Category Lead, Oncology & Rare Disease – Middle East

The Category Lead, Oncology & Rare Disease – Middle East is a strategic member of the Middle East Leadership Team, accountable for the portfolio’s end-to-end strategy, performance and long-term value across the cluster.

The role translates enterprise and regional priorities into differentiated portfolio, launch and market strategies that balance near-term performance with sustainable growth and patient impact. It sets clear priorities across in-line brands, Growth Knots and breakthrough launches, enabling disciplined investment, resource allocation and execution across diverse Middle East healthcare systems.

Working across Commercial, Medical, Access & Value, Regulatory, Policy & Public Affairs, Supply, Finance, Legal and Compliance,as well as regional and global teams,the role creates the conditions for launch excellence, expanded patient access and sustainable portfolio growth. It also builds a high-performing marketing organization and strengthens category leadership, customer engagement and execution capabilities across the cluster.

CORE ACCOUNTABILITIES

1. CATEGORY STRATEGY & PORTFOLIO LEADERSHIP

• Translate the Middle East Oncology and Rare Disease strategy into clear portfolio, brand, market and customer priorities aligned with the cluster operating plan and growth agenda.
• Lead end-to-end portfolio planning across in-line brands, new indications, pipeline assets and future launches, balancing current performance with long-term category value.
• Shape differentiated strategies that reflect local disease burden, clinical pathways, diagnostic requirements, patient needs, access conditions and competitive dynamics.
• Establish category governance, operating rhythms and performance reviews that connect enterprise and regional strategy with market execution.
• Make disciplined portfolio trade-offs and direct resources toward the highest-value opportunities for patients and the business.

1. BUSINESS & P&L LEADERSHIP

• Own category performance, providing clear direction on revenue, profitability, market share, investment and resource deployment.
• Lead annual operating and long-range planning for the Oncology and Rare Disease portfolio, ensuring robust assumptions, scenarios, risk assessment and growth choices.
• Prioritize approved marketing and commercial investments across brands, launches and markets, reallocating resources to the highest-impact opportunities.
• Monitor performance and intervene early when launch, demand, access, supply or execution risks threaten category objectives.
• Use performance data, market intelligence and customer insights to accelerate decisions and strengthen execution.

1. LAUNCH & LIFECYCLE EXCELLENCE

• Lead integrated launch strategy and readiness for new products, indications and presentations across Middle East markets.
• Define launch ambition, sequencing, market archetypes, customer strategy, investment requirements and critical success factors.
• Build integrated launch plans across Regulatory, Medical, Access & Value, Policy & Public Affairs, Supply, Marketing, Sales and customer engagement.
• Track readiness and post-launch performance through clear milestones and governance, accelerating decisions and removing execution barriers.
• Optimize lifecycle strategies for in-line assets to sustain growth, expand patient reach and maximize portfolio value.

1. PATIENT JOURNEY, DIAGNOSTICS & ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

• Identify barriers across awareness, diagnosis, referral, treatment initiation, monitoring and continuity of care.
• Translate patient and healthcare-system insights into compliant, cross-functional priorities and solutions.
• Sponsor initiatives that strengthen diagnostic pathways, specialist networks and coordinated care.
• Ensure category strategies reflect the needs of patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals and health-system stakeholders.
• Define measurable outcomes for priority patient-journey and ecosystem initiatives.

1. MARKET SHAPING & PATIENT ACCESS

• Partner with Access & Value, Medical, Policy & Public Affairs and other functions to address pricing, reimbursement, diagnostic and system barriers.
• Shape differentiated access strategies for Oncology and Rare Disease assets, including high-unmet-need and specialized-care pathways.
• Embed access assumptions, payer insights and market-shaping priorities into portfolio, launch and operating plans.
• Sponsor priority external initiatives that enable timely and sustainable patient access within approved responsibilities.
• Anticipate policy, funding and healthcare-system changes, translating them into portfolio risks and opportunities.

1. CUSTOMER & EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER LEADERSHIP

• Maintain a strong external orientation and ensure customer, patient and healthcare-system insights shape category strategy and execution.
• Sponsor priority relationships with healthcare leaders, institutions, professional organizations and other relevant stakeholders within approved engagement responsibilities.
• Represent the category with credibility, scientific fluency and executive presence.
• Coordinate external engagement across functions to ensure a consistent Pfizer position.
• Protect Pfizer’s reputation through responsible, transparent and compliant engagement.

