Oncology Business Unit Director (SA) at AstraZeneca

Overall accountability

As BUD you will manage the end-to-end Oncology business for South Africa. Responsible for SA support to SAR on Marketing inputs and collaterals in request by the CM. 

Team effectiveness and management

• Appoint, build, lead, and maintain a first-class effective and cohesive marketing team and provide ongoing leadership and motivation to a diversely representative team of individuals
• Agree on Marketing roles’ performance criteria, objectives, and standards of work execution and monitor performance on an ongoing basis. Identify areas requiring development; and offer guidance and support as required.
• Foster the learning and development of direct reports with the appropriate level of needs analysis, coaching and support; provide challenging and relevant opportunities for team members to develop their skills and abilities
• Plan career and succession paths; formulate and action Individual Development Plans aligned to AstraZeneca’s Leadership Capabilities and People Development Policy
• Facilitate departmental and interdepartmental participation, interaction, communication, and support
• Anticipate and/or remove obstacles to team performance. Challenge and inspire team members to deliver marketing excellence and achieve results required to succeed.

Design and Implement marketing strategy according to ComEx principles and provision of leadership

• Develop and execute a consolidated marketing strategy, aligned to the global strategy and MEX and LEX (launch Excellence) principles, to optimize product performance and create long-term competitive advantage for AstraZeneca
• Guide and support the marketing team in the development and implementation of the product business operational plan, ensuring close collaboration with other departments and mobilization of resources across the business to deliver against the strategy
• Work in close collaboration with commercial & sales team counterparts to ensure alignment of strategy and support for implementation
• Ensure effective life cycle management
• Ensure accurate forecasting of all products to ensure in market availability
• Monitor implementation of all marketing plans and ensure pro-active decision-making based on clear customer insight and patient needs
• Share learnings and best practice from other markets with marketing team and ensure that cross-market commonalities are captured
• Deliver clear, concise, high quality IBR outputs based on defined input from finance and thorough understanding per product of the marketplacewithin specified timelines
• Deliver full year sales and market share through on-going tracking of performance and fast intervention and optimization of opportunities.

Financial budgeting and control

• Entrench a cost-conscious mindset in the department and monitor and ensure that key activities are delivered within budget
• Lead sales & marketing teams to ensure proper management of resources with the aim of optimizing investment and creating maximum return
• Consolidate feedback and forecasts from marketing team and provide quarterly forecasts on the budget and projected year end spend, re-evaluating the budget in line with priorities, market conditions and a thorough understanding of products in the marketplace.
• If this sounds appealing, please read on to understand the experience and skills we’re looking for…

ESSENTIAL SKILLS and EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• 5 years experience in Sales management and Marketing management
• 2 yrs of solid managerial experience (managing managers)
• 3 years’ experience at senior management level (managing/leading)
• Academic background in science, medicine or economics
• Critical to have medical background (medical, pharma)
• Experience leading cross-function collaboration esp. with Medical Affairs, Market Access
• Drives results that outperform the market by driving strategic, financial and people performance
• Leadership experience with a proven track record of attracting, assessing and developing talent and optimising team performance
• Enterprise mind set and can-do spirit.
• Ability to collaborate across functions and hierarchies
• Capability to lead change and transformation.
• Strategic thinking and patient-centricity with an ability to influence stakeholders locally and globally

DESIRABLE

• MBA
• Experience in successful product launches with excellent understanding of the market and access.
• Has the ability to work under pressure and with short timelines, being resourceful and tenacious in approaching problems and leveraging all available sources for developing solutions
• Scientific mind set and in-depth knowledge (esp. if Onco TA)