AstraZeneca Posted July 29, 2026

Medical Franchise Head, US Medical Affairs, Breast Cancer

Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States of America Full time
Medical Affairs Oncology

AstraZeneca is the source of truth for this posting and owns the application process. We surface normalized context and market comparison you won't find on the original listing.

About this opportunity

Introduction to role

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’re passionate about the potential of science to address the unmet needs of patients around the world. We commit to those areas where we believe we can really change the course of medicine and bring big new insights to life. As a Medical Affairs Franchise Head, you’ll play a pivotal role in channeling our scientific capabilities to make a positive impact on changing patients’ lives.

Accountabilities

Deliver a coordinated and timely medical evidence plan that supports the oncology cycle management plan within the TA, addressing the needs of payors, prescribers, and patients. This evidence plan should include all relevant generation activities including observational, interventional, and managed care-related research.

Lead and handle the medical team, crafting an environment that champions innovation and high performance.

Oversee Medical Affairs direct reports: medical affairs field and headquarters teams who are developing Medical Strategies and delivering Medical Plans for the compounds supported within cancer as well as supporting external interaction activities such as promotional review, speaker program support; and field teams including medical science liaisons and field physicians.

Empower, encourage, and own the team by crafting an environment of shared goals, clear responsibilities, talent development/retention, and continuous improvement. Encourage interdependent collaboration within AZ and beyond as necessary to promote co-ownership of strategic objectives in cancer that may be of importance to marketing/sales and/or global constituencies.

Identify best practices and capture innovative ideas in Medical Affairs (both internally and externally) and share them with the enterprise while encouraging an accountable, entrepreneurial team.

Accountable for Medical insight generation to input to TA, Product, and Brand teams. Oversee opinion leader engagement to discuss therapy area and product strategy medical topics and generate insights into unmet patient needs across the patient pathway. Includes engagement with the leadership of medical associations to generate cancer insights reflecting oncology and appropriately provide our views to these societies.

Engage strategically in the future of medicine and its provision within the TA with partners such as the real-world evidence team, managed markets team, and government affairs and advocacy teams. Participate as needed in Business Development activities within the TA.

Essential Skills/Experience

Sophisticated Scientific Degree (MBBS, PharmD, PhD, or MD) or equivalent education

Specialty training 7+ years of relevant clinical experience in the Therapeutic Area

Pharmaceutical experience of 5-10+ years that includes leadership positions in Medical Affairs and/or R&D

Experience and proven track record to lead cross-functional teams including field teams

Strong opinion leader engagement experience

Desirable Skills/Experience

Phase 3b/4 and post-approval dedication research including overseeing patient registries and REMS programs Translational medicine, population-based real-world research

Bridging with coordinated care management & Quality improvement pathways

Understanding of Health Outcomes Research including Patient-reported outcomes

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. Join our globally renowned Oncology area, which is leading the rapid business growth of our enterprise and ever-evolving industry. It’s an exciting time to join as we work towards our big ambitions with entrepreneurial thinking and innovation. It’s up to us to find solutions and act fast to make them happen.

Ready to make a difference? Apply today!

The annual base pay (or hourly rate of compensation) for this position ranges from $269,869 to $404,803 Hourly and salaried non-exempt employees will also be paid overtime pay when working qualifying overtime hours. Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition, our positions offer a short-term incentive bonus opportunity; eligibility to participate in our equity-based long-term incentive program (salaried roles), to receive a retirement contribution (hourly roles), and commission payment eligibility (sales roles). Benefits offered included a qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]; paid vacation and holidays; paid leaves; and, health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Additional details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base pay (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

Date Posted

29-Jul-2026

Closing Date

14-Sep-2026 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.

Job details

Seniority
Not listed
Function
Medical Affairs
Therapeutic area
Oncology
Location
Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States of America
Employment type
Full time

How this role compares

Computed from every other active Medical Affairs role in our database, not just this employer's listings.

We currently track 924 comparable Medical Affairs roles across 130 biopharma companies.

924Comparable roles tracked
800Currently active
130Companies hiring similar roles
58Countries represented

Salary context

175 of 924 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)

Peers share this role's job function. This posting doesn't list a seniority level, so peers aren't narrowed by seniority either -- the range below may span more levels than usual.

This roleSubject Not listed on this posting
Lowest disclosed · Clinical Coordinator · Pfizer $79,400/yr – $132,400/yr
Peer group range $105,900 – $458,800 (median $232,750)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 924 comparable roles

United States378
China's Mainland69
Japan61
China57
India50
Germany40

+ 52 more countries

Seniority mix

502 of 924 peers have a known seniority level

Director148
Manager125
Senior97
Associate55
Associate Director39
Senior Director20
Executive/VP11
Principal5
Intern/Fellow/Postdoc2

Therapeutic area mix

325 of 924 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

Oncology113
Immunology52
Neuroscience35
Cardiovascular / CVRM34
Respiratory21
Vaccines & Infectious Disease21
Rare Disease21
Dermatology & Aesthetics20
Ophthalmology4
Gastroenterology4

Similar opportunities

The closest matches from our peer group, ranked by how similar they are, not how well you'd qualify for them -- treat this as market context, not a guaranteed shortlist; a weak match is labeled as one below.

80%similar
AbbVie Los Angeles, CA Senior
Same function Same therapeutic area Same country
80%similar
AbbVie Director
Same function Same therapeutic area Same country

Open in 3 locations

Mettawa, United StatesFlorham Park, United StatesSan Francisco, United States
80%similar
AbbVie Boston, MA Senior
Same function Same therapeutic area Same country
80%similar
AbbVie Columbus, OH Senior
Same function Same therapeutic area Same country
80%similar
AbbVie Pittsburgh, PA Senior
Same function Same therapeutic area Same country
80%similar
AbbVie Florham Park, NJ Director
Same function Same therapeutic area Same country

How we calculate "similar"

No black box, no LLM guesswork: a deterministic score built from four normalized attributes. Here's this role's own peer group at different match levels, so you can see the mechanism, not just the result.

Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.

80%
MSL/Sr. MSL, Lung Solid Tumor (Southern California and Las Vegas, NV)
AbbVie · Los Angeles, CA · Senior
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
80%
Scientific Director / Senior Medical Director, Multiple Myeloma (International Medical Affairs)
AbbVie · San Francisco, CA · Director
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
80%
MSL/Sr. MSL Oncology, Multiple Myeloma (PA/MD/DC)
AbbVie · Pittsburgh, PA · Senior
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
80%
Senior Medical Director, Oncology Early Development
AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Director
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
Unmatched or unknown dimensions score exactly the same: 0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.