Associate Director, Safety Physician

About the role

The Associate Director, Safety Physician leads AstraZeneca's patient safety function, overseeing the triage, evaluation, and follow‑up of safety documents and adverse event information. This senior position combines scientific expertise with strategic leadership to ensure regulatory compliance and high‑quality safety data.

Key responsibilities

• Manage triage, evaluation, and follow‑up of safety documents and clinical or post‑market adverse event reports.
• Provide scientific and technical expertise for patient safety assessments, research, and regulatory reporting.
• Serve as a knowledge resource and statistical consultant across the department and to cross‑functional teams.
• Lead, mentor, and hold direct line‑management responsibility for the local patient safety team, including performance monitoring, objective setting, and career development.
• Collaborate with external organizations, regulatory authorities, and internal functions to ensure alignment, quality, and integrity of safety processes and submissions.
• Develop and support regional or country‑level patient safety strategies and continuous‑improvement initiatives.
• Represent AstraZeneca’s patient safety function externally and network with industry peers.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in a science or healthcare‑related field (advanced degree preferred).
• Extensive experience in patient safety within pharmaceutical, hospital, clinical research, or healthcare settings.
• Thorough knowledge of local regulations and international standards (e.g., FDA, ICH).
• Demonstrated leadership ability to motivate and guide cross‑functional teams.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally.

Required skills

• Deep understanding of patient safety processes and adverse event reporting.
• Familiarity with medical, therapeutic, and technical terminology.
• Experience in budgetary and resource‑management planning.