1. CROSS-FUNCTIONAL & MARKET LEADERSHIP

• Lead category teams across functions and markets, clarifying accountabilities, removing barriers and enabling coordinated, patient-centered execution.
• Partner with market and sales leaders to translate category strategy into executable local plans with clear ownership and performance expectations.
• Align with Medical on evidence generation, scientific engagement and education priorities that support portfolio and launch needs.
• Collaborate with Access & Value, Regulatory, Supply and Finance to anticipate approval, demand, allocation, access and investment risks.
• Partner with regional and global category teams to ensure Middle East needs and opportunities are reflected in portfolio strategies and enterprise decisions.

1. ORGANIZATION & PEOPLE LEADERSHIP

• Build a high-performing, inclusive Oncology and Rare Disease organization with strong capabilities in portfolio strategy, launch excellence, insight generation and matrix leadership.
• Attract, coach, develop and retain talent through meaningful experiences, candid feedback, succession planning and exposure to enterprise priorities.
• Create clarity, accountability and collaboration across marketing, customer-facing teams, markets and functions.
• Strengthen category, brand and launch capabilities across the Middle East cluster.
• Foster a culture of courage, excellence, equity and joy, underpinned by high standards of ethics, compliance, inclusion and responsible leadership.

DECISION RIGHTS

• Set the strategic direction and portfolio priorities for the Middle East Oncology and Rare Disease category within approved enterprise and cluster governance.
• Recommend category operating-plan assumptions and allocate approved marketing resources across brands, launches and markets.
• Approve category brand plans, launch strategies, readiness governance and success measures.
• Prioritize patient-journey, diagnostic, access and market-shaping opportunities for senior sponsorship and cross-functional investment.
• Hold the category organization and cross-functional teams accountable for execution quality, compliance, performance and patient-centered delivery.
• Escalate material portfolio, launch, access, supply and investment decisions through the appropriate governance forums.

CAPABILITIES & QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences, Pharmacy, Medicine, Business or a related field; an MBA or equivalent advanced degree is preferred.
• At least 10 years of pharmaceutical or healthcare experience, including substantial commercial leadership responsibility.
• Demonstrated success leading complex portfolios, major launches and cross-functional teams in a matrix environment.
• Experience in Oncology, Rare Disease, Specialty Care or another complex specialty portfolio is strongly preferred.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including P&L management, forecasting, investment decisions and portfolio prioritization.
• Deep understanding of specialized clinical pathways, diagnostics, patient journeys and complex access environments.
• Proven people leadership, with direct accountability for talent development, succession and team performance.
• Ability to integrate Commercial, Medical, Access & Value, Regulatory, Supply, Finance, Legal, Compliance and regional or global perspectives into practical business decisions.
• Strong external orientation and the ability to convert customer, patient, competitor and health-system insights into action.
• Enterprise mindset and the ability to influence senior stakeholders across cultures, markets, functions and organizational levels.
• Excellent analytical, strategic, communication and executive-presentation skills.
• Fluent English is required; Arabic language capability is an advantage.
• Uncompromising standards of ethics, compliance, governance and responsible stakeholder engagement.

CRITICAL LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS

• Connects portfolio, market, patient and enterprise priorities to create sustainable value across the cluster.
• Balances evidence, access, investment, supply, customer needs and business value across brands, launches and markets.
• Sets clear launch ambition, mobilizes cross-functional teams and removes barriers to execution.
• Builds strong marketers and matrix leaders while fostering clarity, accountability and collaboration.

KEY ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

• Middle East Cluster Lead and Middle East Leadership Team
• Market, sales and commercial leaders across Middle East markets
• Medical, Access & Value, Regulatory, Policy & Public Affairs, Supply, Finance, Legal, Compliance and People Experience
• Regional and global Oncology, Rare Disease, Category and Commercial teams
• Marketing, customer-facing and launch teams across the Middle East
• Healthcare professionals, healthcare leaders, payers, institutions, professional organizations and relevant health-system stakeholders, within approved engagement responsibilities