Senior Transaction Director

Senior Transaction Director

Boston, MA

Finance

Hybrid Work- on average 3 days/week in office

The Business Development Operations (BDO) team is a stand-alone business unit within AstraZeneca that pursues a variety of value-enhancing business development opportunities that have a clear strategic fit with our portfolio and commercial capabilities. These transactions can be alliances and strategic acquisitions to enhance our portfolio and pipeline in our main therapy areas, externalisation activity to broaden or accelerate the value in our pipeline, or divestments to streamline our focus. You'll lead all aspects of the transactional phase of transactions and, in the case of externalisation/divestment projects, also leads the initial evaluation and external marketing phase.

This role will handle a wide range of projects and work through the transaction process from end to end, engaging with prospective partners, negotiating and finalising contracts and, where appropriate, working collaboratively with the Evaluation Director equivalent from Corporate Development or the Therapy Area throughout the deal process. You will work flexibly across all AstraZeneca therapy areas. You will lead multi-functional cross-SET area teams in progressing transactions including the development of business cases and supporting their presentation to the most senior management in the company.

What you'll do

• Establish and independently lead international, senior level, diverse, multifunctional teams to prosecute transactions in all therapy areas, at all different Development phases with a primary focus on Phase 1 and beyond as well as on market deals in any geography. Such teams may include senior scientific, technical and commercial representatives from R&D, Commercial, Legal, Finance and Operations.

• Interpret and synthesize data gathered from 3rd parties, desk sources and internal AZ knowledge and distil facts down to the key aspects, balancing the needs of AZ and the counterparty in building business cases.

• Work with leadership to ensure appropriate prioritization and ranking of transactions across the business.

• Identify transaction risks and opportunities and make clear recommendations to senior management to progress or to close.

• Interacting at Board level with Partners, Targets, Investment Banks, Law Firms and other consultants and advisers.

• Manage the relationship with the potential partner in the transaction phase in a timely and professional manner.

• Ensure that AZ remains competitive in 3rd party deal process and is positioned as partner of choice.

• Work with Senior Due Diligence Directors to ensure due diligence assessments focus on key risks.

• Constructing and negotiating optimal deal structure in discussions with internal and external stakeholders, including working with the Evaluation Director/Team from the Term Sheet phase of the project

• Prepare and present deal propositions to relevant governance bodies including the Board of Directors

• Lead the deal negotiation and closure.

• Ensure post closure activities are fully completed.

• With the Evaluation Director (when applicable) and other relevant team members, develop, manage and maintain stakeholder relationships including internal accountability to devise and lead a high quality stakeholder management strategy involving CEO and SET, other Governance groups, Science Committee and AZ PLC Board of Directors.

• Contribute to stakeholder updates as appropriate.

• Ensure that appropriate records are maintained and that decision support documentation is uploaded as appropriate.

• Ensure effective handover to relevant Alliance- Integration Manager including preparation of any mandated handover documentation (ex. Executive Summary).

• Ensure thorough deal learning reviews are undertaken and takeaways are shared across the BD deal making community.

Essential for the role

• Bachelor's degree

• 7+ years experience in leading business development negotiations and execution of significant late stage and on market transactions as exemplified in deal sheet (please be prepared to share)

• Broad knowledge of pharmaceutical business, process and activities

• A flexible, team orientated approach, willing to contribute own skills to deliver AZ priority projects

• Strong analytical skills and ability to determine the relevant issues from large masses of information.

• Numerate and having financial literacy

• Experience and effectiveness in the presentation of written and verbal business cases

• Knowledge of alternative deal structures and legal principles applicable to a range of deal types

• Strong negotiation skills and experience of working in a high pressure deal environment.

• Gravitas and experience to create a positive relationship with third parties as an AZ Ambassador at Board and Executive Committee level.

• Leading multiple, large, international, multi-functional project teams of senior professionals

• Demonstrates structured and measured leadership, interactions and decision making during periods of high intensity in external or internal deliberations.

• Interpersonal and team leadership skills, demonstrating flexibility and capacity to handle complexity under time pressure.

• Strong judgement and decision-making skills in order to take responsibility both for progressing and terminating transactions.

Desirable for the role

• Bachelors of Science degree

• Advanced degree, e.g. MBA. PhD

• Knowledge of disease areas, and drug development activities and commercial processes.

Office Working Requirements
 

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.

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $200,799.20 - 301,198.80 USD. 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. ​

#LI-Hybrid

Date Posted

16-Sept-2026

Closing Date

22-Sept-2026

Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.