Senior Director, Transactions

Position: Senior Director, Transactions  (Business Development Operations)

Location: Boston, USA

Introduction to the role:

The Business Development Operations (BDO) team is a stand-alone business unit within AstraZeneca that pursues a range of value-enhancing business development opportunities that have a clear strategic fit with our portfolio and commercial capabilities. These transactions can be alliances and strategic acquisitions to enhance our portfolio and pipeline in our main therapy areas, externalisation activity to broaden or accelerate the value in our pipeline, or divestments to streamline our focus. 

The Senior Transaction Director leads all aspects of the transactional phase of transactions and, in the case of externalisation/divestment projects, also leads the initial evaluation and external marketing phase. The job holder will be able to handle a wide range of projects and work through the transaction process from end to end, engaging with prospective partners, negotiating and finalising contracts and, where appropriate, working collaboratively with the Evaluation Director equivalent from Corporate Development or the Therapy Area throughout the deal process. The Senior Transaction Director will work flexibly across all AstraZeneca therapy areas. The job holder will lead multi-functional cross-SET area teams in progressing transactions including the development of business cases and supporting their presentation to the most senior management in the company. They must have strong judgement and decision-making skills in order to take responsibility both for progressing and terminating transactions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Establish and independently lead international, senior level, diverse, multifunctional teams to prosecute transactions in all therapy areas, at all different Development phases with a primary focus on Phase 1 and beyond as well as on market deals in any geography. Such teams may include senior scientific, technical and commercial representatives e.g. from R&D, Commercial, Legal, Finance and Operations.
• Interpret and synthesise data gathered from 3rd parties, desk sources and internal AZ knowledge and distil facts down to the key aspects, balancing the needs of AZ and the counterparty in building business cases.
• Work with leadership to ensure appropriate prioritisation and ranking of transactions across the business.
• Identify transaction risks and opportunities and make clear recommendations to senior management to progress or to close.
• Interacting at Board level with Partners, Targets, Investment Banks, Law Firms and other consultants and advisers.
• Manage the relationship with the potential partner in the transaction phase in a timely and professional manner.
• Ensure that AZ remains competitive in 3rd party deal process and is positioned as the partner of choice.
• Work with Senior Due Diligence Directors to ensure due diligence assessments focus on key risks.
• Constructing and negotiating optimal deal structure in discussions with internal and external stakeholders, including working with the Evaluation Director/Team from the Term Sheet phase of the project
• Using the highest level of communication skills, written and verbal, prepare and present deal propositions to relevant governance bodies including the Board of Directors
• Lead the deal negotiation and closure.
• Ensure post closure activities are fully completed.
• With the Evaluation Director (when applicable) and other relevant team members, develop, manage and maintain stakeholder relationships including internal accountability to devise and lead a high quality stakeholder management strategy involving CEO and SET, other Governance groups, Science Committee and AZ PLC Board of Directors.
• Contribute to stakeholder updates as appropriate.
• Ensure that appropriate records are maintained and that decision support documentation is uploaded as appropriate.
• Ensure effective handover to relevant Alliance- Integration Manager including preparation of any mandated handover documentation (e.g. Executive Summary).
• Ensure thorough deal learning reviews are undertaken and learnings are shared across the business development & deal making community.

Essential Skills/Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in business, legal, finance or life sciences discipline

• Proven track record within Business Development (>7 years), leading the negotiation and execution of significant late stage and on market transactions.
• Experience in leading multiple, large, international, multi-functional project teams of senior professionals.
• Broad knowledge of pharmaceutical business, process and activities
• Strong analytical skills and ability to ascertain the relevant issues from large masses of information.
• Strong interpersonal and team leadership skills
• Experience and effectiveness in the presentation of written and verbal business cases to the most senior Management.
• Knowledge of alternative deal structures and legal principles applicable to a range of deal types
• Strong negotiation skills and experience working in an intense deal environment.

Desirable Skills/Experience:

• Second degree, e.g. MBA. PhD
• Good knowledge of disease areas, drug development activities and commercial processes.

Why Join Us?

At AstraZeneca, we encourage you to look beyond our company and shape the wider external environment. We ensure policymakers understand, and take into consideration, our industry when managing national and international frameworks. Be part of a team of specialists that is valued and crucial to the growth of AstraZeneca. Here you are encouraged to apply entrepreneurial and innovative thinking to make things happen in a creative, yet rigorous, environment.

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That's why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we're not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.

Are you ready to lead the way in shaping the external environment? Join us at AstraZeneca where you can make an impact!

The annual base pay offered for this position ranges from $187,312 to $280,969. Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualised factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition, our positions offer a short-term incentive bonus opportunity; eligibility to participate in our equity-based long-term incentive program. Benefits offered included a qualified retirement program 401(k) plan; paid vacation and holidays; paid leaves; and, health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Additional details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, the employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base pay (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

Date Posted

12-Nov-2025

Closing Date

30-Nov-2025

Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.