Executive Director, Clinical Science and Innovation Lead, Early Oncology Development

AstraZeneca • Gaithersburg, MD

3d • $304,857 - $457,285

About The Position

Each day at AstraZeneca Early Oncology & Precision Medicine, we advance a rapidly growing pipeline of potential new cancer therapies and progress numerous clinical programs across phases and tumor types. If you’re passionate about putting patients first and ready to shape meaningful patient experiences in Oncology, join us to unlock the power of science and transform patients’ lives worldwide.
ABOUT ASTRAZENECA
At AstraZeneca, we put patients first and strive to meet their unmet needs worldwide. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big, and working together to make the impossible a reality. If you are swift to action, confident to lead, willing to collaborate, and curious about what science can do, then you’re our kind of person.
ONCOLOGY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Join a dedicated, fast-growing Oncology team with a strong track record of success. We make bold moves at the cutting edge, transforming molecules to change the practice of medicine.
Early Development Oncology & Precision Medicine (EO&PM) sits within our broader Oncology R&D organization. Working across one of the industry’s broadest and deepest Oncology pipelines offers the opportunity to shape novel molecules from the earliest stages. It takes all of us challenging our thinking to push the pipeline forward and define the future of Oncology.
What you’ll do
As Executive Director, Clinical Science for Early Oncology Development, you will lead a global organization of Clinical Scientists and serve as a cross‑functional catalyst for innovation. You will drive operational excellence and strategic innovation to elevate the quality, speed, and impact of early development across our broad oncology pipeline. In this role you will shaping program strategies, stewarding talent and ways of working, and deploying transformative approaches in methodology, digital/AI, data, and partnerships to improve decision‑making, trial execution, and patient outcomes

Requirements

• Education: Minimum Master’s degree required; Ph.D., PharmD, or relevant clinical/biomedical degree strongly preferred.
• Experience: 10+ years in clinical drug development within pharma/biotech, with substantial early oncology experience; proven track record leading complex global programs and cross-functional teams.
• Leadership: Demonstrated line leadership and mentorship of clinical scientists; experience building capabilities and leading organizational change.
• Scientific Expertise: Deep understanding of tumor biology, pharmacology, translational biomarkers, and mechanisms of target–tumor interaction; familiarity with model-informed development and innovative trial designs.
• Innovation and AI: Hands-on experience or senior sponsorship of data science/AI initiatives in clinical development (use-case prioritization, validation, governance, deployment). Ability to translate scientific needs into digital solutions and measure impact.
• Collaboration and Influence: Strong collaborative communication skills; adept at navigating conflict and aligning diverse stakeholders across R&D, Biostats, Data Science, Regulatory, Safety, and external partners.
• Problem Solving: Demonstrated ability to resolve complex issues with solution-focused approaches; strong decision-making under uncertainty.

Responsibilities

• People Leadership: Lead, develop, and inspire a team of Global Clinical Scientists through performance management, resource planning, coaching, and mentorship. Build succession plans, competency frameworks, and career pathways to advance clinical scientific excellence.
• Departmental Leadership: Contribute to the Early Oncology Clinical Science & Clinical Development leadership teams on strategy, objectives, resourcing, and issue resolution; oversee departmental capacity management and talent deployment across programs.
• Cross-functional collaboration: Co-lead collaboration with the Research Scientists and Translational Scientists to shape pre-CDID and FiH strategies; provide clinical input on data generation and interpretation to enable high-quality, decision-ready development plans.
• Clinical study strategy and delivery: Co-lead study activities, including protocol and IB authoring, development of core clinical documents, data review and interpretation, preparation for safety review meetings, and publication planning and execution.
• Innovation Strategy and Roadmap: Define and execute a clinical science innovation agenda that advances design, execution, and interpretation of early oncology trials. Prioritize high-value use cases, investment cases, and success metrics across digital, data, and AI capabilities.
• Capability Building and Change Management: Launch training programs, communities of practice, and certification pathways for AI-enhanced clinical science. Create incentives and recognition mechanisms that reward innovative, high-quality delivery

Benefits

• qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]
• paid vacation and holidays
• paid leaves
• health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive