Associate Director, Service Contracting

Are you ready to lead the contracting engine that enables AstraZeneca's Market Access business? As the Associate Director, Service Contracting, you will be accountable for the technical direction, quality, compliance, controls, standards, stakeholder enablement, and performance management of Market Access contracting activities. You will manage the full contract lifecycle, including MSAs, CDAs, SOWs, GPO services agreements, and other commercial contracts, while ensuring alignment with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and AstraZeneca governance standards. You will balance compliance, efficiency, and customer excellence, own the development of our contracting infrastructure, and lead, develop, and mentor a team of contracting professionals. Partnering closely with Account Directors, Legal, Finance, US Patient Support, Service Strategy, Contract Strategy, Procurement, and other functions, you will deliver scalable, compliant, and business-focused contracting solutions within a highly regulated environment. Accountabilities: • Lead and develop a contracting team, including work allocation, prioritization, performance management, development, succession planning, and hiring decisions, ensuring the team effectively manages the drafting, review, execution, and maintenance of Market Access customer agreements, including MSAs, CDAs, SOWs, and other commercial and service-related contracts. • Lead Contract Operations support for US Patient Support contracting, assuming operational ownership of intake, drafting coordination, approvals, execution, amendments, renewals, and issue resolution for vendor and service agreements that enable patient support programs, while maintaining clear accountability, continuity, and governance throughout the transition. • Oversee contracting updates to support Physician Fee Schedule requirements and maintain the bona fide service fee certification library, ensuring compliance with applicable quarterly reporting requirements. • Oversee the review and approval of contracts to ensure alignment with AstraZeneca policies, government requirements, approved contractual language, risk mitigation provisions, compliance controls, and governance standards; manage prioritization, quality review, and escalation of contractual issues. • Supervise the preparation and processing of customer communications and contract-related requests submitted by internal customers. • Establish, oversee, and continuously improve contracting processes and performance metrics, including intake, version control, approvals, execution, renewals, document retention, audit readiness, cycle times, backlog, quality, and stakeholder service levels. • Own the development and maintenance of contracting infrastructure, including templates, clause libraries, playbooks, handbooks, and process documentation. • Serve as a Market Access contracting subject matter expert, advising internal customers on contract structure, required provisions, approval pathways, risk considerations, product and service strategy, and operational implementation. • Build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including customers, vendors, auditors, Account Directors, Finance, Legal, US Patient Support, Service Strategy, Contract Strategy, Government Reporting, and Procurement, to resolve issues and ensure timely, effective execution of agreements. • Monitor changes in legal, regulatory, compliance, procurement, privacy, and business requirements, assess their impact on Market Access contracting, and recommend updates to processes, standards, templates, and guidance materials. Essential Skills/Experience: • Bachelor’s degree, preferably in a relevant field • 5+ years of progressive pharmaceutical experience in governance, operations, contracting, service strategy, patient support, or related functions • Understanding of Market Access and healthcare delivery, including the regulatory environment • Experience managing contracting activities, including MSAs, CDAs, and SOWs • Experience with document workflows, version controls, and audit controls • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills • Demonstrated ability to influence with and without authority, lead teams, and develop relationships with senior leadership • Demonstrated ability to manage through uncertainty • Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to balance competing priorities • Advanced proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and Word • Strong attention to detail and trends Desirable Skills/Experience: • MBA, J.D., or Paralegal Certificate • Detailed understanding of the AstraZeneca business model, with knowledge of brand team operations, brand planning, and the sales model 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. Why AstraZeneca? At AstraZeneca, we turn ideas into life-changing medicines. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big and working together to make the impossible a reality. We're focused on the potential of science to address the unmet needs of patients around the world. Within Market Access, you'll help ensure patients can access our medicines by building the compliant, efficient contracting foundation that our customers and partners rely on. You'll join a collaborative team that values operational excellence, sound judgment, and continuous improvement, with the support to grow your leadership and your career. Ready to make a difference? Apply now! The annual