Director, Global Patient Advocacy Lead

Reporting to VP Global Head Patient Experience, this position is part of Alexion AstraZeneca Rare Disease Patient Experience team and is responsible for leading the Global patient advocacy strategy and patient engagement within the Alexion Rare Disease Business unit and may span multiple disease within the current portfolio and pipeline.  

This role will drive the global strategy to find opportunities to understand and support the patient journey including accelerating the time to diagnosis, disease awareness and resources, treatment advances, and providing caregiver support to improve health outcomes.  

The Director, Patient Advocacy will be responsible for driving, building and enhancing strategic alliances with both disease-specific advocacy organizations and those that span across disease area umbrella groups, as well as other rare/ultra-rare disease-oriented organizations in response to patient needs to drive Alexion AstraZeneca Rare Disease global patient advocacy strategic goals.   

In this role you will enhance Alexion’s commitment and demonstration of patient centricity. Through understanding of the patient community, this individual will bring the patient perspective into Alexion Astra Zeneca Rare Disease decision making. 

You will be responsible for: 

• Establish Alexion as a strong partner to the global relevant patient communities promoting strategic, long-term partnerships with this community by strengthening existing collaborations and identifying new groups for partnerships and engagement 

• Shape and coordinate execution of global patient advocacy strategy and plans disease areas in scope through effective cross-functional partnerships with Therapeutic Area leaders of Alexion’s Medical and Commercial organizations and coordinate with critical internal partners.

• Advance patient-focused drug development, ensuring strategic partnership with rare disease communities in support of R&D programs and clinical trials, working closely with Global Patient Insights and Solutions (GPIS) towards facilitating and implementing early patient engagement and insights activities and supporting clinical trial awareness and recruitment   

• Leading patient identification, engagement and relationship development to support PEX organized frameworks (STAR workshops, Patient Frictions Coefficients, Patient Insights Forum, etc.) to ensure effective cross-sectional representation of patient and caregivers within those platforms 

• Promote patient-partnered alliances and initiatives with PAGs to advance access and equity by shaping policies and guidelines that are informed by the lived experience of patients and caregivers. Partner closely with Corporate Affairs teams towards actions that support system changes supporting the advancement of policy positions that embrace appreciation of innovation and the importance of optimal treatment as it applies to the disease areas in scope for this role. 

• Link appropriate patient groups with the information and resources needed to support patients and caregivers to advocate for appropriate care. Build a sense of community and collaboration among these groups and with Alexion  

• Efficiently and effectively serve as a liaison to the rare disease community by working appropriately with global colleagues on cross-disease initiatives while prioritizing engagement on disease-specific work and ensuring coordinated outreach and further establishing our external rare disease leadership 

• Support collection of patient’ and caregiver’s insights and proactively and routinely sharing and integrating insights from patient advocacy groups to shape programs, research and activities related to Alexion programs.  

• Lead internal thought leaders patient centricity sessions and represent Alexion externally in patient focused congresses and patient meetings to enhance our corporate reputation and connections with patient communities  

• Align closely with other AZ business unites towards optimal alignments and coordinated approach to partnering with patient groups and communities that are shared across the different AZ areas of work 

• Partnering closely with all in-country patient advocacy team (US, EUCAN & International, China, Japan) providing strategic guidance and actional frameworks and resources. Ensure alignment and synergies between global and local patient advocacy strategies and plans in this TA supporting local teams deliver key projects and initiatives and the effective participation of local PAG leaders in global PEX initiatives 

• Represent Patient Advocacy in the relevant TA cross-functional leadership teams ensuring the patient advocacy perspective is adequately integrated and reflected in internal strategies, plans as well as decision-making 

• Providing impactful points of connection for patient advocacy groups with Alexion employees and senior leaders  

Essential Skills/Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree

• 10+years of progressive industry/relevant professional experience or 7+ years of patient advocacy experience, including in global/ international roles 

• Solid knowledge and established connections with the global rare disease advocacy community 

• Ability to lead with influence in a complex internal matrix 

• Broad knowledge of the biopharma industry; solid understanding of drug development, HEOR,  product launch, access and reimbursement, and commercialization and compliant patient engagement. 

• Robust knowledge of current compliance, legal, regulatory and other issues that impact the biopharmaceutical industry and its protocol for patient engagement 

• Outstanding interpersonal skills, ability to successfully influence without authority, and effectively work with global colleagues efficiently across functions in a complex organization and business environment 

• Strong ability to initiate and maintain partnerships with key internal and external partners and work cross-functionally to identify and prioritize company goals to accomplish with patient advocacy groups 

• Excellent project, vendor and budget management to deliver business results 

Desirable Skills/Experience: 

• Existing relationships with disease-specific organizations such as relevant rare disease groups  

• Experience managing product launches and life cycle management in a co-promotion framework  

• Proven experience providing leadership and direction to agency partners 

• Knowledge of healthcare systems within individual markets, especially ex-US 

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.

Joining Alexion means working where every day is driven by the needs of people living with rare and devastating diseases, where diverse perspectives are welcomed, different thinking is encouraged, kindness sits alongside ambition, and teams are empowered to innovate at pace while staying closely connected to the communities they serve. 

Ready to help redefine what patient-driven really looks like in rare disease advocacy? Apply now!

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $151,753 to $227,630. Our positions offer eligibility for various incentives—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 (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves), as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans.