Senior Director, Cell Therapy Partnerships & Strategy – Neurology

Introduction to Role

As Senior Director, Cell Therapy Partnerships & Strategy – Neurology, you will shape and execute AstraZeneca’s global Cell Therapy Strategic Site Partnership strategy, with Neurology as a primary focus. Working at the intersection of clinical development, clinical trial execution, and commercial readiness, you will help establish a differentiated AstraZeneca presence across the cell therapy and neurology ecosystem.

You will lead strategic relationships with Key External Experts (KEEs), including leading neurology and cell therapy investigators, and priority clinical sites across our global portfolio. By developing a high-performing network of strategic partners, you will expand site and patient access, strengthen clinical trial delivery, and create long-term value that supports future commercial success.

Why This Role

This is an opportunity to define how AstraZeneca collaborates with leading neurology experts, investigators, treatment centers, and healthcare systems to advance cell therapy clinical development. You will bring deep scientific and clinical trial expertise to site strategy, helping partners overcome infrastructure, capacity, referral, and operational barriers that can limit delivery of complex therapies.

Your work will support the development of scalable cell therapy networks across academic and community settings, strengthen AstraZeneca’s position as a preferred partner, and help prepare sites for the transition from clinical development to commercial delivery.

Accountabilities

Strategic Cell Therapy Partnership Development and Management

• Own the disease-area site partnership strategy across the cell therapy portfolio, with Neurology as a strategic priority.
• Identify, establish, and manage strategic partnerships with high-impact clinical sites globally to support AstraZeneca’s cell therapy portfolio across Neurology and other priority indications.
• Lead strategic site partnership governance and engagement for assigned strategic sites.
• Serve as the primary relationship owner for select strategic partners, supporting alignment, issue resolution, and joint value creation.
• Cultivate trusted relationships with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), Key External Experts, investigators, clinical and administrative site leaders, and relevant external vendors.
• Build strong partnerships with leading neurology and cell therapy investigators and institutions.
• Represent AstraZeneca at industry meetings and scientific congresses, including ASH, EHA, AAN, ECTRIMS, and other relevant cell therapy and neurology forums.
• Strengthen AstraZeneca’s visibility and reputation as a collaborative, neurology-focused cell therapy partner.
• Exercise strategic ownership and cross-functional influence across complex initiatives that require senior-level judgment and coordination.

Global Cell Therapy Site Strategy

• Shape, own, and execute AstraZeneca’s global cell therapy site network strategy, with Neurology at the forefront alongside Hematology, Oncology, Biopharma, Rare Disease, and emerging therapeutic areas.
• Identify and engage clinical sites that are critical to clinical trial participation, operational delivery, and scalable patient access.
• Develop solutions that expand access to cell therapy, including delivery through community-based settings where appropriate.
• Apply deep clinical and clinical trial expertise to address Neurology-specific site, patient, and treatment-delivery requirements.
• Collaborate across Site Management, Clinical Operations, External Alliances, Medical Affairs, Commercial, Clinical Development, Manufacturing, and other functions to align and coordinate site strategies.
• Engage with sites to understand and address barriers to cell therapy delivery at scale, including infrastructure, workforce, capacity, referral pathways, and operational challenges.
• Strengthen the value proposition of becoming an AstraZeneca strategic partner through tailored site engagement strategies, master agreements, shared investment opportunities, and mutually beneficial initiatives.
• Assess and improve site performance through targeted training, investment, and data-driven improvements in speed, quality, enrollment, and patient access.
• Serve as the strategic owner accountable for site-strategy outcomes across the cell therapy Neurology portfolio.
• Escalate and resolve issues that require executive-level judgment, cross-functional alignment, or enterprise-wide action.

Site Segmentation, Archetyping, and Network Development

• Lead site profiling, segmentation, and archetyping to identify the institutions best positioned to support cell therapy clinical development and future delivery in Neurology.
• Characterize referral networks, patient pathways, site capabilities, and care settings to inform strategic priorities.
• Evaluate site readiness for clinical trial execution and scalable delivery to patients.
• Use site intelligence and portfolio priorities to simplify the network and focus resources where they can have the greatest impact.
• Support the development of high-performing site networks across academic medical centers, specialty treatment centers, and community-based settings.
• Identify opportunities to expand patient access beyond traditional academic centers while maintaining quality, safety, and regulatory requirements.

