Director, Global Patient Advocacy Lead

Reporting to VP Global Head Patient Experience, this position is part of Alexion AstraZeneca Rare Disease Patient Experience team and is responsible for leading the Global patient advocacy strategy and patient engagement within the Alexion Rare Disease Business unit and may span multiple disease within the current portfolio and pipeline.  

This role will drive the global strategy to find opportunities to understand and support the patient journey including accelerating the time to diagnosis, disease awareness and resources, treatment advances, and providing caregiver support to improve health outcomes.  

The Director, Patient Advocacy will be responsible for driving, building and enhancing strategic alliances with both disease-specific advocacy organizations and those that span across disease area umbrella groups, as well as other rare/ultra-rare disease-oriented organizations in response to patient needs to drive Alexion AstraZeneca Rare Disease global patient advocacy strategic goals.   

In this role you will enhance Alexion’s commitment and demonstration of patient centricity. Through understanding of the patient community, this individual will bring the patient perspective into Alexion Astra Zeneca Rare Disease decision making. 

You will be responsible for: 

• Establish Alexion as a strong partner to the global relevant patient communities promoting strategic, long-term partnerships with this community by strengthening existing collaborations and identifying new groups for partnerships and engagement 

• Shape and coordinate execution of global patient advocacy strategy and plans disease areas in scope through effective cross-functional partnerships with Therapeutic Area leaders of Alexion’s Medical and Commercial organizations and coordinate with critical internal partners.

• Advance patient-focused drug development, ensuring strategic partnership with rare disease communities in support of R&D programs and clinical trials, working closely with Global Patient Insights and Solutions (GPIS) towards facilitating and implementing early patient engagement and insights activities and supporting clinical trial awareness and recruitment   

• Leading patient identification, engagement and relationship development to support PEX organized frameworks (STAR workshops, Patient Frictions Coefficients, Patient Insights Forum, etc.) to ensure effective cross-sectional representation of patient and caregivers within those platforms 

• Promote patient-partnered alliances and initiatives with PAGs to advance access and equity by shaping policies and guidelines that are informed by the lived experience of patients and caregivers. Partner closely with Corporate Affairs teams towards actions that support system changes supporting the advancement of policy positions that embrace appreciation of innovation and the importance of optimal treatment as it applies to the disease areas in scope for this role. 

• Link appropriate patient groups with the information and resources needed to support patients and caregivers to advocate for appropriate care. Build a sense of communi