Associate Director, Diagnostic Alliance Management

**Location: Barcelona, Spain (On-Site)**

At AstraZeneca we turn ideas into life changing medicines. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big and working together to make the impossible a reality.

As one of the **leading pharmaceutical companies in precision medicine**, we transform patients’ lives by personalizing treatment. To deliver our diagnostic strategies, we have invested more than 160 million USD in development of diagnostics and work with diagnostic partners across the globe.

**Responsibilities, what you will be doing**:

- Together with diagnostic project teams, drive fulfilment of diagnostic business partnership, program, project activities, obligations and commitments
- Manage day to day interactions with AZ’s diagnostic partners, including liaison with senior managers and project teams on both sides to build collaboration and trust
- Maintain oversight of all programmes with a partner, and be the “Go to person for the partnership” especially for issue resolution, contracting and governance
- In collaboration with Business Development and Procurement, contribute to contracting process to meet project timelines
- Work with senior leaders to define partner must wins, and to establish effective governance structures
- Develop strategic risk analysis and use this to anticipate and mitigate the effect of change in terms of risks, costs, timescales and resources
- Perform regular partner “Health Checks” to ensure continuous, smooth interactions; provide visibility and recommendations to senior leaders and implement action plans with relevant stakeholders
- Plan and manage the operational aspects of the partnership, including joint governance committee, ensuring alliance effectiveness, appropriate communications, managing escalation for issue resolution
- Provide timely and accurate business reporting for the partnership including metrics, scorecard and risk tracking
- Continuously identify and implement improvements to the partnership operating model to ensure it meets the evolving needs of the business
- Assist in the development of internal tools, systems, processes, and best practices for the smooth operation of the Diagnostic alliance management function
- Act as a spokesperson / ambassador for AZ with external partners to raise the profile of AZ as a partner of choice for diagnostic alliance management

**Qualifications, Skills and Experience Required**:
**Essential**:

- Experience of effective alliance management, with a proven track record of delivery
- High level understanding or interest in the importance of diagnostics for precision medicine
- Strong leadership skills with ability to manage negotiations both within an organisation and with external partners
- Strong networking/consulting skills with good internal/external links. Proven ability to influence others inc at senior levels
- Evidence of leading and developing innovative solutions that positively impact delivery through a partner
- Experience in problem-solving/ conflict resolution in a cross-functional, cross-cultural environment, and ability to escalate issues appropriately

**Desirable**:

- Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) and/or a PhD/Master´s degree in a Life Sciences discipline with equivalent experience working in a business role for an IVD or Biopharma industry organization
- Project Management certification or equivalent experience
- Previous experience in a similar role
- Understanding of drug discovery and development
- Proven track record in delivering high risk programme/projects and decision making