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Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States
Hybrid
Not Available
Introduction to role:
At AstraZeneca Cell Therapy, we are building the capabilities required to deliver complex, personalized therapies through a highly coordinated, patient-centered, and digitally enabled operating model. As we evolve from traditional clinical logistics coordination to Vein-to-Vein Operations, we are shifting our focus toward patient and order orchestration, proactive journey management, real-time visibility, exception management, and customer experience that will scale towards Commercial phase and AstraZeneca’s cell therapy ambition.
The Director leads the Vein-to-Vein Operations organizational capability, governance framework, readiness approach, and performance model that enable the transition from reactive shipment support to proactive end-to-end orchestration and support Vein-to-Vein readiness for global expansion and commercial scale. This role partners closely with Clinical Operations, Manufacturing, Quality, Trade Compliance, Digital, Delivery Performance, Packaging, external logistics providers, and other stakeholders to ensure the V2V model is effective, compliant, scalable, and centered on the patient journey.
This is a hybrid position with a requirement to work in the office three days a week.
Accountabilities:
Lead the Vein-to-Vein Operations function, with accountability for organizational design, role clarity, decision rights, governance, ways of working, and execution performance across the end-to-end patient and product journey.
Own the Vein-to-Vein Operations operating model centered on patient and order orchestration, proactive patient journey management, customer experience, and digitally enabled control tower visibility.
Establish and lead the V2V orchestration model, including the 24/7 global control tower mindset and the operating rhythms required to monitor product and patient journeys in real time and intervene proactively.
Lead product journey monitoring capability, ensuring all critical milestones across collection, manufacturing, transit, release, and return delivery are visible, monitored, and linked to timely operational response.
Own slot execution and coordination capability, ensuring the organization can effectively manage the forecast-to-booked slot pipeline and operate within defined planning rules and capacity parameters.
Ensure robust V2V and COI/COC traceability, including appropriate business process ownership, standard templates, process controls, and operational discipline required to maintain traceability and GMP/GDP compliance.
Own exception management and escalation capability, ensuring clear playbooks, decision pathways, and cross-functional escalation processes are in place when patient or product journeys move off the expected path.
Lead courier and logistics provider engagement for active Vein-to-Vein journeys, ensuring real-time milestone visibility, escalation of off-path events, and coordinated recovery actions for shipment delays, temperature excursions, missed milestones, and other transport-related disruptions impacting patient timelines.
Lead customer experience delivery for treatment centers and internal stakeholders by establishing service expectations, communication standards, escalation pathways, and a coordinated end-to-end experience in collaboration with Patient Operations.
Own operational performance management across Vein-to-Vein Operations, including service reliability, milestone adherence, exception trends, customer experience, and execution quality.
Build and Lead cross-functional governance and decision-making for operational, compliance, capacity, and service issues impacting V2V execution.
Ensure operational readiness and scale-up for new studies, countries, sites, third parties, products, lanes, digital capabilities, and Commercial readiness impacting Vein-to-Vein Operations.
Partner with Digital and business stakeholders to ensure systems, workflow design, reporting, and data structures support the intended V2V operating model and real-time visibility requirements that will scale for the future.
Drive continuous improvement across the function by identifying structural issues, prioritizing enhancements, and strengthening the operating model for reliability, scalability, and customer experience.
Provide strong people leadership, building and leading a high-performing team through clear direction, coaching, development, performance management, and a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Essential Skills/Experience:
10+ years (or MS/MA/MBA with 8+ years) in logistics operations at pharma/biotech or leading clinical supply or logistics providers; cell therapy experience preferred.
Minimum education: a Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Life Sciences, Operations, or a related field.
Extensive experience in biopharma supply chain, cell therapy operations, clinical logistics, or related operational leadership roles, typically including 12+ years of relevant experience, with substantial experience in autologous Vein-to-Vein operations and complex regulated environments.
Demonstrated success leading complex operational organizations with accountability for people leadership, operating model design, execution, governance, performance, and continuous improvement.
Deep understanding of patient and order orchestration, COI/COC traceability, slot execution, product journey monitoring, exception management, and specialized cold chain or time-sensitive logistics.
Strong experience building or leading scalable operating models, control tower or real-time monitoring capabilities, business process ownership frameworks, and cross-functional ways of working in regulated environments.
Experience supporting clinical-to-commercial transition, commercial readiness, global expansion, or operational scale-up in cell therapy or similarly complex supply environments.
Demonstrated ability to lead through complexity, influence senior stakeholders, and align teams across Clinical Operations, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Digital, Trade Compliance, and external logistics partners.
Strong understanding of GDP, GMP, GxP, deviation management, CAPA, and inspection-readiness expectations.
Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to translate strategic direction into scalable operational capability and a high-performing team culture.
Desirable Skills/Experience:
Advanced degree such as MS, MBA, or equivalent.
Experience building or leading a control tower, centralized operations, or real-time operational monitoring capability.
Experience supporting clinical-to-commercial transition, launch readiness, global expansion, or operational scale-up in cell therapy or advanced therapies.
Experience with Power BI, Tableau, Excel, Smartsheet, or similar tools for performance visibility and operational analytics.
The annual base pay (or hourly rate of compensation) for this position ranges from $141,997.60 to $ 212,996.40 USD. Our positions offer eligibility for various incentives—an opportunity to receive short-term incentive bonuses, equity-based awards for salaried roles and commissions for sales roles. Benefits offered include qualified retirement programs, paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves), as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans.
AstraZeneca is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion and providing a workplace that is free from discrimination. AstraZeneca is committed to accommodating persons with disabilities. Such accommodation is available on request in respect of all aspects of the recruitment, assessment and selection process and may be requested by emailing AZCHumanResources@astrazeneca.com.
Why AstraZeneca:
Join a place where you are trusted to take ownership and move fast, combining scientific rigor with data-driven operations to deliver therapies that change lives. You will work shoulder-to-shoulder with unexpected teams in the same room, unleashing bold thinking to solve complex logistics challenges at scale. We champion curiosity and decisive action, value kindness alongside ambition, and empower you with the tools, partnerships, and freedom to shape how living medicines reach patients across the world.
Call to Action:
Lead the global nerve center of cell therapy logistics and build the systems, teams, and partnerships that move cures to patients faster—bring your expertise and make your mark.
Where can I find out more?
Our Social Media, Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/1603/
Follow AstraZeneca on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/astrazenecacareers/
Follow AstraZeneca on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/astrazeneca_careers/?hl=en
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Date Posted
05-Oct-2026Closing Date
08-Nov-2026Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.
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