Launch Planning Manager

AstraZeneca; Gaithersburg (MD); Hybrid; USD 125,000 - 188,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Job summary

AstraZeneca Gaithersburg, MD is seeking a Launch Planning Manager to orchestrate high-stakes, cross-functional launches with precision. You will align plans across franchises, Medical Affairs, Market Access, and Commercial Excellence to ensure milestones land on time and blockers are removed promptly.

You will partner with Franchise Heads, Brand Directors, and senior leadership to drive readiness, manage dependencies, and deliver flawless Day 0 execution in a matrix environment.

Qualifications

• Must have 5–7 years in project management, launches or commercial ops in pharma.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional launches and manage risks.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management in a matrix env.

Responsibilities

• Set up and manage core launch plan with cross-functional partners.
• Lead Launch Readiness Reviews and cadence meetings.
• Coordinate across medical, market access, marketing, and sales.
• Identify blockers and drive mitigation to protect timelines.
• Contribute to continuous improvement through post-launch reviews.
• Deliver on-time, ready-for-field launches with clear milestones.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Leadership

Risk management

Organizational skills

Prioritization under pressure

Change control

Continuous improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree

PMP/PgMP/PRINCE2 certification

Lean Six Sigma training

Advanced degree in business or life sciences

Tools

Veeva Vault PromoMats

Job description

Introduction To Role

Are you ready to turn complex, cross-functional launches into coordinated moments that bring medicines to patients faster? As Launch Planning Manager, you will orchestrate high-stakes, highly visible launches that enable our Commercial teams to complete with precision and pace, ensuring the right activity happens at the right time to achieve impact.

Location: Gaithersburg, MD

Introduction To Role

Are you ready to turn complex, cross-functional launches into coordinated moments that bring medicines to patients faster? As Launch Planning Manager, you will orchestrate high-stakes, highly visible launches that enable our Commercial teams to complete with precision and pace, ensuring the right activity happens at the right time to achieve impact.

You will partner with Franchise Heads, Brand Directors, Medical Affairs, Market Access, and Commercial Excellence to align plans, remove blockers, and keep momentum. This role sits at the center of how we power the enterprise—connecting diverse experts, setting clear ways of working, and ensuring every milestone lands on time. Can you bring clarity, pace, and confidence to moments that matter most?

Accountabilities

• Launch Plan Set-up and Management: Establish the core launch plan and ways of working with cross-functional partners; align on activities, dependencies, tracking, and critical metrics; and onboard team members quickly so everyone is ready to deliver from day one.
• Stakeholder Leadership and Communication: Serve as the primary point of contact for the brand launch team; run cadence meetings and Launch Readiness Reviews; communicate milestones and risks to senior leaders; and keep collaborators engaged and accountable.
• Integrated Project Planning and Execution: Coordinate across medical, diagnostics, labeling, market access, marketing, sales, and operations to drive alignment and commitment; manage change control and risk governance; and ensure Day 0 tasks are sequenced and tracked for flawless execution.
• Risk Management and Issue Resolution: Proactively identify bottlenecks and interdependencies; develop mitigation plans; and make timely decisions that protect critical paths and launch dates.
• Quality, Compliance, and Continuous Improvement: Contribute to our Launch Excellence Community by sharing insights; lead post-launch reviews and lessons learned; and translate findings into actionable improvements and playbooks that set the standard for future launches.
• Impact and Outcomes: Deliver launches that are on-time, customer-ready, and field-ready; improve visibility of progress and risks; and create repeatable frameworks that help teams move faster and more effectively launch after launch.

Essential Skills/Experience

• Bachelor's degree
• 5-7 years of proven experience in project management, preferably in a launch planning or commercial operations capacity within the pharmaceutical or a related industry.
• Demonstrated excellence in stakeholder management and relationship-building skills, with experience working effectively in a complex matrix environment.
• Strong ability to deliver complex, highly visible projects against tight deadlines.
• Proficiency in project management practices and methodologies.
• Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to prioritize tasks in a high-pressure environment.
• A self-motivated, resilient, and proactive approach.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and leadership skills.
• Experience with risk management, change control, and dependency management.
• Self-motivated, resilient, and highly organized; with an understanding of how to prioritize effectively
• Managing and driving excellence and continuous improvement
• Ability to work in a team matrix environment
• Able to work in a changing environment as no two launches will be the same!
• Ability to think quickly and work well under pressure

Desirable Skills/Experience

• Professional certification such as PMP, PgMP, or PRINCE2
• Experience leading pharmaceutical product launches across multiple indications or markets
• Familiarity with Medical, Legal, Regulatory (MLR) review processes and tools such as Veeva Vault PromoMats or equivalent
• Proven ability to build critical metric dashboards and leverage analytics to track readiness and performance
• Experience coordinating Day 0 command centers and field readiness across sales and operations
• Knowledge of diagnostics, labeling, and supply readiness dependencies
• Lean or Six Sigma training focused on continuous improvement
• Advanced degree in business, life sciences, or a related field

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $125,056 to $187,585. 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.

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.

Why AstraZeneca

Join a company where your planning expertise directly accelerates life-changing treatments to patients. You will work with diverse experts who come together to solve complex challenges in real time, using innovative digital tools, smart automation, and data-driven decision-making to drive better outcomes. We value ambition and kindness in equal measure, offering a connected global community that shares knowledge, learns fast, and supports you to take ownership, challenge the norm, and build a career that grows alongside our bold pipeline and evolving technology landscape.

Date Posted

08-Sep-2026

Closing Date

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.