Executive Director Medical Strategy

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

ROLE SUMMARY

The Executive Director, Medical Strategy is a senior medical leadership role responsible for developing and executing the integrated medical strategy across assigned therapeutic areas and product portfolios. This position serves as the primary medical leader partnering with Executive Management, Clinical Development, Regulatory Affairs, Commercial, Market Access, Pharmacovigilance, and Global Medical Affairs to drive scientific excellence, optimize patient outcomes, and support the successful development and commercialization of Zydus products.

The Executive Director will lead the design and implementation of comprehensive medical affairs strategies, evidence-generation plans, key opinion leader (KOL) engagement initiatives, scientific communication programs, publication planning, and medical education activities. The role requires deep scientific expertise, exceptional leadership capabilities, strong business acumen, and the ability to influence both internal and external stakeholders.

The incumbent will ensure all activities comply with applicable regulations, industry standards, company policies, and ethical guidelines while advancing Zydus' commitment to improving patient care and strengthening its scientific reputation

RESPONSIBILITIES

Medical Affairs Planning

• Lead development and execution of annual Medical Affairs Plans.
• Establish scientific objectives aligned with clinical and commercial goals.
• Prioritize medical initiatives based on business needs and patient impact.
• Define medical success metrics and monitor strategic outcomes.
• Ensure cross-functional alignment across stakeholders.

Scientific Expertise

• Serve as company scientific expert within relevant therapeutic areas.
• Maintain deep knowledge of disease states, treatment paradigms, clinical guidelines, and emerging therapies.
• Analyze clinical trial data and communicate scientific implications.
• Present complex scientific information to diverse audiences.
• Support executive decision-making through evidence-based recommendations.

Investigator-Sponsored Research (ISR)

• Develop and oversee investigator-sponsored study programs.
• Evaluate research proposals based on scientific merit and strategic alignment.
• Participate in research grant review committees.
• Monitor study progress, scientific quality, and outcomes.
• Ensure adherence to ethical and compliance standards.

Real-World Evidence (RWE)

• Design and implement real-world evidence generation strategies.
• Identify evidence gaps impacting clinical adoption and payer decision-making.
• Collaborate with HEOR teams on outcomes research projects.
• Support development of health-economic publications and presentations.
• Utilize data analytics to enhance decision-making and strategy development.

Key Opinion Leader Development

• Establish and maintain strategic relationships with national and international experts.
• Develop KOL engagement plans supporting medical objectives.
• Identify emerging scientific leaders and future collaborators.
• Facilitate scientific exchanges and advisory interactions.
• Create long-term relationship strategies with thought leaders.

Advisory Boards

• Design and oversee advisory board programs.
• Develop meeting objectives and scientific agendas.
• Lead scientific discussions and interpretation of feedback.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulations.
• Translate advisory insights into strategic recommendations.

Medical Science Liaison (MSL) Leadership

• Provide strategic direction to the Medical Science Liaison organization.
• Define scientific engagement priorities.
• Establish field medical objectives and performance metrics.
• Ensure high-quality scientific interactions with healthcare providers.

Publications and Scientific Communications

• Develop annual publication strategies.
• Oversee publication committees and planning activities.
• Ensure dissemination of scientific data through peer-reviewed journals.
• Guide development of abstracts, posters, manuscripts, and presentations.
• Ensure publication ethics and transparency standards are maintained.

Scientific Communications

• Lead development of scientific communication platforms.
• Review and approve medical content.
• Support congress strategy and scientific presentation planning.
• Create communication frameworks for internal and external stakeholders.

Medical Education

• Develop independent medical education strategies.
• Support continuing medical education initiatives.
• Ensure educational programs address scientific and clinical needs.
• Measure educational impact and effectiveness

REQUIREMENTS

· Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, healthcare, pharmacy, nursing, or related scientific discipline required; advanced degree preferred but not required with significant relevant industry leadership experience.

· Minimum of 15+ years of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical affairs, field medical, clinical, or related healthcare industry experience.

· Minimum of 10+ years of people leadership experience, including direct management of teams, field-based personnel, contractors, or matrixed cross-functional teams.

· Demonstrated experience leading Medical Affairs, Field Medical, Medical Strategy, Medical Operations, or related functions.

· Proven experience supporting new product launch and pre-launch readiness, including medical strategy development, field medical readiness, stakeholder engagement, insight generation, and cross-functional launch execution.

· Experience leading or providing strategic oversight for MSL or Field Medical teams, including scientific engagement priorities, training, performance metrics, insight generation, and operational excellence.

· Strong cross-functional leadership experience across Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, Regulatory Affairs, Commercial, Market Access, HEOR, Pharmacovigilance, Compliance, Legal, and external partners.

· Demonstrated understanding of Medical Affairs governance, compliance, scientific exchange, evidence generation, advisory boards, publications, medical education, congress planning, and KOL engagement.

· Strong business and operational acumen, including experience with budget planning, vendor oversight, resource allocation, performance tracking, and KPI-driven execution.

· Excellent executive communication, strategic thinking, collaboration, and influence skills, with the ability to translate scientific and business priorities into actionable plans.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

The position will require domestic/internation travel (up to 25%)