External Communications Manager

Overview

In AstraZeneca’s External Communications role in London, you will shape how science, policy and access priorities are understood by audiences across R&I, VI, and CVRM. You will partner with Therapy Area Leads, brand teams and Corporate Affairs to deliver compliant, high-impact communications for campaigns, milestones and events. You convert complex healthcare and policy topics into accessible narratives for media, NHS, HCPs and patient groups, driving patient access outcomes. You will lead proactive storytelling, media prep, and stakeholder engagement, while managing calendars, budgets and agency partners. This role offers impact at scale within a mission-driven, collaborative culture.

Pay / Benefits

• minimum of three days in the office
• hybrid/ flexible working arrangements
• collaborative, inclusive culture

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver external communications plans across the UK portfolio
• Lead campaigns, policy and access milestones, partnerships and events
• Create press materials, Q&As, key messages and stakeholder communications
• Translate complex healthcare and policy topics into accessible content
• Develop digital content for multiple channels and optimize reach
• Shape proactive narratives and prepare media materials
• Prepare external briefing materials for leadership engagements
• Engage with policymakers, NHS stakeholders, HCPs and patient groups
• Manage communications calendars, approvals, trackers and dependencies
• Coordinate agencies and internal contributors to ensure timely delivery
• Measure outputs and impact with insights to improve future delivery
• Ensure communications comply with ABPI Code and relevant policies

Key requirements

• Experience delivering external communications programmes in complex or regulated environments
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for diverse audiences
• Ability to translate priorities into practical communications plans
• Proactive, entrepreneurial mindset for innovative strategies
• Ability to explain complex healthcare, policy, evidence and sustainability issues
• Experience working with cross-functional teams and external partners
• Strong organisational and project-management skills
• Experience creating content for digital and social media
• Ability to brief and manage agencies within budgets and timelines
• Ability to monitor engagement data and apply insights
• Commitment to legal, regulatory and ethical frameworks including ABPI Code

• strong written and verbal communication
• cross-functional collaboration
• proactive/entrepreneurial
• content creation for digital and social media
• media engagement and issues management
• measurement and evaluation of communications impact

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