Director, External Partnerships
AstraZenecaAbout the role
The External Partnership Director develops and executes the engagement strategy for high impact collaborations with external partners to support clinical trial delivery. The role oversees the full partnership lifecycle—from strategic planning to operational execution—ensuring strong performance, best-in-class relationships, and cross functional alignment. Key responsibilities include identifying opportunities to expand collaboration, managing partner interfaces for clinical trials, and coordinating across clinical, legal, medical affairs, and other internal teams.
Accountabilities
Partnership Strategy: Define and implement an external partnership strategy aligned with portfolio priorities, including governance structures and performance metrics.
Relationship Management: Serve as the primary Clinical Operations contact for key partners. Establish governance, lead business planning and performance reviews, manage issue escalation, and provide executive-level updates.
Cross Functional Orchestration: Collaborate with stakeholders such as Feasibility, Clinical Operations, Legal, Contracts, and Medical Affairs to align priorities, optimize study and site placement, and ensure effective communication between partners, vendors, and AstraZeneca.
Performance Management: Establish KPIs and dashboards (e.g., enrollment, cycle times, data quality). Lead review cadences, monitor compliance with agreements, and implement corrective or preventive actions.
Maximize enrollment and experience: Identify and execute opportunities to accelerate enrollment while improving the clinical trial and customer experience.
Scientific and regional insight: Apply scientific and regional knowledge to support feasibility assessments, strategic site allocation, and portfolio planning. Leverage oncology strategy maps to ensure alignment with evolving treatment landscapes and site priorities
Barrier removal and issue escalation: Partner with internal teams to resolve operational barriers. Serve as the escalation point for performance issues for both internally and externally led studies.
Operational excellence and standardization: Develop and implement partnership frameworks and operating models that promote standardization and best practices.
Environmental surveillance and strategy: Monitor regulatory and operational trends to inform leadership of emerging risks, site landscape changes, and innovative engagement models
Technology: Drive the integration of digital and centralized solutions (e.g., eReg, remote SIVs, EMR based identification)
Continuous Improvement: Benchmark partner performance, refine playbooks, and share insights and lessons learned
Essential Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline, preferably life sciences, or equivalent qualification.
Minimum of 8 years’ experience in Clinical Operations or related fields.
Proven experience in
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