Externally Sponsored Research Manager

AstraZeneca GmbH; Gaithersburg (MD); On-site; USD 112,000 - 168,000; Full time

Job summary

AstraZeneca GmbH in Gaithersburg, MD seeks an ESR Manager to oversee externally sponsored research in the US. The role partners with franchise teams to lead start-up and execution, ensuring contracts, budgets, and data accuracy across ESR platforms to stay on time and inspection-ready.

The position emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, risk mitigation, and governance across AZ contracting, US franchises, and finance departments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific or healthcare field or significant and comparable experience.
• 1–2+ years in pharmaceutical industry, ideally clinical study management or Externally Sponsored Research.
• Experience in study management systems.
• Familiarity with clinical study processes and guidelines (GCP/ICH for USA).
• Financial knowledge on study management.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary local operational contact for external sponsor sites and internal stakeholders.
• Provide guidance on ESR operational processes to stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with global and local policies and timely project delivery.
• Maintain study information in ESR systems and ensure documentation is complete.
• Coordinate local LSA governance meetings and document outcomes.
• Prepare research CDAs/CSAs timely.
• Monitor study performance and escalate when off track.
• Maintain study budgets in ESR system and ensure timely payments.
• Keep portfolio data updated in ESR systems quarterly.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Project coordination

Communication

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor’s degree in scientific/healthcare field

Tools

ESR management systems

VCV system

ACCORD (budget/payments)

Job description

Job Description

Join us to advance evidence that improves patient outcomes in partnership with our US Medical oncology teams. As an ESR Manager, you will serve as the operational backbone for externally sponsored research performed in the USA, aligning to franchise priorities to deliver high‑quality, compliant studies that inform practice and broaden patient impact. You will partner cross‑functionally to lead end‑to‑end start‑up and execution with franchise teams and sites: triaging proposals, coordinating governance, guiding ESR processes, and ensuring contracts, budgets, and systems are accurate and current. You will keep programs on time, on budget, and inspection‑ready by driving proactive risk mitigation, timely escalations, and clean data across ESR platforms. If you thrive in a collaborative environment and want your work to help more patients benefit from our medicines, we invite you to apply.

Job Responsibilities

• Act as the primary local operational contact and liaison for all external (sponsor site) and internal cross-functional stakeholders for assigned studies (AZ contracting, US Franchises, GMA, finance, etc). Coordinate effective collaboration and communications between internal stakeholders and external partners to enable high quality research projects
• Provides guidance to external and internal stakeholders on ESR operational processes
• Manage operational compliance with global and local policies, processes, and procedures within assigned tumor type area(s) to ensure timely, cost efficient and high-quality project delivery. Address urgently compliance issues, escalating problems as appropriate
• Accountable for accurate and timely study information into ESR management system, and to cross-functional stakeholders (Franchise teams, Finance, Project Managers, etc) ensuring completeness of all information and documentation is complete
• Facilitate local strategic alignment (LSA) governance meetings (including but not limited to coordination of meetings, meeting minute documentation, reviews proposals for completeness, outcome sharing and follow-up)
• Ensure timely preparation of research CDAs/CSAs
• Routinely review assigned study performance and escape when projects are not being managed to time, cost and quality to franchises, project managers and finance teams.
• Set up and maintain study budget current and up to date in ESR study management system (e.g., ACCORD as necessary). Ensure accurate payments related to the study are reflected in ESR management system in a timely manner
• Maintain all data in VCV system up to date, ensuring that portfolio is updated in a timely fashion, at a minimum once per quarter
• For studies that are not on track, in collaboration with AZ sponsor, ensures corrective action plans are created and documented in ESR study management system and action plans are progressing as planned
• For USMA funded ESRs, support franchises on quarterly ESR analysis, risk mitigation documenting and follow-up
• Collaborates with Regulatory Affairs to requests LOAs to support sponsor regulatory submissions
• Hold Sponsor accountable to contractual obligations in keeping system updated

Education, Qualifications and Experience Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree within a scientific or healthcare field or significant and comparable experience
• 1 to 2+ years of experience within the pharmaceutical industry ideally working within a clinical study management and/or Externally Sponsored Research related role
• Experience working in study management systems
• Experience and knowledge of the clinical study and drug development processes and relevant guidelines, e.g., GCP/ICH for the USA.
• Financial knowledge on study management

Other Skills and Capabilities:

• Effective relationship building and stakeholder management skills across functions
• Ability to effectively prioritize competing deliverables
• Flexibility and adaptability
• High levels of enthusiasm and energy

The annual base pay (or hourly rate of compensation) for this position ranges from $112,154 to $168,232. 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.

Date Posted

18-Sep-2026

Closing Date

01-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.