Director, Policy & Advocacy, Biopharmaceuticals, Europe & Canada

Director, Policy & Advocacy, BioPharmaceuticals, Europe & Canada (EUCAN)   
  

At AstraZeneca, we’re driven by a bold ambition — to transform lives through science. Every day, we turn scientific discoveries into life-changing medicines that help patients live longer and healthier lives. This is the place where your work truly matters. 

About the Role  

The Director, Policy & Advocacy, BioPharmaceuticals, Europe & Canada (EUCAN) will lead integrated policy and advocacy strategies to advance AstraZeneca’s priorities across key biopharmaceutical therapy areas including Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM), Respiratory and Immunology (R&I) and Vaccines and Immune Therapies (V&I). This highly dynamic role brings together policy shaping, patient advocacy and strategic communications to identify, support and partner on policy reforms to improve early diagnosis, enable guideline-directed care and accelerate patient access to innovative biopharmaceutical treatments.  

Reporting to the Senior Director, Corporate Affairs, BioPharmaceuticals, EUCAN, the role will collaborate with global, regional, and market cross-functional teams to ensure alignment in strategy and execution, and establish AstraZeneca as a trusted partner in improving healthcare outcomes for patients living with chronic diseases. You'll join a thriving Global Corporate Affairs function within the dynamic Europe and Canada region, covering more than thirty countries.  

Key Responsibilities  

• Lead the design and delivery of policy and advocacy strategies that enable earlier diagnosis, guideline-directed care, and timely patient access to innovation – advancing AstraZeneca’s biopharmaceutical priorities and improving outcomes or patients.  

• Build trusted partnerships with key external stakeholders, including policymakers, industry associations, patient advocacy groups and multi-stakeholder coalitions to deliver shared objectives   

• Provide strategic counsel and capability building support to market teams,  ensuring policy and advocacy efforts are aligned with regional and global priorities, and that best practices are identifief, shared and embedded to drive consistent, high-impact execution. 

• Collaborate with global and regional leadership and cross-functional teams to embed policy and advocacy priorities into therapy area and brand strategies, ensuring coordinated execution, measurable impact and clear alignment across markets.  

• Lead and deliver priority BioPharma policy and advocacy communications, including thought leadership initiatives, stakeholder messaging and executive platforms that shape relevant healthcare debates and advance AstraZeneca strategic objectives.  

What You’ll Bring  

• Strong experience in health policy, advocacy, or related fields, with a proven record of delivering integrated strategies that shape policy environments, strengthen partnerships, and achieve tangible outcomes at global, regional, and/or market levels.  

• Deep understanding of the biopharmaceutical sector, including market access, regulatory and reimbursement dynamics. Therapy area experience in cardio-renal, respiratory, weight management or cell therapy is a strong plus.   

• Proven leadership in complex, matrix organisations, with the ability to communicate with influence, build alignment across cross-functional teams and mobilise diverse stakeholders around shared patient and business priorities 

• Solid business acumen and strategic mindset, with demonstrated success in translating policy and advocacy objectives into measurable impact  

• Proven track record in managing multiple complex projects in fast-paced environments and delivering results under pressure. 

• International experience and cultural fluency, with the ability to navigate diverse policy systems and collaborate effectively across geographies, functions, and virtual environments. 

• Excellent communication skills, with fluency in English and ideally at least one additional major European language, including the ability to craft compelling narratives, engage senior stakeholders and represent AstraZeneca credibly in external forums. 

Join us today!  

With our ground-breaking pipeline, the outlook is bright. Be proud to be part of a place that has achieved so much, yet is still moving forward. There’s no better time to join our global, growing enterprise as we lead the way for healthcare and society.