WHO WE ARE:

At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse.
Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.

POSITION SUMMARY

As Group Director of Global Medical Strategy, you will lead the strategy development for multiple major client accounts in medical communications. You will build strong and productive relationships with clients, ensuring that we not only meet but exceed their expectations. You will also lead and support new business initiatives and help lead medical agency-wide initiatives. You will work closely with key cross-functional leads (account, creative, engagement strategy, scientific communications, and medical affairs) to ensure a holistic approach across strategy, creative development and key tactics that drive the client’s business objectives and growth.
With a focus on our growing med comms business, you will define how we approach med comms from a strategic perspective, oversee the tactical implementation and reshape the strategic direction over time as we continue to learn in partnership with our clients.
You have an insatiable curiosity, are an innate problem-solver, welcome multiple perspectives, and have a passion for driving growth. You are team-oriented and lead by example, bringing energy, initiative, and a collaborative mindset not only to delivering for clients but in becoming a thought leader within the agency and a mentor to your team.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Minimum work experience and/or equivalent education to meet requirements of position.

• PharmD, MD, or PhD
• 7+ years of healthcare communication experience
• Experience using Excel, Word, PowerPoint
• Based in UK or Milan

• Profound expertise in building strategy for med comms and strong interpersonal and leadership skills to establish medical strategy as the strategic lead across the global med comms business and over time, expand the team, guiding junior strategists in the implementation of these strategies.
• Serve as the medical strategy lead for assets in development and in-market through collaboration with medical and commercial clients to support development of scientific/ medical strategy and content.
• Act as the medical strategy lead for new business and in medical/legal/regulatory reviews
• Oversee all deliverables from a medical strategy perspective to ensure alignment with medical and commercial goals.
• Craft the overarching strategic approach to drive shifts in audience mindsets and shape the direction for medical education needs based on research founded in ‘radical empathy’
• Guide development of the scientific platform and scientific lexicon in collaboration with medical writers to create the foundation for all medical communications.
• Create the strategic narrative, key message and content pillars working collaboratively with creative/medical writers, ensuring clarity on messages and medical strategy for the project with medical and regulatory accuracy of content/copy.
• Direct unbranded and branded educational content development, highlighting unmet needs and treatment challenges as well as establishing deep scientific understanding of novel assets, including differentiation of clinical trial design, data, and outcomes.
• Establish relationships with top KOLs beyond projects, following KOL/DOL activity through social media, publications, congress activity.
• Lead content development of speaker decks, congress symposia, and AdBoards, while also facilitating AdBoard meetings and guiding output synthesis and implications.
• Provide thought leadership within the disease category and competitive landscape to establish a strong strategic partnership with our clients.