Neurology Launch and Commercial Readiness

• Support Commercial colleagues in defining and preparing the AZD0120 launch footprint for Neurology indications, with particular emphasis on the U.S. market.
• Help expand patient access beyond traditional academic centers by identifying potential delivery models and strategic site opportunities.
• Identify and address barriers to the delivery and adoption of CAR-T and other cell therapies.
• Partner across Commercial, Medical, Clinical Development, Clinical Operations, Manufacturing, and other functions to support the transition of sites from clinical trials to commercial readiness.
• Align cell therapy site strategies with Neurology-specific commercial-readiness and launch-planning priorities.
• Help ensure that site capabilities, referral networks, operational models, and infrastructure considerations inform future launch plans.
• Support continuity between clinical development and commercial delivery while maintaining appropriate functional responsibilities and governance.

Site Intelligence and Field Insights

• Gather, synthesize, and communicate insights related to site capabilities, inpatient and outpatient delivery models, referral networks, patient access, and operational challenges.
• Translate site and field insights into recommendations that inform clinical development, clinical operations, partnership strategy, and commercial readiness.
• Monitor external developments across cell therapy, Neurology clinical development, clinical trials, treatment delivery, and the competitive landscape.
• Anticipate emerging market and healthcare-system dynamics that may influence the cell therapy site network.
• Provide clear, decision-oriented insights to guide business decisions and continuously strengthen AstraZeneca’s cell therapy site strategy.
• Establish feedback loops between strategic sites and global teams so recurring challenges can be identified early and addressed across the portfolio.

Essential Skills/Experience

• MD, PhD, or dual MD/PhD.
• Clinical or research training in Neurology or a closely related therapeutic area.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in Neurology, a cell therapy organization, the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry, a cell and gene therapy research unit, or a healthcare system.
• Direct experience in Neurology clinical development and clinical trials.
• Deep clinical development and clinical trial expertise within Neurology and cell therapy.
• Demonstrated ability to translate scientific and clinical knowledge into site-network, partnership, clinical development, and patient-access strategies.
• Proven success leading complex external partnerships and cross-functional initiatives within a highly matrixed environment.
• Experience building credible relationships with investigators, Key Opinion Leaders, Key External Experts, clinical site leaders, healthcare-system stakeholders, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Deep understanding of clinical site operations, CAR-T logistics, and the challenges associated with delivering cell therapy in academic and community settings.
• Understanding of Neurology-specific clinical trial and treatment-delivery considerations.
• Ability to operate as a senior strategic owner and exercise independent judgment on complex, cross-functional, and executive-level matters.
• Ability to identify and resolve problems, make timely decisions, and navigate organizational complexity.
• Ability to prioritize and complete work with urgency based on patient, program, and business needs.
• Knowledge of applicable regulations, standards, and codes of practice.
• Experience working in a regulated hospital, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or clinical research environment.
• Strong executive presence, strategic thinking, influencing, and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a global environment and collaborate across time zones.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Proficiency in English.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Project.
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally more than 50% of the time.

Desirable Skills/Experience

• Fellowship training or clinical practice experience in Neurology, including Neuromuscular Medicine, Multiple Sclerosis, Neuro-oncology, or another relevant specialty.
• Experience leading Neurology, cell therapy, or gene therapy clinical trials as an investigator or study lead.
• Experience working in apheresis, cellular therapy, or stem cell transplant programs or clinical trials.
• Previous customer-facing or site-facing experience within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
• Experience developing strategic site networks across academic and community-based settings.
• Experience supporting clinical-to-commercial transitions or launch readiness for cell therapy, CAR-T, or another operationally complex treatment model.
• Experience with site segmentation, archetyping, referral-network analysis, master agreements, or shared investment models.
• Experience working across multiple therapeutic areas, countries, or regions.
• Fluency in an additional language.

Why AstraZeneca

Here, courage, curiosity, and collaboration fuel a relentless focus on transforming cancer outcomes, powered by a pipeline that fuses cutting-edge science with advanced technology. You will work in an environment where unexpected teams come together to spark bold ideas, backed by meaningful investment and a clear path from discovery to impact. We value kindness alongside ambition, and we empower leaders at every level to ask sharp questions, take smart risks, and turn data into decisions that help patients sooner.

Compensation & Benefits

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $288,059.20 - $432,088.80. 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.

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.

Date Posted

Closing Date

Our 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.