Senior Medical Director Early Clinical Respiratory

Title: Senior Medical Director Early Clinical Respiratory

Location: Cambridge, UK

Hybrid Working: In the office minimum 3 days/week

Early Respiratory within AstraZeneca is accountable for the discovery and the development of new drugs in the Respiratory arena. Clinical Development within Early Respiratory consists of experienced medical directors, clinical scientists and clinical program directors, who, in a collaborative manner, define clinical development strategy, design innovative clinical trials and translate novel scientific ideas to proof-of-concept in target populations.

The Senior Medical Director will deliver to the project team the Medical Scientific strategies of the Clinical Development Plan (CDP). Responsible for  the design, conduct, monitoring, data interpretation and reporting of individual clinical trials. Ensures projects adhere to Good Clinical Practice and regulatory requirements. Will be responsible for acting as a renowned expert in own disease/drug field.

Typical Accountabilities

• Design or manage the implementation of the Physicians strategy within Clinical Development both regionally and globally.
• Use expertise and knowledge of global issues to develop strategic Physicians objectives for inclusion into AstraZeneca’s annual business objectives.
• Define strategies or leads AstraZeneca’s response to complex technical issues for specific medical aspects in relation to current projects, new projects and various plans.
• Provide expert advice in the area of specialism, influencing the development of statistics to the global business and Global Clinical Development.
• Closely follow medical developments within assigned areas and disseminates new information within Clinical Development and outside to transform trends and emerging data into new plans.
• Liaise with the internal and external medical community to follow developments within areas of expertise.
• Ensure an adequate number of qualified physicians is available for clinical testing to satisfy AstraZeneca’s objectives in the clinical testing area.
• Maintain a high degree of understanding and awareness on new and emerging medical development.
• Contribute to or manage the development of the senior management team in area of expertise.
• Mentor, develop, and manage performance of line management and project teams, to ensure alignment with organizational goals and fostering succession planning.
• Follow important developments and trends in scientific literature and develops contacts with opinion leaders.
• Lead regulatory communication and preparation of higher-level documents.

Essential for the Role

• An MBBS, MD, or other equivalent medical degree from an accredited university with specialty training in Respiratory or related area.  

• Relevant experience within the respiratory space, including early-phase drug development experience.  

• Demonstrated deep clinical and research expertise in appropriate disease area  

• Significant hands-on early phase clinical drug development experience.  

• Developed/delivered phase 1 and 2a studies (e.g., including but not limited to FtiH studies).  

• Experience designing, executing, monitoring, interpreting, and overseeing safety in early clinical and translational trials preferred.  

• Strong command of biomarkers, surrogate endpoints, and biostatistics, supported by a robust publication record. 

• Experience of benefit/risk assessment and creating patient risk management plans.  

• Scientific credibility internally and externally.  

• Proven teamwork and collaboration skills in a global setting.  

Desirable for the role

• Experience of working with clinical pharmacology and translational science colleagues to deliver studies/projects.  

• Demonstrated success in influencing functions outside of clinical and across geographies.  

• Global external awareness within the therapeutic area.  

• Global regulatory awareness.  

• Ability to travel nationally and internationally.  

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.

Why AstraZeneca

Here you will lead with science and see your decisions echo from first-in-human studies to pivotal trials, supported by a culture that values evidence, candor, and momentum. We bring diverse experts together to solve hard problems, share what works and what doesn’t, and move faster because we learn together. With a broad and advancing pipeline, cutting-edge modalities, and the freedom to think beyond boundaries, you will influence strategy, build strong narratives that align stakeholders, and turn bold ideas into medicines that change lives worldwide. We value kindness alongside ambition and empower leaders at every level to make a bigger impact.

Step into a role where your clinical judgment shapes the future of neuroimmunology—take the next step today and help bring transformative therapies to patients faster!

Date Posted

14-Aug-2026

Closing Date

27-Aug-2026

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.

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 authorisation and employment eligibility verification requirements.