Senior Director, Global Oncology RWD Platform
AstraZeneca
Summary
Join a Growing Team that is Advancing the use of real world data in support of one of the largest oncology portfolios in the industry. AstraZeneca’s Evidence Generation to Publications (EG2P) team is currently building APOLLO (AZ Partnerships in Oncology Leveraging real world evidence), a global oncology real world data (RWD) platform to support Oncology Evidence Generation. In the first year of a 5+ year program, APOLLO already brings together 5 data partners across 11 markets and 3 tumor types to support insight discovery, medical strategy and publication grade evidence generation, and has gained substantial traction across global, regional and local functions within AZ. Reporting to the Head, NextGen Sciences, as Senior Director, you will be the scientific lead for the platform’s future. You will drive expansion of APOLLO across geographies, tumor areas and/or use cases; shape the partner strategy, and communicate the value of accessing RWD through APOLLO across the entire Oncology Business Unit (OBU). If you are an RWE leader who combines hands-on technical depth with the ability to explain the value of RWD clearly to senior audiences, this role is built for you.
Job description
What you will do
- Set the data strategy: own the roadmap for APOLLO’s future, including which sources, markets and tumour types come next, and how the platform supports insight, strategy and evidence use cases.
- Identify and Assess future data partners: appraise candidate data sources, including structure, completeness, provenance and suitability for regulatory-grade or publication-grade use, and decide the future direction of data, beyond traditional RWD to true multi-modal data for the entire organization.
- Build the partner ecosystem: identify, evaluate and negotiate with data partners worldwide, especially in markets where oncology RWD is limited, working with global RWD leaders to create new data assets.
- Advance the science: assess and pilot new approaches to RWD collection and curation, including AI/NLP-enabled abstraction from unstructured EHR data, and set the standard for how they are validated.
- Be the voice of APOLLO: explain the platform's value and limits to all parts of the OBU, senior leaders and external experts. You will define what stakeholders hear, from clear guidance and dashboards to conference and publication presence.
- Lead through influence: lead a matrix team across EG2P and the wider Oncology Business Unit, and mentor colleagues to build RWE capability.
- Keep it compliant: ensure all activity meets AstraZeneca standards, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and external regulations.
Typical Accountabilities
- Work with the broader NextGen Sciences (NGS) team to shape and communicate APOLLO’s future to AZ Oncology stakeholders.
- Identify and assess potential new partners for potential inclusion in APOLLO and conduct feasibility assessments to ensure fit for purpose with APOLLO strategy of expanding access to real world oncology data.
- Develop and implement a Roadmap to support APOLLO’s continued growth.
- Participate in Integrated Evidence Plan (IEP) development to identify opportunities for APOLLO utilization.
- Work with global RWD leaders to develop new data assets, particularly in markets where significant oncology RWD gaps currently exist.
- Create and execute strategies that drive the implementation of APOLLO, ensuring availability of timely and meaningful data to support AZ’s global oncology real world evidence needs.
- Foster collaborative relationships with external experts to help shape future APOLLO initiatives.
- Provide leadership and mentoring to teams and individuals to upskill and develop future capabilities in line with AstraZeneca’s dedication to a culture of performance development and lifelong learning.
- Ensure that all Medical and business activities are carried out in compliance with AZ standards, (SOPs), and external regulations.
Office based position, <10% travel required
Requirements
- Advanced degree (MSc, PharmD, PhD or equivalent) in epidemiology, outcomes research, statistics, health economics or a related field.
- 10+ years in RWE or RWD, in pharma, biotech, data or analytics company, consulting or academia, including building or governing RWD assets.
- Deep expertise in real world research methods, pharmacoepidemiology and HEOR, and the judgment to define data structure and inclusion criteria for several use cases.
- Oncology RWE experience across multiple tumour types.
- Hands-on experience applying tools for curation and abstraction of unstructured EHR data.
- PhD in a relevant discipline.
- A track record of negotiating or managing external data partnerships.
- Knowledge of current regulatory and HTA expectations for RWE.
- Experience with dashboards or data visualisation tools for non-technical users.
- Demonstrated leadership and management experience, including effective problem and conflict resolution skills and validated team focus.
Benefits
- Retirement programs
- Paid time off
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision coverage
- Short-term incentive bonuses
- Equity-based awards
Company overview
AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-focused pharmaceutical company dedicated to accelerating the delivery of life-changing medicines that create enduring value for patients, society, and shareholders. With a workforce of over 94,300 employees worldwide, the company operates across three core therapy areas: Oncology, BioPharmaceuticals (including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, Respiratory & Immunology), and Rare Disease. Headquartered in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca maintains strategic R&D centers in Cambridge, Gaithersburg (US), Boston (US), Gothenburg (Sweden), Shanghai, and Beijing. The company generated $54.1 billion in total revenue in 2024 and invested $13.6 billion in scientific research and development. AstraZeneca's bold aspiration is to be pioneers in science, lead in disease areas, and transform patient outcomes, with a goal to launch 20 new medicines and achieve $80 billion in total revenue by 2030. The company is recognized for its commitment to sustainability, health equity, and creating an inclusive work environment where diverse perspectives drive innovation.