Associate Director, Diagnostic Partnerships, Oncology

AstraZeneca plc; Gaithersburg (MD); On-site; USD 173,000 - 259,000; Full time

Job summary

AstraZeneca Associate Director, Diagnostic Partnerships within the Oncology Business Unit will lead external partnerships to shape GDx strategies and drive in-market diagnostic solutions. Reporting to the Senior Director, you will refine business needs, engage with diagnostic partners, and oversee scoping, negotiation, and contracting activities.

Based in Gaithersburg, MD, you will build cross-functional collaboration, manage due diligence, and present opportunities to senior management while

Qualifications

• Post-graduate level education in a relevant subject.
• 3–5 years in contracting, business development or pharma partnerships.
• Knowledge of pharma/diagnostic businesses and evaluation techniques.
• Understanding of governance for deal progression and due diligence.
• Strong analytical, interpersonal and presentation skills.
• Financial literacy and English proficiency.

Responsibilities

• Shape GDx projects to meet business requirements within cost/quality/timeline.
• Develop relationships with external diagnostic partners.
• Lead schedules of work and manage the deal process.
• Oversee post-contract handover to GDx for implementation.
• Support negotiation and contracting for enterprise-wide agreements.
• Present opportunities to oncology leadership and stakeholders.
• Attend key congresses to identify partnerships.
• Coordinate cross-functional collaboration across Oncology, Legal, R&D.

Skills

Contracting experience

Business development

Strategy

Pharma/diagnostic partnerships

Governance procedures

Due diligence

Analytical thinking

Stakeholder management

Presentation skills

English proficiency

Education

Masters/MBA/MSc or above

Job description

Are you ready to make a significant impact in the world of oncology diagnostics? As the Associate Director, Diagnostic Partnerships within the Oncology Business Unit, you will play a pivotal role in delivering the Global Diagnostics (GDx) mission of shaping the patient testing landscape and ensuring no patient is left behind. Reporting to the Senior Director, Diagnostic Partnerships, you will lead key partnership activities within GDx; your expertise will be crucial in refining business needs, engaging with prospective diagnostic partners, and collaborating on scoping, negotiation, and contracting. Are you prepared to take on this challenge and lead partnerships initiatives that deliver diagnostic solutions in-market?

Accountabilities

• Shape GDx projects towards meeting business requirements, fitting into overarching strategies while considering cost, quality and timeline requirements.
• Develop and manage relationships with external diagnostic partners and potential partners in a compliant and professional manner, ensuring AstraZeneca is regarded as a partner of choice by third parties.
• Lead specific schedules of work according to project needs, owning the deal process and aligning with cross-functional colleagues to support execution.
• Ensure post-contract activities are successfully completed with optimal handover of solutions to wider GDx colleagues for implementation.
• Work with Business Development colleagues in the negotiation, contracting and deal-closing processes for enterprise-wide agreements.
• Ensure that diagnostic partnering opportunities are evaluated thoroughly and objectively with ownership of certain due diligence processes.
• Present partnering opportunities to the oncology business effectively and efficiently.
• Build personal networks to aid early identification of relevant partnering opportunities and efficient delivery of partnership projects.
• Attend key external scientific congresses to identify partnership opportunities and nurture existing relationships.
• Work collaboratively and flexibly to accommodate projects which arise from varied parts of the business.
• Provide broader diagnostics teams with inputs and expertise according to personal domain and partnerships knowledge.
• Support or lead in building business cases for specific partnerships projects.
• Report on project activities and achievements to senior management, feed into OBU updates as appropriate.
• Positively develop, manage and maintain stakeholder relationships with colleagues across Oncology Business Unit, Business Development, Legal, Compliance, in-country diagnostic teams, R&D, and other cross-functional colleagues as needed.

Essential Skills/Experience

• Post-graduate level education in a relevant subject (e.g. Masters/MBA/MSc or above)
• 3-5 years of relevant contracting, business development, strategy, consulting and/or pharma/diagnostic partnership experience
• Knowledge of pharmaceutical and diagnostic company businesses, processes and activities
• Knowledge of scientific, commercial and financial evaluation techniques
• An understanding of governance procedures relevant to deal progression and business development work (CDAs, agreement structures, delegation of authorities, due diligence processes, etc.)
• Analytical skills and ability to ascertain the relevant issues from large volumes of information
• Interpersonal and teamwork skills, demonstrating flexibility and a proven ability to deal with complexity under time pressure and contribute skills to deliver projects
• Experience and effectiveness in the presentation of written and oral business cases to senior management
• Numerate and having financial literacy, excellent spoken and written English
• Tenacity and resourcefulness, an ability to deliver under pressure, intuitive prioritization and sense of urgency
• A clear self-starter approach, ability to extract practical steps for contracting and project design from ambiguous high-level vision

Desirable Skills/Experience

• Experience through education or work in a relevant area of oncology diagnostics, providing credibility to scientific audiences
• Experience in international, multi-functional project teams to deliver to time, cost and quality
• Experience of diagnostics commercialisation and product launches working with third party companies
• A working understanding of diagnostic regulatory frameworks
• Understanding of commercial in-market needs for novel oncology diagnostics
• Knowledge of alternative deal structures and legal principles applicable to a range of deal types
• Negotiation skills and experience of working in a deal environment
• Good knowledge of disease areas, and drug/diagnostic development activities and commercial processes
• Existing deep diagnostic scientific knowledge and an established external network is an advantage

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $172,624 to $258,936. 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.

Why AstraZeneca?

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.

At AstraZeneca, we are driven by a bold ambition to eliminate cancer as a cause of death. Our relentless pursuit of scientific excellence challenges the status quo to deliver more effective treatments for patients. With a game-changing pipeline backed by pioneering research, we are transforming cancer care through precision medicine. Our entrepreneurial spirit fosters collaboration across diverse teams, empowering us to redefine cancer treatment. Join us on this exciting journey where your contributions can make a real difference.

Date Posted

28-Sep-2026

Closing Date

11-Oct-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.