Associate Director jobs in United Arab Emirates

JOB TITLE Market Access Associate Director, BBU, Gulf

ABOUT ASTRAZENECA

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-focused biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious diseases. But we’re more than one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies.

ROLE SUMMARY

The Market Access Associate Director, BBU will develop and lead the end-to-end market access strategy and team for AstraZeneca’s Biopharma portfolio across the Gulf markets, reporting directly to the Market Access Director, Gulf and based in the UAE. The role will guide creation of compelling brand value propositions, health economics models, and evidence-based access solutions, translating clinical and economic value into negotiation-ready narratives that enable early and sustained access in priority institutions. You will direct payer and key stakeholder engagements to secure, maintain, and optimize reimbursement and patient access across Gulf key accounts, while shaping cross-functional alignment with medical, HEOR, commercial, and policy teams. Success will be measured by speed and quality of access outcomes, strength of institutional adoption, and durability of reimbursement across the portfolio.

What You’ll Do

Develop and Execute Access strategy to ensure achieving early access goals for existing and new launches, supporting overall Gulf ambition

• Establish Market Access strategies, objectives, and tactical plans in alignment with the brand strategies.
• Lead with the cross-functional team to develop and execute Pre-launch Market Access Strategies and plans driving accelerated access to key accounts.
• Work with cross functional teams to Implement market access short term tactics & long-term strategies, implement brand expansion accessibility plans supporting the life cycle management of AZ portfolio.
• Identify, build, map enlisting processes and stakeholders involved. Maintain strong business relationships with key decision makers, relevant stakeholders and influencers.
• Expertise in developing relevant evidence supporting the access, generated through clinical trials, Health Economics models, RWE (Real World Evidence) studies, systematic literature research and meta-analysis effectively substantiating the full value potential of AZ brands.
• Build relevant, solid, and localized value propositions, arguments with supporting evidence for accelerated and sustainable access.
• Collaborate with the Cross-functional team to develop pricing and contracting strategies to support AstraZeneca’s product positioning and penetration. Develop relevant pricing, outcomes-based agreements and contracting activities.
• Generate insights of market & stakeholders, identify areas of partnership/ market opportunities and threats to AZ business and provide deliverable solutions & recommendations.
• Monitor environment and practices for shifts, trends or behaviors, interprets likely impact. Set up innovative and impactful projects, recommend actions that support the needs of the customers and create win-win partnerships.
• Liaise and communicate with government and private organisations to ensure relevant parties understand the positioning of AstraZeneca’s products, remove access barrier and deliver value-based discussions for AZ products

Stakeholders’ management

• Establish strategic partnerships with Health Authorities through strategic health initiatives.
• Identify, map, establish and develop strong customer engagement plans for strong and sustained relationships.
• Develop and implement plans for stakeholders’ development & engagement in alignment with country & MA Directors.
• Working with regional and international teams to define local strategies for MA & GA in the Gulf
• Report on the status of implementation of the tactical plan to internal customers.

Pricing Responsibilities:

• Work closely with the pricing team on the development of the pricing and reimbursement strategy that optimizes the life-time value of the company’s products, in collaboration with the pricing team and in line with corporate guidance:
• Formulate pricing strategy required to execute brand strategy.
• Assessment of the pricing competitive landscape
• Map and assess the business impact of current and future market access environment & price regulation changes
• Work on the elaboration of innovative pricing schemes and managed entry agreements
• Work closely with MA Director & commercial Team on the development of pricing strategy & optimal Recommended Minimum Price (RMP) to maximize winning potential

Passion for Customer

• Maintain close contact with key stakeholders including those who have significant influence in the access decisions with major hospitals/institutions for the assigned products.
• Alignment and co-creation of business and access plans with other MA heads, to support the gulf overall strategy and ambitions.

Collaborating and Influencing others

• Work collaboratively across functional areas, ensure alignment on key priorities, actions and activities. Serving as a resource within the region and by leveraging the expertise of others.
• Act as a liaison between the access and other cross-functional areas, persuading, convincing or motivating a targeted audience through collaboration and direct or indirect influence.

Corporate Responsibility:

• Maintain highest ethical standards and work in a spirit of AstraZeneca Code of Ethics, following rules & norms set by corporate policies
• Ensure that all conducted activities are done in accordance with local legislation and corporate standards.
• Timely report (as per respective procedures): health/environment/wellbeing related accidents; adverse events that you became aware about; change in status of your Conflict of Interest.

People & Performance Management

• Drive the development of MA Biopharma team to enhance skills and advance to higher career level
• Assess individual and team progress toward goals and provide proper coaching to improve.
• Identify early and accelerate the development of top talent and provide appropriate development opportunities for future career progression (succession planning).
• Demonstrate understanding of the career path and have a career dialogue with the team, managing expectations as needed and clarifying development potential and actions required.
• Work with individual managers to establish appropriate and challenging goals for each territory/account.
• Make informed business decisions by analysing decision impact, risks, and coaches the team on how to make effective trade-off decisions for maximum return.

Essential for the role

• Bachelor’s degree in pharmacy or equivalent.
• At least 5 years’ experience in pharmaceutical or healthcare sales
• 3+ years experience in Access and Stakeholders management.
• 2+ years experience in people management
• Experience in developing/ co-creating Health economics, BIM, CEA models
• Experience in Gulf Markets
• Demonstrated strong oral, written and group communication skills.
• Interpersonal skills – Influencing, negotiation, collaboration and team work
• Effective analytical thinking, problem solving and decision making
• Leadership & autonomy to initiate & execute responsibility under minimum guidance
• Planning and organization skills

Desirable for the role

• Strong commercial background
• Previous experience in different functional areas of the business
• Previous experience in different portfolios in primary and specialty care
• Degree in Health Economics/ Pharmacoeconomics or similar

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. There’s 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. We’re on an exciting journey to pioneer the future of healthcare.

So, what’s next?

• Are you already imagining yourself joining our team? Good, because we can’t wait to hear from you.
• Are you ready to bring new ideas and fresh thinking to the table? Brilliant! We have one seat available, and we hope it’s yours.

Where can I find out more?

Our Social Media, Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn

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Date Posted

04-Feb-2026

Closing Date

14-Feb-2026

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.