National Sales Director, US BioPharma, Respiratory and Immunology

About the role

AstraZeneca’s US BioPharma Respiratory and Immunology (R&I) Team is at the forefront of respiratory disease—including asthma, COPD, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)—with a pipeline of differentiated potential medicines leveraging novel combinations, biologics, and devices. The pipeline also includes promising assets in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, systemic lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis.

The National Sales Director (NSD) will lead a 200+ person sales team and report directly to the Executive Director of Sales and Marketing, shaping go-to-market strategy for future launches and indications while delivering R&I sales targets nationwide. This role is based in the Wilmington office and partners across an Alliance of two companies to execute strategies across all customer segments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic direction, design, execution, and measurement of go-to-market strategies, tactics, and activities to deliver sales goals and targets.
• Analyze market trends, customer mix, local influences, Rx trends, and competition to design high-impact business plans tailored to each geography.
• Role-model AstraZeneca Values and Behaviors: enterprise thinking, entrepreneurial leadership, trust, empowerment, courageous conversations, inclusive and diverse teams, and decisive action.
• Lead and develop regional Commercial Business Directors and the sales team, including sales incentives, performance development, talent management, and career development; build a diverse pipeline for future commercial leaders through mentoring, coaching, and continuous feedback.
• Establish and communicate a clear commercial strategy, vision, and purpose with passion and authenticity.
• Apply a scientific mindset and robust knowledge of all AstraZeneca Core Growth Platforms and strategic therapeutic areas/brands.
• Demonstrate exceptional strategic thinking, judgment, and influencing skills to ensure strong commercial focus and consistency.
• Understand and appropriately challenge forecast assumptions; regularly communicate performance updates and forecasts to senior leadership.
• Gain alignment on critical issues and initiatives; inspire and influence cross-functional partners.
• Lead through change with transparency and confidence, ensuring effective engagement of all stakeholders and teams.
• Simplify and communicate complex ideas and strategies to influence multiple and senior stakeholder groups.
• Use analytical rigor to frame situations and incorporate new perspectives and ideas.
• Drive innovation by embracing new ways of working and thinking, including digital, ecosystems, patient centricity, and a dynamic healthcare environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; preferably in business, marketing, or the sciences.
• 8+ years of demonstrated Commercial Leadership (non-Sales) and Second Line Sales Leadership experience in pharmaceutical, healthcare, scientific, clinical, institutional, or related industries.
• Proven track record of consistent achievement or overachievement in delivering strategic and operational plans within a therapeutic or business area.
• Ability, ambition, and experience to grow career and lead cross-functional commercial teams with increasing complexity, size, and structure.
• Mobility within US and ex-US markets.
• Thorough understanding of customer segments and regional market dynamics; ability to link science to patient to commercial opportunities.
• Strong financial acumen with the ability to assess and drive results; experience with P&L drivers, sales forecasts, operational budgets, expense management, and contribution analysis.
• Track record of strong cross-functional collaboration, influence, and stakeholder alignment to advance key initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience in evolving Customer Facing Models and making relevant trade-offs to ensure organizational and enterprise success.
• Commercial leadership of pre-launch and launch activities.
• Successful experience attracting, developing, and optimizing diverse talent and teams in direct and matrixed leadership roles.
• Strong change and agile leadership, both in leading transformational change and navigating ambiguity.
• Strong presentation and negotiation skills with senior leadership.
• Ability to travel across the nation 60% of the time.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA.
• Experience building launch teams.
• Franchise leadership experience.
• Working relationships with top External Scientific Experts (ESEs).