Head of Clinical AI Portfolio, Senior Director, AI for Clinical Development

About AISI  

AI Science & Innovation (AISI) sits at the centre of AstraZeneca's R&D AI transformation. Our remit is to build, buy and deliver the AI models and agents that change pipeline outcomes, across discovery, translational science, biomarkers and clinical development. 
 

Role Overview 

AstraZeneca is building a world-class AI capability for Clinical Development within the Enterprise AI Unit to accelerate the design, conduct, and analysis of clinical trials across our enterprise pipeline. We are hiring a Head of Clinical AI Portfolio to set the strategy and own the portfolio that turn this ambition into delivered value. 
 

This is a senior, strategic portfolio-owner role. You will lead the strategy for AI in Clinical Development, including where it creates the most value, how the roadmap is sequenced, and how success is measured. You will own the portfolio end to end: prioritizing demand, building the business cases, and demonstrating value. You will act as a trusted thought partner to AI for Clinical Development and AISI leadership, and keep the strategy up-to-date by scanning the external clinical AI landscape and translating what is emerging into implications for our roadmap. 
 

You will also develop and own the operating model that connects the function’s work to clinical impact: how clinical questions become well-posed, prioritized problems for our research and applied AI teams, and how research capabilities reach clinical and study teams and change decisions.  

We’re looking for someone equally credible in a room of clinicians framing a trial decision, in a room of AI researchers scoping a method, and in front of senior leaders setting direction. 
 

What you'll do 

• Set and own the strategy for AI in Clinical Development: define where AI creates the most value across Phases I–III and clinical operations, articulate the multi-year vision and the outcomes that define success, and keep the strategy current as the science, the pipeline, and the technology evolve. 

• Own the clinical AI portfolio end to end: prioritize and sequence demand, maintain the roadmap of AI-enabled clinical capabilities, and balance short-term delivery against long-term capability-building. 

• Build the business cases for clinical AI initiatives; define, track, and quantify value and ROI, and use that evidence to guide investment and prioritization decisions. 

• Lead portfolio governance, prioritization, resource planning, cross-project dependencies, deliverable tracking, and executive reporting. Establish a consistent project management framework, governance model, and delivery processes across the team so we scale effectively. 

• Serve as a strategic thought partner to AI for Clinical Development and AISI leadership by framing options, surfacing trade-offs, and shaping the decisions that set direction for the function. 

• Scan the external clinical AI landscape to translate emerging methods, tools, and precedents into implications and recommendations for the strategy and portfolio. 

• Define the intake, prioritization, and triage frameworks that govern how demand is scoped and sequenced at portfolio scale. 

• Provide build / buy / partner recommendations: survey internal and external capability, pressure-test vendor claims and the underlying data, and shape the sequenced execution plans the business will fund. 

• Plan and lead portfolio review and governance meetings with clear agendas, documentation, and follow-up actions. 

• Serve as the senior point of contact across research and engine leadership, clinical development, translational science, clinical operations, biometrics, and regulatory. 

• Represent the clinical AI portfolio, its strategy, and its value to senior leadership and governance. 
   

Essential for the role 

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, life sciences, engineering, or a related field; a Master’s or MBA is a plus.  

• Demonstrated experience setting strategy and owning a portfolio or major program at a senior level in a biopharmaceutical, digital health, or technology-driven environment. 

• 8+ years across clinical development, R&D, informatics, or applied AI in life sciences, including a track record of leading cross-functional programs to delivery. 

• Demonstrated ability to translate between scientific/clinical needs and technical teams, turning ambiguous clinical questions into scoped, fundable, executable work. 

• Portfolio, program, or alliance leadership: prioritization, sequencing, business cases, value/ROI, and stakeholder governance at an executive level. 

• Working awareness of the external clinical AI landscape and the ability to translate emerging developments into strategy and portfolio decisions. 

• Working fluency in modern AI/ML (foundation models, LLMs, agentic systems) sufficient to shape and pressure-test solutions and their evaluation. 

• Strong command of the clinical development and operations lifecycle across Phases I–III and how decisions get made across functions. 

• Excellent strategic thinking, interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, with the ability to operate effectively in an international matrix environment and to translate across scientific, technical, and operational stakeholders. 

• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail, with the ability to synthesize information and support data-informed decision-making. 

• Demonstrated ability to remain composed and professional when dealing with issues, challenges, conflicts, and competing priorities. 

Desirable for the role 

• Experience embedding technical or AI teams into clinical or study teams and driving large-scale adoption. 

• Build / buy / partner and vendor diligence experience. 

• Change leadership across functions, cultures, and geographies. 

• Hands-on clinical development experience. 

• Experience defining value and benefits-realization frameworks for new technology in a regulated environment. 

• Experience in management or strategy consulting, or a similar client-facing advisory role. 

Office Working Requirements  

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. 

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $ 203 213,60 - 304 820,40 Annual USD. Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized 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 include 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.  

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