Head: Medical Affairs (South Africa)

About the position

This role functions internally as the lead in developing and executing the most efficient and integrated medical/scientific strategy, including scientific evidence generation and scientific information exchange with all key stakeholders. Externally, the role assists health care professionals to optimize patient care and treatment outcomes through evidence-based decisions and support.

Role & Responsibilities

Medico-Marketing Support

Developing and executing a highly efficient and integrated medico-marketing strategy, including scientific evidence generation and scientific information exchange with all key stakeholders

Provide strategic input for the elaboration of brand plans by being the center of scientific expertise

Providing relevant data evidence to ensure that the overall strategy is clearly defined and consistent with medical affairs and commercial strategic objectives.

Reviewing and approving medical and scientific content of Regulatory, Safety, Communications, Medical Affairs, and Commercial

Pro-actively providing guidance to marketing and sales teams

Webinars/CMEs/Advisory Board meetings/Preceptorship programs - preparing scientific agenda, providing literature & presentation support as required, co-ordination with partners/stakeholders

Strategic support for new launch & existing products – medical/scientific strategy for new launches and strategic LCM inputs for existing products

Providing leadership and strategic direction for interactions and communications with external customers, key organizations, and institutions.

Collaborating the commercial teams to address questions and opportunities.

Informing stakeholders of unmet needs and facilitating appropriate approaches to address them.

Interacting with experts at medical meetings, advisory boards, and outreach meetings to represent the client and strengthen its reputation in the therapeutic areas.

Maintaining external orientation by participating actively in external events and activities in our chosen spaces

Develop and implement a strong advocacy plan with experts in the field, academics and professionals and/or patient associations. (Prior knowledge of and established relationships with key opinion leaders in our key spaces considered an asset).

Develop a strong advocacy program and organize advisory boards or roundtables to build and reinforce product awareness and gain strategic insights for medical affairs and commercial strategy.

Ensure the scientific integrity of information, and relationships with healthcare providers and patient advocacy groups.

 

Compliance in medico-marketing activity

Ensuring compliance in medical affairs and medico-marketing activities

Ensuring compliance in selection of speakers, deciding FMV and evaluating participation criteria

 

Evidence generation activities

Evidence generation activity and publications – identify needs for post-marketing programmes and oversee their end-to-end management and execution.

 

Evaluation of New Products

Evaluation of new products - identifying products to enable the building of a robust portfolio

Providing medical rationale & analysis for selected products to BD, Portfolio & CoE teams

Conduct of Advisory board meetings for opinion of KOLs on new products

 

Training and Development

Collaborate with Training Manager to enhance training program on disease and competitor products and ensure continuous update

Support Training Manager in developing content and conducting training sessions for new launches as well as scientific updates on existing products

 

Scientific Updates

Lead and contribute to a system of Competitive intelligence and monitoring of publications

Compilation and circulation of regular scientific updates on major brands/therapy areas

 

Activities for Digital Platforms & Other

Ensure a patient-centric approach to development of medical strategy both for product and device, as well as possible services which can enhance the value proposition of the product

Digital Platforms and related activities - support for digital activities like Pill plus, Digital content quality review, revision in content topics, Support for website launch, Webinars, etc.

Support market research, opportunity validation, and whitespace analysis to identify new opportunities for new and existing features and functionalities.

Partner with the central product teams to build product roadmaps as per needs of the user(s) and market.

Planning of the product release or introduction in the country

Engage with potential customers and internal stakeholders to understand problems and potential business opportunities in their respective markets and therapy areas.

Identify and lead discussions with potential partners & service providers for enabling new services and revenue streams around the product.

Support, planning and monitoring of Product MVPs, Pilot and Launch activities in the market along with central product team

Lead/oversee data generation activities

Conceptualization, development, roll-out and monitoring of differentiated Patient Support Programmes for key products

 

Education, Experience & Personal Attributes

• Degree in Medicine with at least 5 years of industry experience in Medical Affairs
• In-depth understanding of and proven success in how to conceptualize, design, and execute patient programmes
• Broad and formal leadership experience, including excellent “leadership presence” to represent Medical Affairs within the company, to other functions, and to leaders at every level.
• Excellent skills working with experts from other functions and influencing decision making
• High energy and an absolute commitment to a culture that operates with high ethical standards and strives to exceed all goals and objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to inspire confidence while working demonstrating sound scientific judgment
• Comfort operating in a consensus-building role but also able to make specific recommendations and decisions and drive for implementation.
• Ability to inspire confidence, both internally and externally, through leading by example and demonstrating collaborative behavior.
• Demonstrated ability to organize and lead expert Scientific Advisory Panels.
• Ability to understand and effectively communicate scientific and medical data results and information to internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to build solid working relationships with the commercial organization, as well as negotiate and influence.

Desired Skills:

• Healthcare
• Medical
• Medical Assistance
• Medical Sales
• Occupational Health
• Pharmaceutical

About The Employer:

A solid pharmaceutical multinational specializing in Innovative medicines and Biologics in the Oncology, Haematology, and Rare Diseases therapeutic areas. They are seeking a qualified medical doctor with at least 5 years in Medical Affairs (and some leadership experience) to head up their Medical Affairs department, with a team of Medical Advisors across therapeutic areas.