Vice President, Scientific Services

Vice President, Medical

Healthcare Communications Agency | Medical Affairs Focus

Hybrid in Boston, Massachusetts

POSITION OVERVIEW

We are partnering with a growing, independent healthcare communications agency to identify a Vice President, Medical to lead and grow their Medical Affairs practice. This is a senior scientific leadership role for a strategic, client-facing medical expert who can guide the scientific direction of Medical Affairs programs, mentor multidisciplinary teams, and serve as a trusted partner to pharmaceutical and biotech clients across the product lifecycle.

The VP, Medical will serve as the scientific anchor for Medical Affairs engagements spanning advisory board development, MSL tools and training, scientific platform development, publication planning support, and evidence communication initiatives. This individual will bring deep therapeutic area expertise, a command of the Medical Affairs function within pharma, and a passion for translating complex science into strategic, high-impact programs.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Scientific Leadership & Strategy

• Serve as the senior medical lead on Medical Affairs accounts, providing scientific oversight and strategic direction across programs
• Develop and evolve scientific platforms, value narratives, and evidence gap analyses to support client Medical Affairs objectives
• Lead medical content strategy for advisory boards, scientific exchange tools, congress deliverables, and MSL resources
• Partner with clients to understand pipeline priorities, lifecycle stage, and field medical needs to shape program design
• Stay current with the published literature, treatment landscape, and regulatory environment across assigned therapeutic areas

Client Partnership & Account Leadership

• Serve as a senior scientific partner to VP/Director-level Medical Affairs clients, contributing to strategic planning and program reviews
• Contribute to organic account growth by identifying new Medical Affairs opportunities within existing client relationships
• Participate in new business development including pitches, credentials presentations, and scientific capability discussions
• Act as a quality assurance authority on medical content, ensuring scientific accuracy, balance, and compliance with industry standards

Team Leadership & Mentorship

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Medical Directors, Associate Medical Directors, and Senior Medical Writers embedded in Medical Affairs accounts
• Establish scientific standards and content review processes to drive quality and consistency across the practice
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Editorial, Account Management, Creative, and Strategy leads to deliver integrated programs
• Contribute to agency-wide scientific training, capability building, and medical excellence initiatives

Operational & Financial Oversight

• Manage resourcing, capacity, and team structure across assigned Medical Affairs accounts
• Partner with account leadership to ensure projects are scoped, staffed, and delivered on time and within budget
• Contribute to forecasting, staffing models, and practice-level financial targets in collaboration with senior leadership

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Advanced degree required: MD, PhD, PharmD, or equivalent in a life sciences discipline
• 8 years of experience in medical communications, medical education, or a related healthcare agency environment
• Demonstrated expertise in Medical Affairs programs including advisory boards, MSL tools, field medical resources, and scientific exchange initiatives
• Deep understanding of the pharmaceutical Medical Affairs function, including field medical strategy, KOL engagement, and evidence communication
• Strong therapeutic area knowledge; experience in Oncology, Immunology, Rare Disease, Neuroscience, Cardiovascular, or Respiratory preferred
• Proven track record of client-facing scientific leadership with the ability to translate clinical data into strategic Medical Affairs programs
• Experience leading, developing, and mentoring scientific teams in an agency or consultancy setting

Preferred

• Experience in pharmaceutical Medical Affairs, clinical development, or MSL roles prior to agency career
• Familiarity with ISMPP guidelines, AdvaMed, PhRMA code, and FDA promotional and scientific exchange regulations
• Experience contributing to new business development and RFP responses
• Publication planning or evidence communication experience a plus

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Scientific credibility and authority with the ability to engage peer-to-peer with KOLs and client medical teams
• Strategic thinking: able to connect data to Medical Affairs goals, field needs, and commercial context
• Exceptional written and verbal communication with strong medical writing oversight capabilities
• Executive presence and client relationship skills; comfortable leading senior-level conversations
• People leadership: invested in developing talent and building a high-performing, collaborative scientific culture
• Operational discipline: able to manage multiple programs, competing timelines, and complex team structures

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Base salary commensurate with experience. This role includes a performance-based bonus structure, comprehensive benefits including medical/dental/vision, 401(k) with employer match, generous PTO, professional development support, and flexibility for remote or hybrid work depending on location.