Vice President R&D, Rare Disease

AstraZeneca
Ireland
Workplace: OnsiteFull timeFunction: Executive & General ManagementEducation: professionalSkills: ["Leadership","Communication","Stakeholder influence","Continuous improvement","Diversity and inclusion mindset"]

Lead and shape Rare Disease R&D strategy across discovery, preclinical research, and clinical development, maximizing therapeutic portfolio and IP value. Serve as a trusted advisor to the Alexion CEO and Leadership Team, driving governance rigor through Early- and Late-Stage Product Committees. Oversee R&D investment decisions, translational science/AI/data strategy where applicable, and represent the function at key governance bodies while guiding cross-functional collaboration and continuous improvement.

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AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca
1 month ago

Vice President R&D, Rare Disease

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Last checked: 21 days agoStatus: Live

Job Summary

Lead and shape Rare Disease R&D strategy across discovery, preclinical research, and clinical development, maximizing therapeutic portfolio and IP value. Serve as a trusted advisor to the Alexion CEO and Leadership Team, driving governance rigor through Early- and Late-Stage Product Committees. Oversee R&D investment decisions, translational science/AI/data strategy where applicable, and represent the function at key governance bodies while guiding cross-functional collaboration and continuous improvement.
Location: Ireland
Workplace: Onsite
Employment Type: Full time
Job Function: Executive & General Management
Seniority: Sr. Director level

Key Responsibilities

  • •Accountable for delivering the Rare Disease therapeutic area strategy alongside Alexion senior leaders.
  • •Provide global scientific and regulatory expertise to support product research, development, and lifecycle management.
  • •Participate in Early-Stage and Late-Stage Product Committees to support IP prioritization and evaluation of internal/external opportunities.
  • •Oversee development priorities and decisions to continue or stop product development activities.
  • •Represent R&D – Rare Disease at key governance bodies and serve as an escalation point for risks and issues.

Key Requirements

  • •MD and/or PhD with related industry experience in regulated biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies.
  • •Proven track record in drug discovery and development in relevant disease area(s).
  • •Experience managing a team or department, including budget management and oversight of research team activities.
  • •Enterprise-level leadership with demonstrated ability to inspire, motivate, and drive results.
  • •Strong communication skills to collaborate with and influence stakeholders across the organization.
Experience:BiotechnologyPharmaceuticalRegulated industries
Education:Professional (JD, MD, etc.)
Skills:LeadershipCommunicationStakeholder influenceContinuous improvementDiversity and inclusion mindset
Tech Stack:AIData strategyAutomation

Company Brief

AstraZeneca
Global biopharmaceutical company discovering, developing and commercializing prescription medicines across oncology, cardiovascular, renal & metabolism, respiratory, and immunology, focused on innovative therapies and vaccines to improve patient outcomes worldwide.
Industry: Pharmaceuticals
Company Size: Enterprise (1,001+ employees)
Revenue: USD 1B+
Growth: Public Company
Valuation: Public Company (Market Cap in USD)
Funding: IPO / Publicly Listed
Headquarters: Cambridge, United Kingdom
Founded: 1999
Glassdoor
Glassdoor: 3.8
WebsiteLinkedIn