Scientific Communications Senior Director

About the Role

The Senior Director, Scientific Communications is a global leadership role responsible for shaping and delivering a compelling, enterprise-wide scientific narrative that brings AstraZeneca’s science to life. This role partners closely with Global Medical Affairs Leads (GMALs) and cross-functional teams to ensure clarity, consistency, and impact in how evidence is communicated across the medical ecosystem.

You will provide strategic direction and oversight across scientific content creation, training, and digital engagement—ensuring all activities are aligned with franchise objectives and delivered through a cohesive MESO confidence plan. Acting as the orchestrator of scientific messaging, you will work alongside the Content Excellence team, Medical Affairs leaders, and Centres of Excellence to ensure high-quality, timely, and compliant communication of our science to both internal and external stakeholders.

Therapeutic Areas:

• Lung

• Breast

• GI

• GU/Gyn

• Hematology

• Emerging Portfolio

Key Responsibilities

Scientific Narrative & Strategy Leadership

• Lead the development of robust, evidence-based scientific narratives in partnership with GMALs to support global medical strategies and franchise objectives.

• Embed the scientific narrative into confidence plans, ensuring consistency in how evidence is communicated across assets, indications, and markets.

• Translate medical strategy into clear communication objectives, plans, and deliverables for global and priority markets.

• Ensure the scientific narrative is consistently reflected across publications, congresses, medical education, and external engagement activities.

Content, Education & Engagement Oversight

• Orchestrate implementation meetings enabling MESO teams to design, develop, and deliver medical education, training, and external engagement materials aligned to the scientific narrative.

• Provide review and assurance of materials used to convey the scientific narrative across channels and audiences.

• Commission and oversee content briefs across multiple formats (e.g., MSL materials, Q&As, training content, symposium assets, booth visuals, digital snippets).

• Define and track performance metrics (utilisation, reach, engagement, field pull-through), refining approaches based on insights and outcomes.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Partner closely with GMALs, EG2P, Regional Leads, and Publications teams to align evidence generation, publications strategy, and communications planning.

• Guide GMALs and Partnership Leads to ensure external engagement and partnership deliverables align with the scientific narrative.

• Act as a core member of Medical Innovation Teams (MITs) for priority assets, aligning evidence generation and communications for coherent pull-through.

• Apply Oncologic Principles to ensure scientific consistency across IBTs, GPTs, and Tumour Councils, while tailoring messaging for diverse audiences.

Content Excellence & Platform Enablement

• Lead and guide Content Leads and Content Specialists to deliver high-quality, on-time assets aligned with franchise communication strategies.

• Collaborate with Content Excellence and MESO teams to optimize use of the Scientific Communications platform and leverage digital and AI-enabled tools to improve productivity, reuse, and localization.

Qualifications & Experience

• Advanced degree in Pharmacy (PharmD, PhD, MD preferred), Pharmacology, Life Sciences, or equivalent clinical experience.

• Significant experience in Medical Communications, Medical Information, or Scientific Communications within the pharmaceutical industry.

• Deep understanding of the Medical Affairs function and global medical strategy delivery.

• Proven expertise in developing and executing scientific narratives at a global level.

• Experience leveraging AI platforms and digital tools for content creation and dissemination.

• Strong strategic thinking, stakeholder management, and communication skills (written and verbal).

• Thorough knowledge of global and local regulatory, legal, and compliance requirements.

• Experience managing vendors and agencies.

• Ability to thrive in a complex, matrixed, and fast-evolving environment.

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $249,185