US Medical Early Asset Director – Market Access

US Medical Early Asset Director – Market Access 

Are you ready to turn ideas into life-changing medicines? At AstraZeneca, we are committed to addressing the unmet needs of patients worldwide through scientific innovation. In this role, you will play a crucial role in leveraging our scientific capabilities to positively impact patients' lives. Reporting directly to the Head of US Medical Early Asset Team Lead, you will be part of a team focused on the development of ambitious US medical strategies for our early pipeline. This is an opportunity to seize, design, and influence across a complex matrix system to ensure US needs are integrated into global development plans. 

Accountabilities: 
The US Medical Early Asset Manager– Insights will shape the US access strategy for pipeline assets from late discovery through Phase 2. You will translate emerging science into payer-relevant value, inform clinical and evidence plans, and ensure US access needs are embedded in global asset strategy. Partnering closely with Global/US Market Access, HEOR, Medical, Clinical Development, Commercial, and Finance, you will define early payer value propositions, evidence requirements, pricing and contracting hypotheses, and policy risk mitigation to de-risk reimbursement at launch. 

Key Responsibilities 

• US Value Strategy and TPP Input: Define US payer-relevant elements of the Target Product Profile (clinical endpoints, comparators, subpopulations, line of therapy) and shape differentiation claims that resonate with payers and health systems. 

• Evidence and Study Design Influence: Provide US access input to clinical and RWE plans (endpoints, PROs, inclusion/exclusion, duration, head-to-heads, external controls) to support label, compendia, guideline inclusion, and payer coverage. 

• Payer Value Proposition & Dossier Foundations: Lead early value story development (unmet need, clinical and economic value drivers), outline core claims, and define requirements for future AMCP dossier modules and global value dossiers. 

• Early Pricing and Contracting Hypotheses: Develop US WAC/NET ranges, reference pricing considerations, budget impact boundaries, and contracting scenarios (e.g., outcomes-based, indication-based) with assumptions and risks. 

• HEOR & RWE Strategy: Co-create early economic models and RWE plans (burden of illness, treatment patterns, comparative effectiveness, adherence/persistence) to support access and inform trial design. 

• Access Policy and Channel Strategy: Assess policy landscape (Medicare, Medicaid, ACA, IRA/Part D redesign, 340B, state policies), site-of-care and channel dynamics (buy-and-bill, pharmacy benefit, specialty distribution), and implications for design and launch. 

• Payer, IDN, and PBM Insights: Plan and synthesize early payer/IDN advisory input and rapid tests (concept reviews, value message testing, coverage criteria simulations) to de-risk access hurdles. 

• Competitive and Class Access Analytics: Maintain landscape of class coverage criteria, step/edit rules, utilization management, coding/reimbursement precedents; identify opportunities to differentiate and anticipate barriers. 

• Forecasting & Investment Support: Build access assumptions for early forecasts (gross-to-net, access mix, UM intensity, speed-to-coverage) and partner with Finance on rNPV/scenario analyses for governance. 

• Governance and Cross-Functional Leadership: Represent US access in global/US asset teams and at governance gates (indication sequencing, go/no-go, TPP approval), driving clear, evidence-backed recommendations. 

• Compliance and Ethics: Operate within US promotional and pre-approval communication standards and company policies; ensure research and external interactions meet compliance requirements. 

Minimum Qualifications 

• Education: Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred (MPH, MS HEOR, PharmD, MBA, or related). 

• 5+ years in pharmaceutical or consultancy with a focus on US market access/HEOR; experience influencing early development (Phase 1–2) strongly preferred. 

• Demonstrated impact shaping TPPs, clinical design/evidence to meet payer needs, and developing early value propositions and pricing/contracting hypotheses. 

• Ability to translate clinical profiles into payer-relevant value and coverage drivers. 

• Comfort interpreting economic models, burden of illness, and RWE methodologies; able to brief modeling teams and stress-test assumptions. 

• Working knowledge of Medicare/Medicaid, commercial payers, PBMs, 340B, medical vs. pharmacy benefit dynamics, coding/billing, and site-of-care economics. 

• Experience designing and synthesizing payer research, advisory boards, and message testing. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Proven ability to lead without authority across Clinical, Medical, HEOR, Commercial, and Finance. 

• Clear, concise storyteller able to craft payer narratives and present to governance and senior stakeholders. 

• Strong quantitative skills; scenario analysis and sensitivity testing to inform investment decisions. 

• Operates in ambiguity, manages multiple assets, and meets fast-paced milestone timelines. 

This position is based at our Wilmington, DE campus headquarters for our US Biopharma business. 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. 

Next Steps – Apply Today! 

Are you ready to make a difference? Apply now and join our mission to transform lives with our science!