National Clinical Trial Liaison Lead

About the role

The National Director, Clinical Trial Liaison Team will provide national leadership, direction, and performance management for a field-based Clinical Trial Liaison team focused on strengthening scientific engagement with strategic clinical research sites and accelerating support for prioritized studies across the US. This role serves as the key link between US clinical investigators, strategic research sites, healthcare professionals, and headquarters-based teams across Medical Affairs, R&D, Clinical Operations, and Brand.

Responsibilities

• Establish the national vision, operating model, and execution priorities for the Clinical Trial Liaison team, making US clinical trial acceleration a visible field medical priority in support of Ambition 2030.
• Lead national and enterprise study priorities into clear field plans, priority site coverage, and consistent engagement expectations across US strategic research centers, including select Partner in Care Network sites and other key research partners.
• Lead and manage the national Clinical Trial Liaison team, including goal setting, performance management, coaching, onboarding, capability building, best-practice sharing, team culture, and talent development.
• Serve as the national conduit for investigator, site, and referring-provider insights, ensuring field insights are gathered with quality, shared rapidly with headquarters partners, and used to inform strategies, plans, and field adjustments.
• Anticipate future trends and needs in the clinical trial and healthcare marketplace, resource the field team optimally, and lead change initiatives that enable positive business and patient outcomes.

Requirements

• Masters required, PhD, PharmD, MD, DO preferred
• Ten or more years of combined experience contributing to and leading Field Medical, Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, pharmaceutical industry, or clinical trial research teams.
• Experience in supporting clinical trial site engagement, feasibility input, patient recruitment initiatives, or trial-enrollment support.
• People leadership experience with proven ability to lead field-based teams, first-line leaders, or large-scale field medical initiatives.
• Track record of delivering large-scale, impactful medical, clinical, or field execution initiatives across a matrix organization.
• Strong experience with clinical research, study site logistics, investigator and site engagement, clinical trial education, and collaboration with clinical operations partners.
• Experience in implementation of AI tools to accelerate patient identification & recruitment.
• Demonstrated expertise in scientific communication, drug information exchange, and education of healthcare professionals, investigators, site staff, and internal stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of FDA compliance, regulatory requirements, Medical Affairs policies, business processes, and appropriate scientific exchange standards.
• Ability to work collaboratively and cross-functionally with executive leadership, headquarters partners, Global Medical Affairs, R&D, Clinical Operations, Brand teams, and field-based colleagues.
• Excellent collaborative, interpersonal, verbal, written, project management, and change leadership skills.
• Ability to travel 30-40% of the time, with travel expectations varying by business need.

Qualifications

Medical, clinical, or scientific expertise in one or more AstraZeneca BioPharmaceuticals therapeutic areas; Immunology and cardiovascular and metabolic expertise is highly preferred where relevant to the assigned portfolio.

Previous national or regional line management experience in Medical Affairs, Field Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, or a clinical-trial-facing organization.

Experience in pharmaceutical industry clinical or preclinical research, drug discovery, drug development, pipeline engagement, or key external expert interactions.

Experience working in an account-based setting with Clinical Account Directors, Commercial Account Directors, Brand teams, and other internal matrix partners.

Entrepreneurial, future-forward approach with passion for coaching, change adoption, scientific innovation, and advancing patient care.