality. We’re passionate about the potential of science to address the unmet needs of patients around the world. We commit to those areas where we believe we can really change the course of medicine and bring big new ideas to life.

We are hiring a Senior Director, Contract and Trade Operations for our Market Access Operations team. Reporting to the Executive Director, Market Access Operations and serving as a core member of the leadership team, this role oversees the end‑to‑end lifecycle of market access contracts—spanning drafting, negotiation, and regulatory compliance to enable both patient access and value creation. The leader will drive contract implementation, rebate and chargeback processing, and revenue‑leakage analysis, directing high‑performing teams to improve efficiency in close partnership with payers, wholesalers, and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). Importantly, this role will be accountable for steering the organization through a period of change as we adapt rebate constructs in light of evolving policy updates, setting direction, aligning stakeholders, and ensuring disciplined execution to safeguard market access contracts and sustain operational excellence.

What You’ll Do:

• Operational Management: Oversee the full contract lifecycle—from drafting through execution and renewal—ensuring timely, efficient implementation of pricing strategies and policies aligned with business objectives.

• Contract Administration: Lead administration of Market Access customer contracts, securing favorable terms and ensuring compliance with Gross-to-Net (GTN) implications and Fair Market Value (FMV) assessments.

• Operational Excellence: Drive economic transparency, accurate processing, and SOX‑compliant auditability for payments—including rebates, service fees, data purchases, and outcomes‑based arrangements—within a robust, end‑to‑end framework emphasizing internal controls, data integrity, and disciplined documentation.

• Launch Readiness & Supply Chain: Coordinate cross‑functional product launch activities, manage wholesaler orders, and ensure supply continuity.

• Change Leadership & Team Management: Lead a large, high‑performing team through a period of change, ensuring processes reflect best practice and evolve in step with a rapidly changing external landscape. Make staffing decisions and effectively assess and coach managers to optimize team composition, capability, and performance.

• Process Improvement: Institutionalize standardized operating processes while continuously identifying and implementing enhancements to improve efficiency, accuracy, and compliance.

• Compliance & Risk Management: Ensure adherence to all laws, regulations, and policies governing AZ Contract and Trade Operations, proactively manage risks, and participate as a voting member of the GTN Governance Committee.

• Performance Metrics & Analytics: Develop and operationalize KPIs and dashboards to monitor contract performance, financial liabilities, and account/partner performance; deliver data‑driven insights on market trends to support strategic planning and decision‑making.

• Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Partner with Legal, Finance, Brand, and Market Access teams to align contracting strategies with commercial goals.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain strategic relationships with key external stakeholders—including payers, wholesalers, and industry associations—and manage vendor and third‑party partnerships.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field (Business, Finance, or Life Sciences).

• 8 years in market access, access strategy or finance with at least 5 years in a leadership role.  Proven track record in leading and developing high‑performing teams

• Strong understanding of payers, specialty pharmacy models (including limited distribution networks), 3PL operations, and group purchasing organizations.

• Proficiency in contract management systems (e.g., Model N, Salesforce), ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle), and data analytics tools (e.g., Excel, PowerBI).

• Successfully leads cross-functional projects, manages vendor relationships, and negotiates in matrixed organizations.

Preferred Requirements:

• An Advanced Degree (MA/MS/MBA) or equivalent experience is preferred

• Pharmaceutical trade, distribution, or contracting roles

• Detailed understanding of AZ business model with knowledge of brand team