Executive Director, Medical Affairs MSL (Nephrology)

Role Summary

Executive Director (ED), Medical Affairs MSL leads the strategic direction of the field medical organization, aligning the therapeutic/product portfolio with external stakeholders and cross-functional partners to advance understanding of Vertex science. Builds and oversees a US Field Medical team responsible for commercialization, managing budget, staffing, and resources across the disease area.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive strategy for the therapeutic area aligned with Medical Strategy objectives and enterprise goals.
• Lead, manage, coach and develop a large field team of 25+ individuals across the United States, ensuring accountability to metrics measuring MSL impact.
• Attract, hire, develop and retain top field medical talent; oversee personnel, financial resources, and training requirements.
• Engage internal leaders and external stakeholders to address healthcare needs through continuous innovation while maintaining compliance standards.
• Translate corporate and medical priorities into objectives, KPIs, and engagement guidance for region-specific needs (e.g., MSL-clinical collaboration, Thought Leader engagement, disease education programs, evidence generation).
• Develop partnerships with internal groups including US Medical Affairs Strategy Team, Global Medical, Med Comms, Medical Information and Medical Excellence, Clinical Development, RWE, HEOR and Commercial.
• Lead Field Medical Operations to identify gaps and develop tools, infrastructure and training to fulfill activities.
• Collaborate with the US MA Therapeutics Area Head to provide resources for meaningful scientific exchange.
• Encourage innovative field medical approaches, benchmarking against industry standards to maximize value.
• Build team capabilities in response to evolving internal and external environments, including external assessments of stakeholder needs.

Qualifications

• Proven track record of strategic leadership, teamwork, innovation, project management, and mentoring.
• In-depth knowledge of legal and regulatory guidelines in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Performance-driven with business acumen and patient-centric mindset; strong customer service orientation.
• Excellent clinical and business acumen to drive improvements and bottom-line results.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills.

Education

• Advanced degree in health sciences or related field (e.g., PharmD, PhD, MD).
• 10+ years of experience in medical affairs with 5+ years in field medical capabilities or equivalent.
• 5+ years of experience leading and managing individuals with an advanced scientific degree or equivalent.