Executive Director, Medical Affairs Strategy Excellence & Operations

As a senior leader within Medical Affairs, the Executive Director will serve as a strategic thought partner and Chief of Staff to the Vice President of Medical Affairs, providing high-level guidance and operational leadership across the organization. Leveraging a deep understanding of industry trends and internal priorities, this individual will shape the development of best-in-class medical excellence capabilities aligned with Otsuka’s vision, direction, and growth strategy.

The Executive Director, Medical Affairs Strategy, Excellence & Operations will lead five critical teams: Strategic Planning, Business Solutions & Analytics, Vendor & Contracts Management, Governance & Procedures, and Global Medical Evidence Operations ensuring alignment with enterprise goals and medical excellence priorities. This role will champion operational rigor, foster strategic integration, and drive high-quality insights to support decision-making across the organization.

Serving as a key liaison across the Global, US, and Commercial ecosystem, the Executive Director will play a pivotal role in advancing scientific and medical initiatives. Through thoughtful leadership and collaboration, this individual will shape and execute the global medical affairs strategy, optimize operational frameworks, and enable data-driven innovation across therapeutic areas.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities Include:

Strategic Leadership and Execution

• Serve as Chief of Staff to the VP of Medical Affairs, driving strategic alignment and operational integration across the Global Medical Affairs organization.

• Sets the overall direction of Medical Excellence & Operations (MEO); make critical decisions that have impact across Global Medical Affairs therapeutic areas (TAs) and functions

• Leads the development, refinement, and execution of Medical Affairs strategies and objectives in alignment with corporate goals.

• Coordinates cross-functional planning, meeting cadences, budget oversight, and communication on behalf of Medical Affairs leadership.

• Collaborates with cross-functional teams to align medical affairs activities with commercial and clinical development strategies

• Leads Medical Excellence for Med Affairs Strategy to ensure consistent best practices across programs and drive consistent methods of strategic and tactical planning and execution.

Operational Excellence and Team Management

• Lead and manage core operational pillars within Medical Affairs Excellence & Operations Team, including:

  • Global Asset Strategic Planning

  • Business Solutions and Analytics

  • Vendor and Contracts management

  • Global Medical Evidence Operations

  • Governance and Procedures

• Establish and implement systems, SOPs, and governance frameworks to ensure excellence, compliance, and efficiency in Medical Affairs processes (e.g., IME, ISTs, EAPs, publications, congresses)

• Provide and maintain the technological infrastructure, business tools, and data analytics, including the medical information contact center, to enable Global Medical Affairs teams to operate efficiently

• Oversee the department’s budget, resource allocation, and vendor contracting processes (including key TA level vendors)

• Will ensure assignment of Med Excellence activities/projects to Otsuka priorities

• Congress Strategy/prioritization, ensure aggregation of congress plans (including meetings) and awareness cross functionally

• Develop and maintain calendar of important TA meetings across programs, including congresses and internal offsite meetings (US and Global) to ensure no conflicts and adequate resourcing; will work with Administrative leads to ensure meetings are added to calendars

• Develops and manages large teams driving a high-performance culture; understands the required skillset (s) needed within the medical excellence function to deliver best results

• Builds relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, including industry partners

Performance Monitoring and Reporting

• Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure Medical Affairs impact and execution

• Deliver monthly and quarterly updates to Global Medical Affairs leadership and contribute to board-level reporting, as needed

• Keeps abreast external environment-relevant trends and incorporates insights and best practices to inform functional decisions

• Responsible for ensuring timelines and process for cross-brand initiatives, such as annual medical strategy planning, 3-year roadmaps, SMART goals

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• Doctorate Degree (MD (Medical Doctor), PharmD, PhD) or equivalent preferred

• Minimum of 15 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology setting within medical affairs strategy

• Sr Director level medical affairs strategy experience for a minimum of 5 yrs. and experience in Medical Excellence & operations

Skills and Competencies:

• Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire high-performing teams

• Strong strategic, operational, and leadership capabilities within a biotech or pharmaceutical setting

• Expertise in navigating regulatory frameworks and ensuring compliance within medical affairs function

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional teams

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to address complex challenges within medical affairs

• Ability to lead a team and influence organizational level decisions

• Experience in collaborating with Medical Affairs vendors that can provide medical excellence related support

• Strategic thinking acumen and record of accomplishment for operational excellence

• Ability to rapidly pivot based on evolving corporate strategy and direction

• Proficiency in pharma code and all guidelines concerning medical affairs activities

• Excellent presentation skills and ability to communicate complex scientific information

• Motivated, disciplined, pro-active individual capable of effectively managing timelines

Other Requirements:

• Ability to travel globally up to 25% for congresses, advisory board meetings, Governance meetings as business needs require