Senior Director, Medical Communications

Reporting to: VP, Global Medical Affairs & Diagnostics

Location: London, UK

Orchard Therapeutics, a Kyowa Kirin company, is a global gene therapy leader focused on transforming the lives of patients with rare disorders through innovative gene therapies based on gene-modified hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Orchard has its global headquarters in London, England, and its U.S. headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts.

Job Summary

Senior Director, Medical Communications is a leadership role, responsible for developing, implementing and executing the strategy and key deliverables for Medical & Scientific Communications and Medical Publications, with oversight of Medical Information. This individual is an integral member of the global Medical Affairs Leadership Team (MALT), works in partnership with the broader Global Medical Affairs organization to develop and ensure pull-though of overall medical strategies for approved and investigational clinical programs, and manages direct reports. This role also ensures Medical Communications representation on internal cross-functional program strategy teams and contributes to the development of integrated program strategies. This position requires a professional with established personal and scientific credibility and self-awareness who works well in a collaborative cross-functional environment that includes Patient Advocacy, Diagnostics, Commercial, Regulatory, Clinical Development, Translational Research, Business Development, Corporate Communications and other functions within the broader organization.     

Key Elements and Responsibilities

• Collaborate with and contribute to the Medical Affairs Leadership Team (MALT) to develop overall Medical Affairs functional goals, objectives, strategy, and tactical plans aligned with the business and program goals in relation to medical/scientific communication
• Responsible and accountable for development and execution of Global Medical Communications strategy and key deliverables across multiple clinical programs at varying stages of clinical development (investigational and post-approval), including:
• Incorporating Disease State and autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Gene Therapy (HSC-GT) Product medical education for Healthcare Provider (HCPs) and other external stakeholders
• Supporting cross-functional efforts for Diagnostics / Newborn Screening (NBS), Market Access/ Reimbursement, and Clinical Development medical education
• Applying effective project management skills to ensure timely completion of high-quality deliverables within budget.
• Responsible and accountable for development and execution of Global Publications strategy and key deliverables, including:
• Overseeing the development and execution of Global Strategic Publications plans across translational research, investigational, and approved gene therapy programs in alignment with program and organizational goals
• Interfacing with external experts (i.e., clinical trial investigators, key opinion leaders (KOL), and other healthcare practitioners) and internal stakeholders (i.e., members of Clinical Sciences, Diagnostics, Biostatistics, Medical Affairs, Health Economics, Regulatory) for the planning, review, and approval of publications activities, including leading program-specific publication strategy teams
• Building and maintaining productive working relationships with alliance partners and external collaborators to ensure alignment on publications strategies, timelines, and deliverables and contribute to overall partnership success through proactive collaboration
• Ensure the timely delivery of high-quality and scientifically accurate publications aligned with the scientific narrative and medical strategy
• Overseeing budget and financial planning for publication projects
• Engage with key stakeholders to gather feedback and improve publication quality
• Overseeing third-party publications agencies or medical writers, including contract negotiation, and publications management system
• Overseeing publications development, review, and approval processes to ensure
• Compliance with Good Publication Practice (GPP) guidelines, ICMJE, and company policies and procedures
• Medical, clinical, and scientific data accuracy
• Publication relevance, objectivity, balance and alignment with product portfolio
• Collaboration with key internal and external stakeholders, including authors
• Review of company corporate communication materials as needed
• Leading the development of Medical/scientific content
• In support of Medical Communications activities (e.g., scientific trainings, advisory boards, medical booth assets, medical symposia content, field medical team resources)
• Ensuring all medical communication content is regularly updated, accurate, and readily available for external use
• Creation of cross-functionally aligned scientific communication platforms for disease state areas and drug products, including crafting of lexicon and scientific narrative and ensuring consistency of scientific narrative across Medical Affairs materials
• Oversight of Medical Information Strategy and plans
• Leadership of an efficient and productive Medical Communications team by fostering a team environment aligned with company values and culture as well as setting and maintaining team performance standards
• Drive Medical Communications team efforts to
• Align and work internally with other functional and cross-functional strategic partners globally (London office, as well as remote)
• Build and maintain collaborative partnerships with external thought leaders and represent the scientific communications function in key external meetings and congresses
• Other responsibilities as assigned

Required Knowledge & Skills

• Substantial and proven Medical Communications / Publications experience in the biotechnology / pharmaceutical industry
• Required to possess thorough understanding of and experience with:
• Medical Communications / Publications function, strategy development and execution, and team roles / responsibilities
• People manager role and responsibilities
• Government and industry guidelines, regulations, laws, etc., for appropriate scientific/medical exchange, communication, and compliance with customers
• Preferred experience with one or more key therapeutic areas:
• Medical Communications role within the context of clinical development, product launch and life-cycle management
• Rare disease and/or neurology/genetics (neurometabolic) therapeutic landscape  
• Gene therapy and/or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT)
• Medical Affairs Medical Excellence
• Skills and ability to:
• Develop internal relationships in a matrixed environment, as well as external relationships with Key Opinion Leaders and industry experts
• Exhibit excellent leadership and strategic skills with the ability to influence decisions, both internally and externally
• Generate team results in a cross-functional setting
• Assimilate / interpret new information and inform the business
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Work independently and lead teams in the execution of operational deliverables
• Identify departmental needs and partner with colleagues to proactively implement practical solutions
• Travel occasionally (10%) and sometimes overnight to meetings, trainings, conferences, programs, etc., as required

Education

• Advanced Scientific / Healthcare Degree (PhD, PharmD, MD, NP, or similar)
• Fluency in both spoken and written English