Diagnostic Liaison Manager (Lombardia)

at  AstraZeneca

At AstraZeneca we believe in the potential of our people and you’ll develop beyond what you thought possible. We make the most of your skills and passion by actively supporting you to see what you can achieve no matter where you start with us.
As Diagnostic Liaison you will play a pivotal role in channelling our scientific capabilities to make a positive impact on changing patients’ lives.
At AstraZeneca, we are committed to advancing the science of oncology to deliver life-changing medicines to patients most in need. With a combination-focused pipeline that exploits the power of four scientific platforms to help address unmet clinical needs in a host of cancers, we are motivated by a dedication to the scientific discovery and collaboration that will one day help eliminate cancer as a cause of death.
As Diagnostic Liaison you will lead and develop initiatives to minimize barriers in diagnostic pathway related to mandatory biomarker testing by establishing seamless sample flow between clinicians and labs. You will engage laboratory experts (e.g., lab decision-makers, pathologists and molecular biologists), diagnostic partners and professional associations and societies in in-depth medical / scientific diagnostic discussions, as well as deliver presentations in a non-promotional scientific context as determined by local Diagnostic strategy (and in line with the Oncology brand strategy).

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Degree in Biology or Biotechnology is highly preferred. Scientific degrees with a focus on biology can be taken into consideration
• Previous experience in diagnostic or biomedical companies
• Experience with molecular testing in both research or diagnostic in pathology environment, oncology and genetics
• Communication and presentation skills
• Team working and ability to work in a cross-functional context
• Proactive approach
• Ability to interact with different kind of stakeholders (laboratory technicians, laboratory head physician, hospital administration)
• Influencing skills
• Problem Solving and Decision Making
• Availability to frequent business trip
• Proficiency in spoken and written English and Italian
• Domicile in Lombardy

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The role broadly includes the following key components:

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Identify and develop relationships with, scientific experts: Laboratory decision makers, Pathologists and Molecular Pathologists
• Share appropriate, approved, educational information on diagnostics to the heads of clinical Laboratories and their staff
• Deliver highly technical data presentations
• Educate on the need for diagnostic quality assurance (QA) programmes
• Identify barriers to testing through partnerships with diagnostic companies, lab networks, and Health Care Professionals (HCPs). Develop strategies to support and educate on appropriate testing

THE DIAGNOSTIC LIAISON (DL) IS A NON-SALES, FIELD-BASED ROLE:

• The DL has an understanding of clinical operational issues along the testing pathway and shares testing solutions as needed, coordinating with other field roles when appropriate.
• The DL’s primary customers are laboratory experts (e.g., lab decision-makers, pathologists, and molecular pathologists), office-based HCPs (reactively only), diagnostic partners, and professional associations and societies.
• The DL will share AZAP-approved technical data on diagnostics with these customers and educate on the need for diagnostic quality assurance (QA) programmes.
• Through partnerships with diagnostic companies, lab networks, and HCPs, the DL may be able to identify barriers to testing.

Dx Liaisons will be positioned to:

• Interface & engagement with Pathologist and Lab Directors
• Identify and resolve testing barriers in all major Dx labs to optimize testing
• Provide appropriate support for diagnostic quality assurance (QA) testing in our diverse customer base
• Support & enhance end-to-end testing capability

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• External diagnostic customers are laboratory experts (e.g., lab decision makers, pathologists, and molecular pathologists), diagnostic partners, professional associations and societies
• Share appropriate, approved, technical data on diagnostics to the heads of clinical Laboratories and their staff
• Educate on the need for diagnostic quality assurance (QA) programmes
• Identify and help resolve barriers to testing
• Serve as a conduit between Medical Oncologist and Pathologist
• Serve as interface between MSLs, PSS and our Partner field team