Director, BioPharma R&D Strategy Analyst

Director BioPharma R&D Strategy Analyst

Location: Cambridge UK

Salary: Competitive

As a Director BioPharma R&D Strategy Analyst you will be responsible for connecting R&D strategy with commercial forecasting to improve the quality and impact of cross-functional decision-making.

Working across R&D and Commercial in a multidisciplinary team environment the Director will lead the development of long-term therapy area projections and strategic analyses that identify areas of high unmet need and inform portfolio prioritization.

This role requires the ability to integrate scientific clinical and commercial perspectives to support decision-making across disease area evolution future treatment landscapes and emerging technologies.

The Director will partner closely with stakeholders across science clinical development business development competitive intelligence and early commercial to generate pragmatic scenario-based insights that shape strategy.

The role will also work closely with Commercial forecasting leads to ensure long-term views of disease area evolution remain current as assets progress.

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a global science-led biopharmaceutical company and our innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. This is the place to make an impact. Here we ensure everyone can reach their full potential perform at their best and make a valued contribution to the enterprise. Within Biopharmaceuticals R&D we are empowered to be bold take calculated risks and use our intelligence and courage to always follow the science.

Biopharmaceuticals Strategy Business Development & Alliances Competitive Intelligence Team

Our team is being built to sit at the center of Biopharmaceuticals R&D driving our R&D strategy and addressing the unmet needs and future focus of AstraZenecas Biopharmaceuticals pipeline. We operate both internally and externally leading collaboration and acquisition opportunities as well as partnering closely with external alliances.

What youll do

BioPharma R&D Strategy Analyst (Core Accountability)

• Create high level long-term projections for R&I or CVRM disease areas using patient-based and market-based models to inform early portfolio prioritisation target profile choices and modality selection for pre-commercial assets and disease areas

• Support R&D decision making when selecting or prioritizing new targets modalities indications therapy areas asset opportunities external innovation and partnering options

• Integrate primary research epidemiology competitive intelligence translational and clinical insights external landscape signals scientific milestones access dynamics and real-world data into projection models

• Proactively identify and quantify key risks and opportunities through scenario and sensitivity analyses competitor readouts and deal-related value assumptions

• Partner closely with R&D strategy project teams business development and alliances finance and competitive intelligence to ensure alignment on assumptions and implications and connect with Commercial forecasting teams.

Strategic analytics innovation and capability leadership (Enablement)

• Provide leadership over forecasting-adjacent analytics ensuring advanced analytics and insights are embedded into R&D strategy portfolio reviews and evidence planning

• Manage and prioritise external vendors supporting projections analytics competitive intelligence and landscape assessment deliverables

• Partner with data analytics resources Global IA&F and R&D BD&L and CI capability teams to ensure alignment with new tools data sources and modelling approaches

• Champion and identify new ways to embed AI and advanced automation into the practice of data analytics and projections to drive efficiency scalability and decision quality while maintaining strong judgement.

• Build future-ready approaches that combine internal data external signals and expert judgement to assess novel science emerging competitors partnership opportunities and potential inflection points across the portfolio

Essential for the role

• Bachelors degree in a quantitative scientific or business-related field required (e.g. Statistics Economics Mathematics Engineering Computer/Data Science).

• strong experience in consultancy investment banking analytics portfolio strategy competitive intelligence business development evaluation or related decision-support roles with meaningful exposure to early- and mid-stage R&D assets

• Hands-on model ownership experience or equivalent analytical leadership across short- and long-term horizons

• Expertise in scenario-based forecasting sensitivity analysis and driver-based narratives to support senior decision-making

• Strong capability integrating multiple data types (e.g. epidemiology competitive intelligence translational/clinical insights external innovation signals RWD/RWE primary research) into coherent decision-grade forecasts

• Working knowledge of advanced analytics/ML approaches (e.g. time series causal inference ensembles) and where they add value vs. traditional methods

• Demonstrated forecast governance and model risk discipline (traceable assumptions documentation and clear explanations)

• Strong understanding of drug development disease area strategy competitor dynamics and key value drivers relevant to early-stage asset decision-making

• Exceptional communication: translates complex analysis into clear executive-ready insights options and recommendations

• Ability to operate credibly across scientific strategic and external-facing discussions including partnerships alliances and cross-functional governance forums

• Comfort using AI-enabled tools and digital workflows to accelerate insight generation while applying appropriate challenge ethics and judgement

Desirable for the role

• Advanced degree preferred (e.g. MBA MS PhD in Statistics Economics Decision Sciences Data Science or related discipline).

• Experience in BioPharma R&D early pipeline strategy business development alliance management or competitive intelligence within R&I CVRM and/or adjacent therapy areas

• Change leadership: builds adoption for new tools processes and ways of working across cross-functional stakeholders

• Experience evaluating external innovation partnership opportunities or acquisition targets using structured strategic and analytical frameworks

• Product mindset for forecasting: defines user needs success metrics and a roadmap for portfolio forecasting capabilities

• Model lifecycle practices (e.g. reproducibility versioning monitoring/drift awareness); familiarity with MLOps concepts

• Familiarity with multi-omics biomarkers translational medicine or platform innovations that shape the future potential of early-stage assets

• Experience using generative AI knowledge synthesis tools or advanced visualisation techniques to accelerate strategic insight generation and communication

Why AstraZeneca

At AstraZeneca we re dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. Where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science and unleash your entrepreneurial spirit. Theres no better place to make a difference to medicine patients and society. An inclusive culture that champions diversity and collaboration and always committed to lifelong learning growth and development. Were on an exciting journey to pioneer the future of healthcare.

So whats next

Are you ready to bring new ideas and fresh thinking to the table Brilliant! We have one seat available and we hope its yours. We look forward to your application not later than 11th October 2026

Date Posted

Closing Date