At AstraZeneca, we turn ideas into life-changing medicines. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big, and working together to make the impossible a reality. We are focused on the potential of science to address the unmet needs of patients around the world. We commit to those areas where we think we can really change the course of medicine and bring big innovative ideas to life. As a Director, Lung Tumor Franchise Learning Global in Gaithersburg, MD, you will play a pivotal role in channeling our scientific capabilities to make a positive impact on changing patients’ lives. The Global Commercial Oncology Business Unit plays a critical role in how AZ engages with healthcare partners worldwide. . They represent many of the most well-recognized and respected products in the industry and build strong relationships with healthcare professionals.

Do you have expertise in, and passion for learning? Would you like to apply your expertise to impact the Learning & Capability Development of a company that follows the science and turns ideas into life-changing medicines? Then AstraZeneca might be the one for you!

What you will do:

This position is responsible for the oversight, strategic direction, and leadership of the learning programs supporting the Lung franchise to meet the needs across US and Global markets. This position will also guide the Oncology Learning & Capability team in driving greater understanding of emerging advances in current and new molecular entities. Through the efforts of his/her team members, the Director is expected to design and develop a well-rounded learning strategy that includes clinical acumen, sales and customer engagement expertise, business acumen, sales impact and other skills and capabilities required for success across our customer-facing teams. The incumbent will act as a trusted partner with sales, marketing, medical, and other cross-functional leaders in the US and Global markets to create learning and capability development strategies and ensure alignment between business unit priorities to program objectives. This position is also responsible for collaborating with markets outside the US to ensure access to learning programs to meet their needs in both the pre-and post-launch environments and will have employees in US & global locations.

Location Gaithersburg, MD

Travel Required Yes (20%)

• Works directly with internal partners, learning managers, US, and Global leads to understand the current and future learning needs of the business.
• Responsible for creating the annual strategic learning plan that aligns to the brand strategy and ensures the necessary resources and supports are available to enable the Hematology Franchise team to design, develop, and prioritize high-quality impactful learning innovations and experiences.
• Provides value-focused learning plan updates focused on driving change in behaviors, not number of programs or test scores. Partners with managers and leaders to identify when changes to the current learning strategy are needed to fill key capability gaps.
• Anticipates market changes and ensures that the annual plan is revised, and learning programs are created to proactively address those changes.
• Establishes strong cross-functional relationships across global brand, and EUCAN learning teams to develop a scalable global learning plan that highlights the best of OL&CD for customer-facing teams.
• Works closely with US Franchise Leadership, marketing, medical and strategy colleagues to execute best in industry launch practices, with ability to adapt quickly to accelerated approvals & uncertainty while driving continuous learning post launch
• Leads change in delivering cutting edge AI assisted learning tools and processes to field teams enabling deeper clinical knowledge and sales effectiveness. Understands AI instructional systems design tools and uses them extensively to reduce agency spend.
• Leads the identification, deployment, and promotion of the most effective and innovative practices across the department for sustainment of clinical knowledge and sales capability development.
• Leads teams to evaluate program metrics as a means of determining training impact in areas such as launch effectiveness, sustained clinical acumen and portfolio selling connected to positive business outcomes.
• Leads capability development and career progression of the Lung Franchise learning team to ensure they’re reaching their greatest potential. Creates a positive work environment that provides the opportunity to learn, grow, challenge and achieve.
• Creates synergies across the teams to create cost savings collaboration and to avoid duplication of efforts. Actively engages as a member of the L&CD Leadership Team.
• An expert in sales competencies, identifies strengths and gaps in field skill sets while providing sustained learning pathways to drive sales effectiveness. This role will lead 3 area sales learning experts (Area Capability Leads), working side by side the Oncology Account Directors in positively impacting in-field sales effectiveness.

Essential for the role:

• Bachelors degree in a related field or equivalent required, Masters preferred
• Minimum of 10 years of a blend of pharmaceutical/biotech/oncology experience required
• Minimum of 2 years of direct management experience or cross functional team project lead
• Demonstrated vision & experience in designing innovative strategic learning plans
• Exceptional collaboration and stakeholder communication skills required
• Minimum of 5 years of Oncology experience with a therapeutic area focus preferred
• Minimum of 3 years of Learning & Development or equivalent experience
• Specialty or Oncology specific marketing or sales experience highly preferred
• Experience with managing a globally diverse team preferred
• AI learning certifications or demonstrated use of AI in instructional systems design

Desirable for the role:

• Consultative abilities: demonstrated experience identifying internal client needs, seeking broad support for approvals and making appropriate recommendations for the most effective L&D solutions
• Negotiation abilities: demonstrated experience working with leadership across functions to identify shared areas of need and gain consensus on forward strategies that will deliver desired results
• Multi-product or multi-indication sales abilities; ability to verbalize what good looks like in specialty sales models to include advanced account pre-call analysis
• Technical breadth across multiple disease areas; ability to demonstrate aptitude for continued knowledge development
• Demonstrated written and verbal communication skills to author persuasive communications
• Demonstrated people leadership abilities to include talent selection and coaching team members leading to success in the role, growth in their capabilities and promotion of their wellbeing. Identifies team potential and actively engages in global view succession planning.
• Strong project team management skills: with demonstrated ability to focus on effective procurement and planning of resources and establishing viable project milestones and final deadlines
• Demonstrated analytical and critical thinking skills to assess stakeholder needs, anticipate, and resolve functional area challenges
• Experience managing vendor partner relationships and leading that partnership to ensure innovative assets are created