Head, BioPharmaceuticals Medical (BPM) Evidence Excellence

BioPharmaceuticals Medical (BPM) ensures the best patient outcomes by providing healthcare decision-makers around the world with the evidence and confidence they need on AZ therapies and support our internal stakeholders with medical insight and expertise. BPM provides medical leadership with market participation and connectivity while also impacting the life cycle planning and execution of all our products. Global Medical Affairs aims to lead AstraZeneca in achieving scientific leadership, being a great place to work, and keeping patients at the core of everything we do.BPM Evidence organization is accountable for the delivery of global strategic studies required to generate the evidence to build the confidence on AZ therapies and additional observational, interventional and externally sponsored research required by Global Product Teams and Global Medical Teams.The Head, Evidence Excellence is accountable for leading and manage four main areas in BPM Evidence: Financial management, Systems & tools, Capacity Management, CRO Partnership, Business Performance & Metrics. This role is responsible to develop and maintain a long-term strategy through innovations in all these areas and ensure alignment with other functions and overall company strategy.This role is a key member of the BPM Evidence LT responsible for shaping BPM Evidence strategic direction in an effective manner that maximizes return on investment & contribution to the achievement of the overall medical affairs & company business objectives.As the lead Finance resource in the Evidence team, the Head, Evidence Excellence will lead a global team accountable for leading the planning & controls of all BPM/OBU medical-managed activities including Evidence Generation activities, publications & confidence activities (>250M$) and ensuring consistent approach across TA; ensuring quality and accuracy of financial and business data in the key AZ systems to enable teams to make effective business decisions. This role is viewed by the customer as the lead Finance expert in BPM Evidence/OBU Medical Evidence & is also managing the overall BPM Evidence functional budget.This role is responsible to develop and execute process, systems & tools strategy to enable evidence generation. The position is accountable for ensuring operational excellence by identifying opportunities for continuous improvement/build and maintenance of Evidence systems.The Head, Evidence Excellence is also responsible for the design and running of key KPI/Metrics reports and dashboards that are aligned with business objectives and working with global and local stakeholders to ensure consistency of reporting and metrics.In order to accomplish our goals and enable the best patient outcomes, we look for future AZ medical network leaders to have five (5) core capabilities:A track record of building and maintaining a deep continued connection to Medical Practice/healthcare deliveryCollaborative/matrix management skills with a focus on leading diverse groups (e.g., cultural, geographical, functional) to achieve excellent results in shared goalsStrong communication skills with the ability to distil complexity down to what matters to our stakeholdersStrong Financial/Budget Management and Project Management skillsStrong business acumenThe Head, Evidence Excellence is also accountable for staff development, evaluation, hiring and alignment of personnel to support BPM & Evidence objectives in alignment with the AstraZeneca values. Direct report accountabilities are part of the role.Business Strategy & Decision Support: The Head, Evidence Excellence group will, in close partnership with Finance and BPM Strategy and Planning, develop the portfolio business plan, define and get alignment around decision criteria, and collect and manage inputs and decision committees around investments in order to shape the business, focused mostly around Evidence Generation activities. The role is leading the financial business and risk analysis and decision support to leadership teams showing various business models and analysis. Generate innovative ideas based on synthesis of qualitative and quantitative information. Provide financial input to shape strategies and develop business and operational plans. Lead Finance role in review and development of short & long-term strategy for the assigned business unit. Maintain an up-to-date understanding of all developments which may affect the organisation’s options and assessing business impact.Business Performance:Accountability with the business for the accuracy of forecasts and leveraging sound understanding of the business model and financial drivers to challenge and influence the key cost drivers.Lead the Continuous development of tools calculating FTE & costs needed for evidence activitiesEnsure team provides reliable operational and financial forecasts ensuring resources are allocated to maximize valueContribute to the setting of performance targets, setting stretch but attainable objectives, aligned to strategy and operational plans. Highlight sensitivities and risks.Proactively drive efficiencies including seeking cross functional process solutions. May lead or support major projects & improvements initiativesThrough best practice stakeholder management techniques, explore needs with internal customers and external suppliers and utilize this information to improve business resultsPlanning and Operations:The Head, Evidence Excellence will help shape the strategic planning, operational support and infrastructure for the function, and will be responsible for establishing and managing business processes and systems to ensure execution of the EvGen transformation, enable business as usual activity as well as implementation of key initiatives. In collaboration with the finance department the Head of Business Performance & Enablement will manage the budget for Evidence, inclusive of the functional budget and the EvGen study budgets. Line management of the members of the Evidence Excellence organization:Promote and encourage communication within and across departmentsRecruit, retain and develop personnel through skills development and creation of opportunitiesProvide performance management, assessment and reward proposals for direct reportsEnsure policy administration and implementation within the organizationMaintain an environment that attracts, develops and retains highly qualified employeesEnsure that SHE standards are adhered for direct reports including appropriate work-life balance.Carries out effective succession planningLeads or oversees a diverse range of initiatives to improve decision making and ensure continuous improvement within Medical AffairsLeads the development, with a team, of new methodologies or processes to provide business benefits and evaluate time and cost implicationsKeeps own knowledge and other’s knowledge of best practices and relevant developments up to dateLeads, guides, evaluates and develops a management team within own portfolio area of BPM to ensure it achieves its objectives and complies with all relevant regulation and lawsDrive the strategy execution of the IS/IT plans and ensure alignment with the business to ensure meeting AZ’s global and local objectives whilst delivering maximum value and return on investment. Foster an environment in which innovation can flourish and satisfy the innovation needs of the business, through improvements in productivity, quality, competitive positioning and costumer focus.Education, Qualifications and Experience:Essential:Advanced degree(s) in business and/or sciences, or equivalent.10+ years experience in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology or relevant health care industry required, ideally including experience in evidence development, portfolio management, medical affairs, life cycle management including headquarter, region and country roles.Experience leading and managing in a global, matrix environmentExperience and success in developing and managing a strategy and planning and/or financial planning and budgeting process.Business Acumen expert knowledge.Financial Management specialist knowledge.Strong experience leading program management and project teams with a track record of delivery results in a complex environment.Track record in developing innovative/entrepreneurial solutions, delivering a new capability or driving a change effort.Knowledge and experience working with Evidence activities (NIS, EAP, ESR, RWE, Interventional studies,) with an understanding of the related business performance indicators.Track record of Effective project and budget management experience & expertise.Ability to influence strategically and persuade tactfully, to obtain desired outcomes while maintaining effective, positive organisational relationships.Persuasive communicator in English with a proven ability to work collaboratively in a multi-cultural & virtual environmentExperience leading, promoting, motivating and empowering others to accomplish individual, team and organisational objective.Knowledge and ability to apply governance, risk, quality assurance and compliance components.Desirable:Experience in working with 3rd party vendors is a plusExperience in working across boundaries with other Functions, Regions & Countries is a plusInnovative and out of the box attributesKnowledge of the AZ business planning processKnowledge of the systems used by Medical Affairs within AZDate Posted12-Apr-2024Closing Date30-Apr-2024