Head of Alliance and Integration Management Oncology

What if your next role helped eliminate cancer as a cause of death?

At AstraZeneca, our Oncology ambition is unparalleled. We’ve built and strategically acquired one of the most promising pipelines in the industry, driven by a bold vision to push the boundaries of science, change the practice of medicine, and ultimately eliminate cancer as a cause of death. You will be among inspiring oncology industry leaders who will empower you to be the best, joining teams with a shared sense of urgency to cure cancer and transform patients’ lives. ​

The Head of Alliance and Integration Management, Oncology R&D, reports to the Vice President Head of Business Development in Oncology R&D at AstraZeneca, with accountability for global partnerships, ORD Acquisitions/Integrations and has a direct impact on the success of the Oncology R&D strategy and portfolio

This is a senior strategic leadership role at the heart of AstraZeneca’s Oncology R&D ambition. The Head of Alliance and Integration Management serves as AZ’s primary representative and champion in our most consequential external partnerships, leading high-stakes negotiations, navigating complex periods of change including company acquisitions and integrations, and safeguarding AZ’s strategic interests across a global alliance portfolio. This individual drives proactive risk management and strong governance across all ORD alliances, ensuring that partnership goals remain on track and that AZ consistently demonstrates the qualities that make it a partner of choice. They will directly manage a team of Alliance Directors, provide thought leadership across the global Alliance Management community, and personally lead AZ’s most critical strategic alliances with major pharma partners.

To be successful, you will need:

Strategic enterprise thinking, with the ability to understand how the goals of our partnerships contribute to AstraZeneca’s broader Oncology R&D strategy and long-term portfolio value.

Inspirational and collaborative leadership, with a proven ability to develop high-performing teams, align diverse stakeholders and drive outcomes without relying solely on formal authority.

Excellent communication skills that will clarify problems, promote teamwork, set priorities, drive toward conclusions, and keep relevant stakeholders informed.

Exceptional judgement and decisiveness, with the confidence to navigate ambiguity, anticipate risk and opportunity, and act in AZ’s best interests.

Executive-level influence and relationship-building skills, with the credibility to lead complex negotiations and build trusted relationships with senior internal and external stakeholders.

A proactive, value-focused mindset, with the ability to translate insight into action, challenge the status quo and continuously improve alliance performance and ways of working.

Accountabilities:

Define and drive AZ’s alliance strategy in close collaboration with the global AM Community and BD Leadership, identifying opportunities to deepen and extend existing alliances and establish new partnerships that accelerate AstraZeneca’s long-term strategic goals.

Personally lead AZ’s most strategically significant alliances and integrations, representing AZ at the most senior levels with partner companies through complex negotiations, transitions and periods of significant organisational change, while building the relationships required to maximise long-term strategic value.

Champion the strategic health and performance of the Oncology alliance portfolio, proactively identifying emerging risks and opportunities, monitoring delivery against objectives, milestones and value-creation targets, and driving decisive course correction where required.

Equip Senior Leadership with clear, actionable portfolio insight, escalating material risks and opportunities with recommendations that enable timely, well-informed decisions.

Provide inspirational leadership to the Alliance Management team and community, ensuring timely appointment of high-calibre Alliance Directors, strong talent development and succession, and robust development plans that maintain a best-in-class AM capability.

Act as AZ’s expert authority on alliance governance and conflict resolution, providing decisive counsel in high-stakes situations, arbitrating complex disputes and ensuring AZ’s strategic interests and partner relationships are protected.

Set and embed best-in-class Alliance Management standards globally, including governance frameworks, tools, processes and continuous partner feedback, while leveraging external networks and thought leadership to ensure AZ remains at the forefront of industry practice and is recognised as a partner of choice.

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Culture:

• •Create a vibrant, entrepreneurial and externally facing organisation focused on delivery and that supports courageous leadership, innovation and collaboration, such that the Alliance Management Team is open to challenge, new ideas, innovative ways of working, and where continuous learning and improvements are driven.
• •Partner closely with the respective Business Units and integration teams to align alliance management priorities and ensure seamless, value-preserving integration of every new alliance, including acquisitions for AZ.
• •Work in close partnership with the Alliance Management Team and BD Leadership to identify and realise cross-company opportunities, embed best practice, and ensure that the alliance management function amplifies, rather than merely supports AZ's broader strategic ambitions.

Required Experience:

• •BA/BS and 10+ years’ relevant experience pharmaceuticals/biotech industry or MBA or PHD/MD with broad exposure across multiple business functions (e.g. R&D, strategy, commercial, legal, financial).
• •Demonstrated commitment to the coaching and development of teams with experience of managing teams both direct line reporting, and cross functional/matrixed structures.
• •Executive level relationship building and stakeholder influencing skills, with experience navigating complex stakeholder environments where interests may not be fully aligned.
• •Proven ability to make sound decisions, often amid ambiguity, and to act decisively and courageously in the organisation’s best interests.
• •Comfortable operating flexibly across different business operating models.
• •Proven track record of managing a broad portfolio of strategic alliances across a large enterprise.
• •Significant experience of understanding core aspects of functional expertise such as legal, tax, IP, HR, contracts as they relate to business development deals
• •Successful change management for significant organisation change or company integrations
• •An excellent communicator with experience of interacting effectively across multi disciplines and with third parties, including C-suite and senior representatives of peer companies.

Desirable Experience:

• •Experience in implementing partnership concepts and governance models for alliances.
• •Significant experience of the deal process including architecture of contracts, scientific, tax, legal, IP, HR considerations involved.
• •First-class collaborative and networking skills, with a strong professional network across the industry.
• •Recognised leader in the Alliance Management profession (e.g. a board or leadership role with an industry body such as the Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals, ASAP).
• •CSAP or CA-AM certification.

Office Working Requirements

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.

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