Jobs and Careers
AS

Global Medical Affairs, Executive Director, Medical Capabilities, Training & MSL Excellence

AstraZeneca
Gaithersburg, United Statesfull_timeVerifiedPosted 24 Jun 2026
💰 $428,809/yr($285,873/yr$428,809/yr)

About the role

Introduction to role

Are you ready to lead a team that builds world-class medical capabilities and elevates MSL excellence? As the Executive Director, you will report to the Vice President of Medical Excellence, Strategy & Operations. Your mission is to deliver scientific training and operationalize impact metrics for portfolio and Field Medical engagement. Collaborate with Global, Regional, and Country Medical teams, as well as R&D, Commercial, Compliance, and Digital, to ensure scientific credibility and high-quality external engagement. Your work will have a measurable impact on patient and healthcare system outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

  • Scientific Training Strategy & Delivery: Own the global scientific learning strategy across the portfolio, including disease, product, and evidence curricula. Oversee onboarding, core academies, and continuing education using modern learning approaches to ensure proficiency and retention.
  • Field Medical Excellence: Set global standards for Field Medical roles, external engagement, scientific exchange, insight generation, and cross‑functional collaboration, ensuring high quality and compliant interactions.
  • Medical Capabilities & Ways of Working: Build and evolve core global medical capabilities (e.g., digital engagement, medical strategy, insights to action, launch excellence, scientific narratives, and evidence literacy). Partner with regions to drive capability adoption and mentor.
  • Impact Measurement & Analytics: Define critical metrics linking medical strategy to outcomes across the asset lifecycle. Partner with Data & Analytics to deliver standardized metrics, dashboards, and actionable insights.
  • Medical Insights & Evidence Translation: Enable high‑quality insight collection and translation from local to global teams to advise strategy, evidence generation, and decision‑making.
  • Governance, Quality & Compliance: Ensure training, materials, and Field Medical practices align with global and local regulations and internal standards. Support governance forums and maintain audit readiness.
  • Leadership & Talent Development: Lead a distributed team and matrixed network, setting vision, developing leaders, handling budgets and vendors, and building succession pipelines.
  • Organizational Change & Technology Enablement: Drive adoption of new capabilities, processes, and tools, including learning platforms, Field Medical systems, content management, and analytics solutions.
  • Budget & Vendor Management: Own budget planning and optimization and lead strategic partners to support high‑quality delivery.

Essential Skills/Experience

  • Sophisticated Graduate Business or Medical Degree (MBA, MBBS, PharmD, PhD, or MD)
  • A minimum of 10 years in Medical Affairs with dynamic leadership across global and regional roles; direct experience building medical capabilities and MSL organizations; proven track record in scientific training design and delivery; experience establishing and scaling impact metrics and dashboards.
  • Deep understanding of scientific exchange principles, external partner engagement, and compliance frameworks across major geographies. Comfortable with digital/omni-channel medical and analytics.
  • Demonstrates critical thinking, enterprise approach, change leadership, partner influence at senior levels, people development, and matrix leadership across geographies and cultures.
  • Experienced with CRM and insights systems, LMS/LXP platforms, content management, critical metric dashboarding/BI tools; ability to interpret data and translate into actions.

Desirable Skills/Experience

  • Visionary leadership with enterprise perspective and ability to balance global standards with local needs.
  • Scientific rigor paired with digital proficiency and pragmatic execution.
  • Change leadership and adoption excellence across matrixed, multicultural environments.
  • Strong analytical mindset with focus on measurable impact and continuous improvement.
  • High ethical standards and dedication to compliance, patient-centricity, and quality.

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.

At AstraZeneca, we are at the forefront of transforming cancer t

Apply for this role

Generate a tailored application kit with a matched cover letter, interview prep, and CV highlights — in under 60 seconds.

Apply Now →Generate Application Kit

Free account required — sign up in 30s

Company

AstraZeneca

View company profile →