Job Description

Franchise Head – Cardiovascular

London

Competitive Salary & Benefits

Closing Date: 8th November 2026

Few opportunities offer the chance to reshape the future of cardiovascular care. Despite significant advances in treatment, too many patients continue to experience preventable cardiovascular events, creating a major opportunity to transform outcomes at scale.

As Franchise Head for Cardiovascular, you will lead one of AstraZeneca's most significant future growth opportunities, with the potential to transform how cardiovascular risk is identified, managed and reduced across the UK healthcare system.

This is a highly visible leadership role for an ambitious commercial leader who combines strategic thinking, launch excellence and the ability to inspire teams around a bold vision. Working across primary and secondary care, you will bring together commercial, medical, market access and policy expertise to build the environment for success and help deliver better outcomes for patients at risk of cardiovascular disease.

Business Area

Join our industry-leading BioPharmaceuticals Business Unit, where scientific innovation, ambitious growth and a strong pipeline create opportunities to transform outcomes for patients. It is an exciting time to join AstraZeneca as we continue to strengthen our leadership across Cardiovascular, Renal, Metabolism, Respiratory and Immunology, bringing innovative medicines to patients and shaping the future of healthcare.

A ground-breaking, fast-paced place, here you can feel the buzz and that’s why we love it.

At AstraZeneca UK, we are committed to delivering against three missions:

• Accelerating the position of the UK as a global centre of excellence in life sciences
• Redefining healthcare through fast and equitable access to the most effective medicines, high quality care
• Delivering sustainable leadership that prioritises healthy people, society and planet

Our head office in Pancras Square offers us the strongest possible platform to transform the lives of patients in the UK, as the country’s leading biopharmaceutical company. It brings AstraZeneca UK closer to our customers, partners and collaborators in the UK’s healthcare environment, as well as develop greater collaboration with the wider AstraZeneca footprint.

What you’ll do

As the Franchise Head, you will:

• Lead all aspects of launch readiness, ensuring AstraZeneca is positioned for successful adoption across primary and secondary care settings.
• Leverage deep market understanding to develop and execute franchise strategy, making agile shifts informed by market insights and performance.
• Anticipate future market dynamics, opportunities and threats, translating insights into bold, differentiated growth strategies.
• Establish the go-to-market model and customer engagement approach required to maximise franchise success.
• Develop and execute strategies that accelerate identification and treatment of patients at high cardiovascular risk through collaboration with healthcare systems, clinical leaders and policy stakeholders.
• Build strong partnerships across Sales, Medical, Market Access, Corporate Affairs and Regulatory teams to deliver franchise objectives.
• Lead through influence across a complex matrix environment, aligning people, resources and priorities around a common ambition.
• Build and lead a high-performing franchise team, fostering a culture of ambition, accountability and execution excellence.
• Own franchise P&L performance, including delivery of sales targets and ownership of franchise budgets.
• Ensure adherence to all AstraZeneca governance frameworks and the ABPI Code of Practice.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Significant pharmaceutical commercial leadership experience with a strong performance track record.
• Proven launch or pre-launch leadership experience for innovative medicines.
• Deep understanding of the UK healthcare environment and market access landscape.
• Experience developing and executing strategies across both primary and secondary care settings.
• Strong understanding of cardiovascular disease and the evolving UK cardiovascular landscape.
• Track record of building high-performing teams and leading through change.
• Strong strategic, financial and commercial acumen.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively across commercial, medical, market access, policy and corporate affairs functions.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Experience in lipid management, cardiovascular disease or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).
• Launch experience within CVRM.
• Experience shaping treatment pathways and market development for innovative specialist medicines.
• Advanced Degree or equivalent experience in business, marketing or the sciences.
• Experience in Insight/Market Research.
• Experience across the product lifecycle (emerging, launch, in-line and mature brands).

Why AstraZeneca?

At AstraZeneca, we 're dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. Where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science and unleash your entrepreneurial spirit. There’s no better place to make a difference to medicine, patients and society. An inclusive culture that champions diversity and collaboration, and always committed to lifelong learning, growth and development. We’re on an exciting journey to pioneer the future of healthcare.

So, what’s next?

If you are inspired by the possibilities of science to make a difference and ready to discover what you can do by joining us on this exciting journey and believe you can contribute to this bold ambition – join us!

Date Posted

23-Oct-2026

Closing Date

08-Nov-2026

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.