Director - Patient Safety

Astrazeneca India Private Limited; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 6,800,000; Full time

Job summary

AstraZeneca is seeking a Director Patient Safety to lead the global and regional patient safety strategy, guide high-performing teams, and oversee safety decisions from development through lifecycle. You will elevate benefit-risk thinking, strengthen external interfaces, drive continuous improvement, and set priorities while representing the company in regulatory interactions and industry forums in a global context.

Strong clinical background and executive leadership essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in science/healthcare related field or equivalent
• Significant leadership experience in healthcare/pharma settings
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage priorities
• Excellent written and verbal communication and negotiation skills

Responsibilities

• Guide regional group to ensure effective teamwork between patient safety enablement and functions across the business.
• Set direction, prioritize resources, and uphold compliance with regulations and laws.
• Shape benefit-risk strategy and respond to emerging safety issues.
• Translate strategic priorities into objectives, plans and performance measures.
• Represent the company in regulatory interactions and relevant industry forums.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional teamwork

Communication skills

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in science/healthcare field

Advanced degree

Job description

Director- Patient Safety

Job Title: Director Patient Safety GCL: F

Introduction to role

Are you ready to build patient safety strategy that directly influences how innovative medicines reach people who need them most? Can you see yourself building high-performing teams and guiding sophisticated safety decisions from early development through lifecycle management? As Director Patient Safety, you will provide technical leadership as a guide for assigned products or processes, or lead a regional group that connects patient safety enablement with teams across development and beyond. You will work within multi-skilled, cross-functional teams to elevate benefit-risk thinking, strengthen external interfaces, and drive continuous improvement so that quality and pace go hand in hand.

Accountabilities

• Guide a regional group to ensure effective teamwork between patient safety enablement and functions across the business.
• Set direction, prioritize resources, and uphold compliance with regulations and laws.
• Serve as guide lead for assigned products and safety processes; shape benefit-risk strategy, signal evaluation and responses to emerging safety issues.

Strategy Contribution

• Give to the regional or functional patient safety strategy and translate strategic priorities into clear objectives, plans and performance measures.
• Provide specialist patient safety expertise and handle interface activities with external organizations within the country; represent the company in regulatory interactions, inspections and relevant industry forums.
• Lead, guide, evaluate and develop the team within your area; performance lead team leaders, identify development opportunities for direct reports and plan optimally for succession.
• Build a culture of adventurous leadership, creativity and collaboration; role-model clear decision-making and continuous learning.
• Develop and build cross-functional, multi-skilled teams; drive process improvements, leverage digital tools and data, and ensure audit and inspection readiness.
• Set and handle priorities, resources, performance targets and project initiatives in a global and regional environment; supervise budgetary and resource management planning.

Essential Skills/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in science / healthcare related field or confirmed Patient Safety experience equivalence in a similar role, and an excellent clinical background.
• Advanced degree is helpful.
• Significant experience in a hospital, pharmaceutical, clinical research position, or other healthcare related field.
• Validated leadership promoting motivation and empowerment of others in order to accomplish individual, team and interpersonal objectives.
• Ability to lead cross functional working groups and teams; Proven record to set and handle priorities, resources, performance targets and project initiatives in a global and regional environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills as well as confirmed negotiation, teamwork and interpersonal leadership skills.

Desirable Skills/Experience

• Effectively plans, coordinates and facilitates delivery of team objectives.
• Demonstrates operational expertise in risk management and prioritisation.
• Act as role model in line with AZ core values and behaviours.
• Has an appropriate understanding of disease state and familiarity with the latest research and leaders with vision.
• Ability to understand the impact of technology on projects and to use and develop digital literacy while making appropriate use of AZ and SD systems/software in an e-enabled environment.
• Demonstrates strategic influencing, concern for standards, and thoughtful persuasion to acquire desired outcomes while maintaining effective, positive, interpersonal relationships.

Company Culture

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we fuel 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, at least 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 bold world.

Why AstraZeneca

Join a community where scientists, clinicians, data guides and technologists work side by side to seek some of the toughest diseases, fusing thorough science with digital, data and AI to fuel the next wave of breakthroughs. You will find open doors, unexpected teams in the same room fueling daring thinking, and the trust to lead with both courage and care. We value grit alongside ambition, learn from patients and partners across academia and biotech, and channel our shared energy into creating faster, safer paths to life-changing medicines that reach more people worldwide.

Closing Details

Date Posted 30-Sept-2026 Closing Date 04-Oct-2026

Equal Opportunity Statement

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.

Experience Level Executive Level