Scientific Team Lead

Reports to Senior Vice President, Medical & Scientific Services

Location: Remote - South Africa

Job Summary

As a Scientific Team Lead, you will take leadership of large projects/specific workstreams across a range of medical communications deliverables and will be responsible for the quality and scientific integrity of all outputs delivered by the team. You will also be pivotal in coaching and mentoring of MSS team members to foster therapy area, content delivery and medical communications environment expertise.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Leading and managing a team of medical writers


• Managing the delivery of a range of high-quality medical communication materials, including slide kits, meeting reports, websites and apps


• Allocating resources, including freelancers, to ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget


• Providing strategic direction to team members and other colleagues, based on commercial needs of the business and thorough understanding of clients’ needs and objectives


• Ensuring maintenance of high editorial standards through review of other writers’ work


• Developing specialist knowledge in specific therapy areas as directed


• Coordinating with design, production and account management teams for project delivery


• Identifying opportunities for new business within existing accounts


• Supporting new business initiatives, including attendance and presentation at pitch meetings


• Recruiting scientific team members


• Training and developing associate medical writers


• Conducting performance reviews and appraisals

Experience, Skills, and Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree (2:1 or higher) in a life science (biological sciences, biomedical sciences or biochemistry, or a closely related subject), and ideally also an MSc and/or PhD


• Experience as a senior medical writer, principal medical writer or scientific team lead in a medical communications agency, with proven experience of line management


• Experience of managing and developing a team of medical writers, and proven leadership and influencing skills in a commercial environment


• Excellent organisation and project management skills, and a full understanding of industry regulations and guidelines underpinning medical communications activities

Travel Requirements

• As required by business needs

About OPEN Health

At OPEN Health, we connect visionary minds, pioneering science, and advanced technology to drive real impact. By uniting people, science, and technology, we activate new opportunities for biopharma innovation. Our expertise across medical affairs and market access unlocks faster, smarter routes to market. We are committed to improving patient outcomes worldwide. To learn more, visit www.openhealthgroup.com.

OPEN Health. The right combination to unlock possibilities. 

What we offer:

As a global organization, OPEN Health is committed to supporting our employees and their families through a comprehensive benefits program 

• Competitive pay, generous paid vacation, holidays and more, across all our locations


• Ongoing training and development opportunities which foster and shape your individual career path


• An active and growing commitment to bettering the communities our employees call home through our Corporate Social Responsibility program


• The opportunity to thrive in a global, collaborative environment while working every day to improve health outcomes and patient wellbeing


• Diverse, inclusive culture that encourages you to bring your whole self to work

If we sound like the sort of business environment in which you would thrive, then we would love to hear from you.

OPEN Health does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, colour, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits.