Job Description

Senior Administrative Assistant, Portfolio Strategy & Pipeline Governance

Location: Gaithersburg, MD

Introduction to role:

Are you energized by being the force multiplier who keeps a complex, high-stakes portfolio moving at pace? Do you thrive in fast-changing environments where exceptional judgment, discretion, and proactive problem-solving directly influence senior leaders’ focus and enterprise decision-making?

Based in Gaithersburg, MD, you will partner closely with the Head & Executive Director of Portfolio Strategy & Pipeline Governance. Your work will streamline priorities, sharpen leadership focus, and enable timely, well-informed decisions that shape our pipeline and, ultimately, patients’ lives. In this role, you will interface regularly with our most senior executives and their assistants, build trusted relationships and ensure the right conversations happen at the right time with the right preparation.

You will also coordinate key team operations that keep a ~15-person strategy and governance team operating with clarity and accountability. From rigorous calendar and inbox triage to meeting preparation, budget tracking, and travel logistics, you will create the systems and rhythm that allow leaders and teams to concentrate on their highest-impact work.

Accountabilities:

• Executive Support and Strategic Partnership Act as a trusted partner to the team leader, filtering requests, pressure-testing meeting needs, and protecting time for highest-priority work; prepare daily briefings and maintain a conflict-free two-week view to drive focus and momentum. May be called upon to provide intermittent support to other GPPM Leadership Team members, as required.
• Calendar and Time Management Proactively manage complex, global calendars across time zones; make independent prioritization and trade-off decisions aligned to leadership priorities and ensure readiness through pre-reads and briefing materials.
• Information and Email Management Triage a high-volume inbox, distilling messages into clear actions and decisions; draft correspondence and maintain organized digital files that keep critical information at leaders’ fingertips.
• Communication and Stakeholder Management Represent the team leader with credibility; align stakeholders and resolve issues before escalation; build strong relationships with senior executives and their assistants to speed decision-making and remove friction.
• Team Operations and Business Planning Track team priorities and deliverables; coordinate leadership and staff meetings with clear agendas and documentation; maintain transparency of work and progress so everyone pulls in the same direction.
• Budget and Financial Administration Partner with Finance to track budget and expenditures; process expenses, purchase orders, and invoices on time and in compliance; manage vendor creation and qualification in appropriate systems.
• Process Improvement Identify operational bottlenecks and implement practical systems that enhance speed, quality, and consistency across day-to-day workflows.
• Travel and Logistics Coordinate domestic and international travel; organize meetings and large-scale virtual sessions across time zones; ensure rooms, technology, and materials are set for productive discussions.

Essential Skills/Experience:

• 5+ years of experience supporting Executive Director or VP-level leaders in complex, matrix organizations; Demonstrated ability in managing complex schedules and competing priorities in a highly visible position
• Experience in global, matrix organizations with diverse stakeholders across time zones
• Demonstrates exceptional judgment and discretion in handling and tracking confidential portfolio, financial, strategic, and other sensitive business information.
• Proactive problem-solving—ability to stay two steps ahead and anticipate needs
• Strong gatekeeping abilities—comfortable diplomatically saying "no" to protect executive time
• High emotional intelligence and stakeholder management skills; Excellent customer service orientation
• Calm under pressure managing multiple competing priorities simultaneously
• Resourceful and independent—gets things done without step-by-step direction
• Flexible and agile—adapts quickly when plans change
• Multi-tasking excellence in high-volume environments; Strong organizational systems and meticulous follow-through
• Confident with a positive demeanor; has the courage and tact to proactively challenge leadership, recommend actions on team management nuances where executive bandwidth is limited
• Advanced Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint); Expert-level SharePoint and Teams proficiency; Ability to format documents for consistent, professional appearance
• Experience with budget tracking tools and financial systems (SAP, Coupa preferred)
• Excellent written and verbal communication—able to draft professional emails, documents, and presentations on behalf of executive; professional presence and credibility with senior stakeholders
• High School Diploma or GED required
• Bachelor's degree strongly preferred

Desirable Skills/Experience:

• Experience coordinating team operations for 10+ people
• Experience supporting governance-heavy or decision-oriented leadership environments
• Pharmaceutical, biotech, or healthcare industry experience
• Experience with SAP or Coupa

The annual base pay (or hourly rate of compensation) for this position ranges from $33.51/hr to $50.26/hr. 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.

Why AstraZeneca:

Here you can amplify your impact by partnering across the enterprise to accelerate informed decisions that move our pipeline forward. We bring diverse experts together to spark bold thinking, harness data in real time, and reimagine how work gets done—so scientists and leaders can focus on what matters most for patients. You will be surrounded by high performers who value kindness alongside ambition, with the trust to take ownership and the support to learn fast, iterate, and make better decisions every day. Your contribution will power critical moments—from strategic reviews to portfolio inflection points—helping turn ideas into medicines that transform lives.

If you are ready to shape the pace of decision-making at the highest levels and build systems that unlock focus and impact, step forward and make this role yours today.

Date Posted

29-May-2026

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.