AstraZeneca Posted September 28, 2026

Clinical Program Director, Early CVRM Clinical Development

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America Full time
Clinical Development Cardiovascular / CVRM Director
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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

Summary:

The Senior Clinical Program Director is accountable for the overall delivery of the clinical program to time, cost and quality and is the leader of the Clinical Program Team (CPT). You will be required to work closely with the core CPT members to ensure that the clinical strategy and deliverables for the clinical program are delivered to the Global Project Team (GPT).

The role provides strategic oversight and feasibility input into the design of the clinical program and plays a key role in the work required to determine possible program design options. The focus is across the program level, collaborating with CPT members, GPT colleagues and all other functions that are key to the development of a compound. The SrCPD is expected to be a highly experienced drug developer and have organizational understanding and influence. You will drive and guide the CPT and each of its functions and enhance teamwork, productivity and depth of quality. This person will be responsible for driving the clinical strategy, implementation and forward planning. The SrCPD, as the CPT Leader, will drive/guide the GPT in aspects related to the clinical development plan and influence from pre-Clinical to Commercial with other core CPT members. The role will establish and monitor best practices and be responsible for quality goal setting for the CPT deliverables.

Location: Cambridge, MA or Gaithersburg, MD

Accountabilities:

Accountable for leading the CPT and its oversight of clinical program strategy activities and deliveries within assigned programs and for ensuring the implementation of innovative approaches to delivery of the clinical program

Accountable for leading the translation of science into crisp clinical development plans

Accountable for providing efficient and effective program management of all CPT deliverables, including project strategy, design and delivery of CPT driven program/studies to time, on budget and with quality

Accountable for providing strategic and operational input to cross-functional program development plans and be accountable for cross-functional leadership roles as delegated from the GPT

Accountable for ensuring governance preparation and ensuring operational review. Accountable for coordinating and actively presenting the clinical components at the reviews

Accountable for ensuring initial feasibility assessment and early country and site engagement to optimize clinical program delivery

Accountable for developing and managing contingency risk plans within each assigned clinical program, including management of program issue escalation and resolution

Accountable for accurate budget forecasting, and maintenance, and monitoring to baseline, clinical program resourcing, scenario planning, plus overall timelines for trials within assigned program, including setup and maintenance within Company systems

Ensure consistent quality practices in alignment with highest ethical standards, GCP, ICH Guidelines, compliance with internal SOPs, local regulations and laws, etc

Contribute to driving best practices and support process-related improvements and workstreams, and ensuring timely compliance with Company governance controls

Provide mentorship and support people development as required

Experience and Education:

Master/PhD of Science degree in natural sciences or medicine (advanced degree is preferred)

At least 10 years of global pharmaceutical drug development and leadership experience demonstrated in a variety of roles and at least 5 years clinical development experience

Proven ability to apply strategic thinking and develop clinical programs to meet business goals and to assess business risk versus potential value

Proven ability to lead teams in dynamic environments with a high demand on pro-active scenario planning

Verified ability in problem solving and issues management that are solution focused

Proven experience of leading delivery through collaboration within globally matrixed teams, including internal organization and external providers and drive delivery to timelines, cost and quality

Significant experience of program management and use of project management techniques in complex projects, including resourcing, financial management and business case development

Strong strategic influencing skills; ability to influence broadly within and outside the organization

Excellent communication skills; proven teamwork and ability to work collaboratively across a wide range of disciplines and a track record of planning and delivery success

Desirable:

Program management qualification/certification. Experience in variety of organizations and countries

At least 10 years clinical development experience

Experience across the product life cycle and ideally across multiple therapeutic areas

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.

The annual base pay (or hourly rate of compensation) for this position ranges from $233,586 to $350,379. 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 .

Why AstraZeneca:

Here you will contribute to a bold mission to transform outcomes for people by advancing earlier detection and smarter, faster trials. You will operate at the intersection of innovative science and technology, backed by significant investment and an empowered, collaborative culture that brings clinicians, scientists, and data experts together to accelerate breakthroughs. We value kindness alongside ambition, giving you the trust, tools, and cross-functional partnerships to lead with confidence and shape studies that matter, so your decisions today translate into meaningful patient impact tomorrow.

Call to Action:

Step into this country leadership role to accelerate life-changing trials and turn bold science into result that matter, make your move and help shape what comes next.

Date Posted

29-Sep-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.

Job details

Seniority
Director
Function
Clinical Development
Therapeutic area
Cardiovascular / CVRM
Location
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
Employment type
Full time

How this role compares

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

We currently track 263 comparable Director Clinical Development roles across 48 biopharma companies.

263Comparable roles tracked
237Currently active
48Companies hiring similar roles
16Countries represented

Salary context

143 of 263 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)

Peers share this role's job function and a matching or adjacent seniority level -- not necessarily the same therapeutic area or country.

This roleSubject Not listed on this posting
Peer group range $0 – $392,100 (median $273,300)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 263 comparable roles

United States212
United Kingdom13
Spain8
India7
Switzerland5
Germany3

+ 10 more countries

Seniority mix

263 of 263 peers have a known seniority level

Director198
Senior Director40
Principal25

Therapeutic area mix

91 of 263 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

Oncology52
Immunology10
Neuroscience10
Cardiovascular / CVRM5
Respiratory5
Ophthalmology4
Dermatology & Aesthetics3
Vaccines & Infectious Disease1
Rare Disease1

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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.

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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.

100%
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Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
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Director, Clinical Pharmacology
AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Director
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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.