Lead, Medical Science Liaison - West

More than one million people in the United States today are fighting blood cancer. While a traditional allogeneic stem cell transplant has been the best hope for many, the transplant itself can prove fatal or lead to serious conditions, such as graft vs. host disease. Orca Bio is a late-stage biotechnology company redefining the transplant process by developing next-generation cell therapies with the goal of providing significantly better survival rates with dramatically fewer risks. With our purified, high-precision investigational cell therapies we hope to not only replace patients' blood and immune systems with healthy ones, but also restore their lives.

Summary: The Lead MSL (Director level) reports to the Head of Field Medical Affairs and will be responsible for fostering strong relationships with key opinion leaders (KOLs) and supporting the scientific and clinical strategy of Orca Bio's innovative therapies.

The candidate must be able to operate as a leader in a small, fast-paced organization, with high expectations and accountability regarding quality and timing of deliverables. Success will require the individual to have relevant oncology, cell/gene therapy launch experience with the ability to develop strong cross-functional relationships to effectively influence decision-making across the organization.

Candidate must reside in the territory. Travel expected: ~40-50%.

• Function as a player/coach engaging clinical sites, PIs and KOLs to support clinical trial enrollment and scientific exchange as required
• Build MSL team infrastructure for compliant insight and data collection, and MSL training
• Management, performance, and coaching of MSL direct reports to ensure execution of Orca Bio’s field medical plans, strategy & activities within Medical Affairs (MA)
• Engage in and oversee MSL scientific engagements & activities that support compliant engagements with KOLs/HCPs
• Supports and collaborates with MSL team to develop and partner with thought leaders, KOLs, external & internal stakeholders
• Direct MSL Team to optimize MA strategy, field responsibilities, scientific knowledge & performance to support compliant KOL/HCP engagements
• Lead MSL Team on development & implementation of territory and KOL engagement plans, profiling & tiering to ensure alignment with MA strategy and Orca Bio SOPs
• Identify, develop, and maintain strong, scientific, peer-to-peer relationships with academic and community research thought leaders, appropriate HCPs, and access stakeholders, within a given geography to answer scientific and product related questions
• Act as the primary point of contact for meaningful scientific exchange between Orca Bio and the medical community, aligned with medical strategies and needs expressed by external stakeholders, answering scientific and product-related questions
• Develop and execute strategic plans to support product launches and ongoing clinical programs, incorporating health outcomes experience to ensure comprehensive understanding of product efficacy
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Clinical Development, Regulatory Affairs, and Commercial to support product development and commercialization efforts
• Provide scientific and clinical expertise to support internal and external stakeholders, demonstrating an understanding of the Clinical and Regulatory requirements specific to a field-based medical organization
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and company policies in all interactions and communications, while also utilizing expertise in developing clinical presentations and medical education materials to effectively disseminate scientific information
• Provide recommendations and insights to clinical development team on study and site feasibilities within the therapeutic area based on knowledge of the field and through direct contacts with potential investigators
• Act as the primary liaison to investigators interested in developing, submitting and performing Investigator-Sponsored Trials (IST)
• Attend and provide scientific support at medical congresses and at regional, national, and international meetings
• Collect and provide meaningful medical insights and/or impact by communicating these back to the medical organization to support strategy development
• Provide medical and scientific support of the strategy of health outcomes, real-world evidence, and payer/provider engagements, to internal stakeholders & other functions as needed (e.g. Regulatory and Commercial)
• Support advisory boards, clinical investigator meetings, and educational forums, organizing and chairing roundtable and educational meetings as needed
• Collaborate with internal colleagues and KOLs/HCPs on Medical Affairs initiatives including publications as requested, advisory boards, medical meeting support, medical education opportunities, training, etc.

• Advanced degree (PhD, PharmD, MD, DNP or equivalent) in a relevant scientific discipline
• 5+ years of relevant clinical experience (malignant hematology, bone marrow transplant, or cellular therapy)
• 7+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry, as a Medical Science Liaison preferred
• 3+ years of people management experience
• Strong understanding of clinical development, regulatory requirements, and commercial strategies
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and present complex scientific data to diverse audiences
• Demonstrated ability to expertly collaborate with cross-functional colleagues in order to best serve the needs of external stakeholders
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Clinical trial experience with working knowledge of Good Clinical Practice (GCP)
• Experienced in key opinion leader development to establish and maintain peer-to-peer relationships-with established relationships in given territory
• Expertise in developing clinical presentations and medical education

Who we are

We are driven by a passion for science and compassion for patients. We act with urgency to ensure our treatments are one day accessible to all who need them.

We live by our core values of passion, courage, and integrity. Excellence in our work means the chance to unlock a better quality of life for our patients, and with that comes tremendous responsibility.

We innovate on a path that hasn’t been paved. We embrace an entrepreneurial spirit and take calculated risks to achieve our mission. We aren’t afraid to ask “why not” and challenge the status quo.

We maintain a start-up culture of camaraderie and leadership by example, regardless of title.

We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and recognize that celebrating our differences creates stronger, lasting solutions that better serve our team, our patients and their healthcare providers.

To learn more: https://orcabio.com/join-our-team/

**all official communication will be from @orcabio.com; please beware of scams**

Notice to staffing firms

Orca Bio does not accept resumes from staffing agencies with which we do not have a written agreement and specific engagement for a particular opening. Our employment activities, inquiries and offers are managed through our HR/Talent team, and all candidates are presented through this channel only. We do not accept unsolicited resumes, and we rarely outsource recruitment.