AstraZeneca

Launch and MLR Planning Director, US OBU

AstraZeneca$193K — $290K *
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree required.
  • 10 years' experience in Marketing, Launch Planning, Business Excellence, and MLR roles.
  • 6 years' experience in pharmaceutical or healthcare sectors.
  • Strong knowledge of Launch Planning and MLR processes.
  • Proven project management experience with risk mitigation.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and manage Launch Project Management activities to ensure timely delivery.
  • Drive Day 0 readiness for new products and content releases.
  • Provide guidance and support to team members, aligning goals with business objectives.
  • Optimize resource allocation in dynamic environments.
  • Build and maintain collaborative relationships with cross-functional stakeholders.
  • Assess service performance and identify improvement opportunities.
  • Lead initiatives that enhance operational efficiency and service delivery.

Benefits

  • Qualified retirement programs.
  • Paid time off including vacations and holidays.
  • Health, dental, and vision coverage according to plan terms.
  • Opportunities for short-term incentive bonuses and equity-based awards.
Full Job Description
In this role, you will lead onshore and nearshore teams responsible for Launch Planning and the end-to-end Medical, Legal, and Regulatory (MLR) review and approval process for the US market. You will drive Day 0 readiness so brands can release content upon label approval, accelerate time-to-impact, and leverage AI-driven productivity to raise the bar in speed, quality, and compliance.

Reporting into a global planning and medical delivery leadership team, you will partner closely with brand, medical, regulatory, and business excellence stakeholders to evolve our shared services. You will shape how we plan, prioritize, and deliver launches from strategy to execution, connecting disciplined operations with bold innovation to bring life-changing medicines to patients faster.

Accountabilities:
  • Launch Project Leadership: Lead and oversee Launch Project Management activities, ensuring integrated plans and milestones are delivered with rigor and pace.
  • Day 0 Readiness: Drive Launch Day 0 planning for new products, indications, and label updates to enable content release upon label approval.
  • Team Leadership and Development: Provide leadership, direction, guidance, and support to direct reports, aligning work to business goals, growth and development, and AstraZeneca values.
  • Resource Optimization: Manage resource allocation in a dynamic, fluctuating demand environment to ensure the right capacity is in the right place at the right time.
  • Stakeholder Partnership: Build effective, collaborative relationships with stakeholders across Global and US functions, including Business Excellence, Innovation & Business Planning, and Brand Teams, using forums and communities of practice to align on needs and improvements.
  • Service Excellence and Voice of Customer: Understand launch strategies and business objectives; assess service performance against expectations and identify opportunities to evolve services to better meet client needs.
  • AI-Enabled Productivity: Drive process excellence, operational rigor, and productivity by leveraging AI and other digital initiatives to improve cycle time, quality, and scalability.
  • Transformation and Change Leadership: Lead and deliver transformation initiatives that enable new ways of working, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen service delivery across the service line.
  • External and Internal Scanning: Continuously scan for leading trends and practices in Launch Planning and MLR shared services, bringing insights back to shape strategy and operations.
  • Cross-Enterprise Collaboration: Work across shared service team leads and adjacent service organizations to maximize collaboration and optimize cost, quality, and speed of delivery.
  • Policy, Compliance, and Governance: Ensure comprehensive understanding and application of policies, procedures, and operational frameworks; uphold adherence to the AstraZeneca Code of Conduct across direct and indirect reports.
  • Financial Stewardship: Maintain accountability for financial performance, aligning investments and capacity to outcomes and value.


Essential Skills/Experience:
  • Bachelor's degree required.
  • A minimum of 10 years' experience working in roles associated with Marketing, Launch Planning, Business Excellence, and MLR.
  • A minimum of 6 years' experience working in the pharmaceutical or healthcare industry within a commercial or commercial support organization.
  • Knowledge of Launch Planning processes, procedures, and program delivery standards.
  • Knowledge of the MLR (Medical, Legal, and Regulatory) planning process for the development and approval of promotional content.
  • Experience with brand strategic operational planning processes and content platforms.
  • Strong leadership abilities, with a demonstrated track record of successfully managing cross-functional teams and driving results.
  • Ability to build trusted relationships across a range of partner groups, including Marketing, Medical, Regulatory, Business Excellence, IT, and agencies.
  • Ability to manage multiple projects running in parallel.
  • Strong project management experience, including risk mitigation and planning.
  • Ability to influence, motivate, and inspire change.
  • Proven track record of working across functions, with a high level of commitment and follow-through.
  • Demonstrated experience in problem-solving and continuous improvement.
  • Excellent interpersonal, presentation, and negotiating skills.
  • Accountability for financial performance.
  • Energetic, self-motivated, and a positive teammate.
  • Supplier management experience.


Desirable Skills/Experience:
  • MBA in a relevant field, such as marketing, business, or strategy.
  • 3-4 years of pharmaceutical brand marketing experience.
  • Experience in a shared services environment.
  • Experience leading nearshore and offshore teams.
  • Experience in service design.


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. Remote working is not available. 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.

Step into this pivotal leadership role to shape how life-changing medicines reach patients at launch and beyond-take the next step and bring your launch mastery to AstraZeneca today!

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $193,898.40 to $290,847.60. Our positions offer eligibility for various incentives, including 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, including vacation, holidays, and leaves, as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans.

Date Posted
09-sept-2026

Closing Date
29-sept-2026

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical company that specializes in the research, development, and manufacturing of prescription drugs. The company was formed in 1999 through the merger of Astra AB and Zeneca Group plc. AstraZeneca's products are used to treat a wide range of medical conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes. The company has operations in over 100 countries and employs more than 76,000 people worldwide. AstraZeneca is committed to developing innovative medicines that improve the health and well-being of people around the world.
Learn more about AstraZeneca
Size
83,100 employees
Market Cap
$211.5 billion
Industry
Net Income
$3.1 billion
Founded
1999
5 Year Trend
+10.2%
Revenue
$26.6 billion
NASDAQ

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