Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY:

The BeNeLux Country Medical Director (CMD) will provide medical leadership for the Medical Department in all therapeutic areas and aligns medical strategy to Vertex organizational goals.
The CMD will be accountable for building, leading and overseeing the BeNeLux medical team, for the development and implementation of Country Medical strategies and plans and will need to define clear medical KPIs that contribute to the execution of strategy and take responsibility for the outcomes.
CMD will work in partnership with the BeNeLux Country Manager as well as other cross functional team colleagues to ensure access to company’s products. CMD is expected to partner, influence, and align a broad network of colleagues, maintain a strategic focus, challenge decisions, and balance medical and commercial goals aligned with patient, HCPs’ and broader corporate priorities.
The CMD is also responsible for the organization’s long-term strategy and success and will take ownership to build scientific excellence within the team, close partnerships with HCPs, scientific societies and patient organizations.
They will also be responsible for financial planning and budgetary adherence of medical affairs activities and advocate for their country’s needs on the global stage and represent Medical Affairs, internally.
The individual will work closely with and report directly to the Regional Medical Lead.

EDUCATION:

• Medical Degree and/or a higher degree or PhD in life sciences (Fluency in both spoken and written English required)

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE:

Vertex Values and Behaviors

The incumbent must demonstrate ability for:

• Developing and maintaining high level of industry, regulatory, clinical and scientific knowledge
• Maintaining a high level of expertise and judgment in relation to both technical and ethical aspects of a Medical Director’s role and responsibilities
• Having a strong commitment to achieving corporate objectives while maintaining the highest ethical, regulatory and scientific standards
• The Country Medical Director is expected to champion a “we wins” attitude, actively collaborating across functions, fostering teamwork and establishing mutual support and trust, in the fearless pursuit of excellence – the courage to start, the passion to finish, with an uncompromising commitment to patients

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE:

• High ethical and scientific personal standards required
• Substantial experience in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry and a proven track record in BeNeLux medical affairs
• Experience in in orphan diseases desirable
• Leadership skills and experience
• Track record of successfully leading a team desirable
• Experience with product launches and life-cycle management preferable
• Track record in effectively managing risk and compliance
• Strong business acumen
• Knowledge and understanding of marketplace dynamics, knows the local health care system and keeps up-dated on changes in environment in the country, including rules and regulations
• Previous track record of successful HTA submissions (as applicable)
• Ability to work effectively in a highly matrix environment, within a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural team on common projects and goals, at national and international level.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Learning agility
• Ability to travel to meetings/trainings/programs as required
• Ideally speaking both Dutch and French in addition to English
  

  LI-Hybrid

LI-SG1

Flex Designation:
Hybrid-Eligible Or On-Site Eligible
Flex Eligibility Status:
In this Hybrid-Eligible role, you can choose to be designated as:
1. Hybrid: work remotely up to two days per week; or select
2. On-Site: work five days per week on-site with ad hoc flexibility.
Note: The Flex status for this position is subject to Vertex’s Policy on Flex @ Vertex Program and may be changed at any time.
Company Information
Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation.
Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person’s race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.
Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at ApplicationAssistance@vrtx.co

General key responsibilities:

• Demonstrate consistent ethical and professional behavior, with uncompromising commitment to patients
• Ensure all medical involvement and activities are executed in full compliance with Vertex policies, local laws and regulations and codes of practice.
• Represents Vertex externally with confidence and credibility at a country level by providing fair and balanced medical information, communication and education to various stakeholders, supporting research and relevant data generation with the ultimate goal of supporting the safe and effective use of Vertex’ medicines in the appropriate patients
• Work in partnership ith the Country Manager to ensure a culture of integrity, transparency and respect, as per Vertex values, throughout the organization

Medical Strategy

• Develop and ensure flawless execution, via the medical team, of the BeNeLux Medical Strategic and Operational Plan, aligned with the Global and International Medical strategy and local plans, and in accordance with corporate policies and procedures and applicable local laws, regulations and code of practice.
• Advocate for BeNeLux needs with International and Global teams e.g., development of Life Cycle Management (LCM) Plans and publication planning
• Drive data generation studies/projects to enhance medical-scientific knowledge in the Therapeutic Area(s) and ensure implementation of RWD initiatives and LCM plans in country, as appropriate

Scientific Excellence

• Develop and maintain high level, clinical and scientific knowledge in all Vertex therapeutic areas.

