Executive Director, Head of Medical Excellence, Operations, and Planning

Role Summary

Executive Director, Head of Medical Excellence, Operations, and Planning is a senior operational and strategic leader within Global Medical Affairs and a key member of the Medical Affairs Leadership Team (MALT). They hold primary accountability for defining and driving the Medical Affairs Operations and Excellence strategy globally, overseeing the teams, systems, analytic frameworks, and governance that enable data-driven decision-making across Medical Affairs, ensuring insights, performance analytics, technology platforms, and operational capabilities are aligned with enterprise objectives. The Executive Director shapes Medical Affairs’ operating model, standardizes processes globally, enables digital transformation, and ensures high-quality execution across regions and therapeutic areas. This position will be located at Alnylam Headquarters in Cambridge, MA.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a senior advisor and strategic thought partner to the SVP, Head of Medical Affairs, providing operational leadership and strategic guidance with a strong focus on data-driven decision-making and analytic insights across the Global Medical Affairs organization.
• Lead the development and execution of the Medical Affairs Operations and Excellence strategy, ensuring processes, systems, and resources support global consistency, compliance, and scalable growth.
• Direct, standardize, and optimize Medical Affairs processes through governance, analytics, and operational best practices to improve efficiency and reduce risk.
• Oversee teams responsible for operational support of key Medical Affairs initiatives, including launch readiness, advisory boards, medical roundtables, scientific exchange programs, and medical dashboards that track plan execution and outcomes.
• Build and maintain strong collaborative relationships across Medical Affairs leadership and relevant cross functional partners—Commercial, Clinical Development, Regulatory, Finance, Patient Advocacy—to ensure alignment, consistency, and effective planning across regions and therapeutic areas.
• Coordinate cross functional annual and long range planning processes, meeting cadences, communications, and budget oversight on behalf of Medical Affairs leadership.
• Lead the development and continuous improvement of guidance documents, including policies, operating guidelines, SOPs, and training materials that elevate Medical Affairs operational rigor and excellence.
• Partner with Medical Affairs and IT leaders to define and implement new medical technology, data, and analytic solutions to support strategic decision making and performance measurement.
• Identify, evaluate, and embed best practices across geographies, ensuring that learnings and innovations are shared, adopted, and operationalized globally.
• Provide strong leadership to direct reports and cross functional teams, cultivating a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Actively develop talent by coaching, mentoring, and building capabilities within the organization, serving as a player coach who supports execution while enabling team growth.
• Represent Medical Affairs Operations and Excellence in leadership forums, contributing proactively to functional planning and organizational effectiveness initiatives.

Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor’s degree in life sciences
• Preferred: MBA, management consulting background, or Medical Excellence experience
• Required: Minimum 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry, with significant experience in Medical Affairs, operations, or related strategic functions
• Required: At least 5 years of people leadership experience, with a demonstrated ability to develop and lead high performing teams
• Required: Deep knowledge of the biopharmaceutical industry, including medical governance, compliance, regulations, and industry standards
• Required: Demonstrated ability to influence at senior levels and collaborate effectively across global and regional matrixed organizations
• Required: Exceptional communication, analytical, and planning skills, with the ability to translate strategic objectives into operational frameworks
• Required: Ability to balance near term operational execution with long term strategic planning, connecting daily activities to broader business priorities and industry trends
• Required: Proven track record of leading cross functional teams to deliver outstanding business outcomes
• Required: Thrives in a fast paced, entrepreneurial biotech environment and embraces Alnylam’s culture of science, passion, and urgency