Corporate & Government Affairs Director
AstraZeneca
Posted 7 days agoDiscoveredMatch locked
Full time10+ years exp
About the role
Are you ready to shape Portugal's healthcare environment and expand patient access by aligning policy, partnerships, and reputation to deliver measurable outcomes? Do you see yourself orchestrating coalitions across government, hospitals, and civil society to remove barriers to innovation and accelerate patient care?
Reporting to the
Country President
and sitting on the
Country Leadership Team
, you will lead an integrated Corporate & Government Affairs agenda spanning public policy, government affairs, external communications, sustainability, hospital engagement, and stakeholder partnerships. You will lead a team of approximately
seven direct and indirect reports
, translating external signals into clear organisational priorities and decisive action.
This is a role for a
commercially-minded leader
who can negotiate with a strategic and sustainable intent, shape the pricing and investment environment, and convert policy influence into tangible business and patient outcomes. As a
strategic adviser
to the Country President and Country Leadership Team, you will set clear choices, deliver concrete targets, and help define the next phase of healthcare progress in Portugal.
Integrated Affairs Strategy
Develop, execute, and continuously refine a Corporate & Government Affairs strategy aligned to company priorities, global direction, and the Portuguese healthcare context, including the thoughtful integration of AI and digital tools into stakeholder engagement and corporate affairs operations, with clear and measurable targets.
Executive Counsel
Act as a strategic adviser to the Country President and Country Leadership Team on healthcare policy, stakeholder engagement, reputation, external affairs, hospital engagement, and societal impact, enabling sharp choices and decisive action.
Policy Intelligence, Advocacy and Reform
Monitor, analyse, and anticipate legislative, regulatory, and political developments in-country and geopolitical trends that impact Portugal; assess implications for patients, healthcare delivery, and business performance; lead evidence-based advocacy strategies and policy positions that advance system sustainability, pricing policy reform, and patient outcomes.
External Stakeholder Leadership
Build and maintain trusted, compliant relationships with government bodies, regulatory authorities, policymakers, hospital executives and networks, patient associations, healthcare professional organisations, scientific societies, industry associations, academic institutions, NGOs, and media stakeholders.
Hospital Partnerships and Access Dynamisation
Build strategic partnerships with hospital leadership and networks (ULS); lead partnership projects from negotiation through activation and performance review, including innovation programmes, stakeholder engagement, and financial governance of hospital partnerships where within remit and compliance.
Reputation, Communications and Media Leadership
Lead the external communications and corporate reputation agenda, including corporate, product, and financial communications, executive communications, media relations, thought leadership, corporate campaigns, press releases, media statements, and approvals of external materials in line with global standards and local requirements.
Issues and Crisis Management
Identify, assess, and manage reputational risks, emerging issues, and crisis situations; ensure organisational readiness and provide strategic guidance to senior leaders.
Coalition Building and Representation
Represent the company in external forums, industry associations, conferences, and public engagements; foster multi-stakeholder initiatives that strengthen healthcare system sustainability; and contribute local insights and procedures to regional and global initiatives.
ESG and Societal Impact
Lead local Environmental, Social and Governance and corporate responsibility initiatives aligned with global objectives and societal needs.
Cross-Functional Orchestration
Drive collaboration with Medical, Market Access, Commercial, Regulatory Affairs, Legal, Finance, Human Resources, and global Corporate Affairs teams to deliver integrated business objectives.
Operational Excellence and Compliance
Manage budgets, external agencies,
consultants, strategic partnerships, and governance processes to deliver outcomes efficiently and in full compliance with applicable legislation, industry codes, and ethical standards.
People Leadership
Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of approximately seven direct and indirect reports, fostering collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous development.
Essential Skills and Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Public Policy, Law, Political Science, Communications, Healthcare Management, Business, Economics, or a related field.
- At least
10 years of relevant experience
in Corporate Affairs, Public Affairs, Government Affairs, Communications, or Healthcare Policy, preferably within the pharmaceutical or healthcare sector.
•
Strong commercial and business acumen
, with a track record of operating in or alongside business functions and contributing directly to commercial outcomes.
•
Proven negotiation skills
, with the ability to lead complex, high-stakes negotiations with elegance, compliance, and measurable impact.
•
Senior management team mindset
, with the ambition and drive to set and deliver concrete, measurable targets in a fast-moving environment. Track record of change management.
- Strong understanding of the
Portuguese healthcare system
, hospital environment, regulatory framework, and policymaking processes.
- Proven experience managing
senior stakeholder relationships
across political, medical, and institutional networks.
- Demonstrated
people leadership
experience and effectiveness in a matrix organisation.
- Excellent communication and influencing skills, including experience in media relations and crisis communications.
- Fluency in
Portuguese and English
, both written and spoken.
Core competencies
Strategic Leadership · Stakeholder Engagement and Coalition Building · Executive Presence and Influence · Reputational Risk and Crisis Management · People Leadership · Ethical Judgement and Integrity · Change management
Desirable Skills and Experience
- Experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or life sciences sector.
- Working knowledge of
market access, pricing and reimbursement dynamics
, applied through a commercial and policy-shaping lens.
- Experience contributing to
investment attraction
, manufacturing footprint discussions, or pricing policy reform.
- Familiarity with the application of
AI in corporate affairs, stakeholder engagement, or healthcare policy
.
- Experience in government, policy or advocacy development, and regional or international projects.
- A relevant postgraduate qualification or MBA would be advantageous.
Ways of Working 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 is why we work, on average, a minimum of
three days per week from the office
, while respecting individual flexibility.
Why AstraZeneca Here you will blend scientific insight with commercial acumen to turn ideas into system-level solutions that improve every step of the patient journey. You will join a fast-moving, trusted environment with the autonomy to act, where diverse teams come together to design and scale innovations that matter.
Leaders create the space to experiment, learn fast, and protect bold thinking, while we value kindness alongside ambition. Your contribution will shape national conversations, speed access to life-changing medicines, and help define the next decade of progress for patients in Portugal.
Call to Action Ready to lead from the front and turn policy influence into measurable patient impact across Portugal?
Submit your application and shape what's next
.
Date Posted
15-Oct-2026
Closing Date
26-Oct-2026
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 authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.
Not included in the source posting: benefits.
Skills
artificial-intelligence
Who can apply
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