Team/people management

• Provide strong people leadership inspiring and empowering a dedicated medical team, including recruiting, developing, managing and coaching
• Leverage the capabilities and expertise of the team to ensure successful execution of country plans
• Identify and addresses team skill gaps, considering how to accelerate internal talent or attract external to meet needs of a future-ready organization.
• Ensure formal goal-setting, appraisals, individual development plans (IDPs) take place in a timely and structured manner
• Maintain a seamless flow of information within and between the local structure and the International HQ, and communicate medical insights obtained locally from appropriate field interactions to inform local and international/global strategy.
• Aligns medical strategy with organizational goals by ensuring own and team responsibilities and goals are aligned with the long term aims of the organization and other departments

External partnerships

• Ensure excellent working partnerships are developed with Health Care Professionals (HCPs) based on scientific excellence and trust
• Partner with HCPs to provide and obtain insights on therapeutic areas and to expand research opportunities
• Seek partnerships with key external stakeholders to advance Vertex’s vision and build transparent and successful partnerships with national scientific societies, patient organizations, relevant payers, policymakers and relevant industry associations

Medical Communication:

• Provide fair and balanced medical information and education to health care professionals and HTA/payer stakeholders that support the safe and effective use of Vertex’ medicines in the appropriate patients
• External presentations (local advisory board meetings, symposia, other medical education meetings) to enhance the medical knowledge of pipeline and marketed products, as required and in accordance with local regulations and procedures

Compliance and Pharmacovigilance:

• Ensure compliance of medical activities at country level with country Code of Conduct, rules and regulations, company policies, SOPs, GCP and ICH
• Assess local promotional materials and ensure that all claims are fully supported by scientific data, and are presented in an accurate, fair and balanced manner
• Ensure self and other country medical staff have the required skills to identify and report AEs appropriately
• Contribute to managing external communication when significant safety issues arise, with the wellbeing of patients being the ultimate goal

Disease State, Portfolio, Brand and Access support

• Ensure high quality medical contribution to access efforts through the preparation/review of reimbursement dossiers, scientific engagement of key stakeholders, incorporation of medical insights into strategy, perform data gap analysis relevant to access and support locally needed data generation as appropriate
• Take individual or team accountability for reviewing and certification of promotional and non-promotional materials (as applicable) in the respective area according to the company SOP and to local country and regional regulations
• Responsible for medical interpretation of data (clinical trials, registries, published literature, etc.) for in-development compounds and marketed medicines
• Leverage business acumen and understanding of the market to anticipate trends and balance of needs today and the future, and keeping up to date with product and pipeline information based on internal and external publications

Cross functional collaboration

• Work closely with internal and key external stakeholders, supporting Vertex’ strategy and bringing medical insights as well as support for HTA bodies, media, government and patient group activities, including policy development, corporate initiatives and issues management
• Accountable for supporting the Regional Medical Lead in the development, implementation and execution of the Regional Medical Strategy and plan for pipeline and in market products
• Builds and nurtures formal and informal networks across the organisation, including global and international teams
• Work in strategic partnership with Regulatory, Pharmacovigilance, Medical Information, Clinical Development, Global Clinical Operations and Health Economics Outcomes Research teams in medical scientific questions
• Support for issues related to supply and distribution, product quality, benefit-risk, market actions and product withdrawals
• Ensure adequate internal training is provided to medical and XFT, contribute individually as appropriate

Other Medical activities:

• Facilitate appropriate and adequate implementation of compassionate use programmes in country, as needed
• Ensure sourcing accurate epidemiology data in collaboration with local registries/other stakeholders, as applicable
• Ensure medical team supports Investigator Initiated research aligned with strategic areas of interest and in a compliant fashion
• Ensure appropriate Steering Committee meetings and advisory boards are held in accordance with local and company regulations. As appropriate leads such initiatives. As applicable

Clinical Trials

• Facilitate scientific and thought leader medical affairs expertise into the feasibility, site selection, recruitment and issue resolution for Vertex Clinical Development Studies in concerned BeNeLux countries led by the Clinical trial team.
• Ensure Medical team successfully contribute to Site Initiation Visits when applicable.