Executive Director, Medical Affairs - COPD

This position, the Executive Director, Value & Implementation Global Medical & Scientific Affairs (V&I GMSA) for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), resides in the V&I organization, which includes GMSA and Outcomes Research. The role is accountable for aligning and executing the GMSA portion of the Global V&I Plans for assigned therapeutic areas, with 50% strategic focus on the U.S. and 50% on the rest of the world. The TA EDMA may also serve as a V&I Lead for their disease/asset area(s), fostering relationships with global scientific leaders and key decision-makers to inform V&I priorities.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for generating the global strategic V&I plan, its execution, and facilitating rollout to countries, guiding the bidirectional, tactical execution of the V&I GMSA portion in partnership with Outcomes Research.
• Aligns with Big Country Markets, ensuring robust two-way communication with U.S., China, and Japan Executive Directors (or equivalents) to capture market-specific needs and insights.
• Integrates into the EDMA Tandem model to foster strategic clarity and executional excellence, demonstrating enterprise leadership across geographies.
• Dedicates 50% of strategic focus to the U.S., acting as a change catalyst—leading global planning while ensuring seamless integration with U.S. execution.
• Partners with U.S. EDMA, Health Systems EDs, Product Development Teams (PDT), and/or Asset Development Teams (ADT) to align payor strategies, precision-medicine initiatives, and congress deliverables.
• Ensures team contributes as relevant members to PDT/ADT sub-teams (V&I, Value Evidence, Clinical, Commercial, Publications, and Label teams).
• Integrates end-to-end knowledge gaps across countries and regions to inform Global V&I plans, enabling successful implementation of country or regional priorities.
• Applies expertise in country medical systems and clinical practice standards to guide Global/Regional Directors Medical Affairs and partners with Regional Strategy Leads to anticipate challenges and support adoption of new innovations.
• Monitors external clinical trends and scientific developments through systematic insight collection from group input meetings, congresses, and other platforms.
• Demonstrates business acumen by guiding the team to challenge the status quo and integrate actionable medical insights into global strategy.
• Leads team engagement with international scientific leaders and key stakeholders, including therapeutic guideline committees, payers, public groups, government officials, and medical societies.
• Ensures all scientific exchange for their TA(s) aligns with a single global scientific-communications platform.
• Collaborates across V&I, including U.S. EDMAs, Regional Leaders, and Outcomes Research, embedding within PDT/ADT frameworks to drive accountability and enhance value.
• Collaborates with Global Human Health (commercial) leaders to inform and align GMSA V&I plans while independently leading their execution.
• Organizes regular management reviews to assess team activities and progress.
• Supports key countries with the development of local data-generation study concepts and protocols when requested.
• Understands and supports the Investigator-Initiated Study program in collaboration with the Executive Director Scientific Affairs (EDSA).
• Leads and develops a high-performing team, fostering a collaborative environment that supports professional growth and continuous improvement.
• Implements talent-management and development plans, proactively addressing team challenges.
• Champions the company’s Ways of Working, emphasizing innovation, medical modernization, and patient impact.
• Manages assigned budget with strong financial stewardship, ensuring delivery within a 3% variance.
• Requires up to 30% travel, both within the U.S. and internationally.

Requirements

• M.D., Ph.D., DDS/DMD, or Pharm.D. (M.D. strongly preferred) with recognized medical expertise.
• Therapeutic Area specialization and recognized scientific expertise, with training or experience in pulmonology, pulmonary critical care, or infectious disease.
• Extensive experience in medical affairs or clinical development, with a minimum of 3 years in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Track record of successful team leadership and global experience.
• Strong prioritization and decision-making skills, with the ability to align decisions with broader corporate strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to motivate, mentor, and manage teams with clear expectations and priorities.
• Ability to collaborate and influence partners across divisions in a matrix environment.
• Excellent interpersonal, analytical, and communication skills (written and oral), along with results-oriented project-management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least five years of global or U.S. medical affairs or clinical development experience, with a proven track record of contribution to medical or clinical-development strategies.
• Five years of leadership in the pharmaceutical industry, with teams responsible for scientific exchange and research support, preferably in the relevant therapeutic area.
• Demonstrated successful leadership of strategic initiatives, including design, creation, and implementation of solutions for critical medical affairs goals.
• Customer expertise, especially with scientific leadership and key stakeholders (payers, public groups, government officials, medical professional organizations) in the assigned therapeutic area.
• Proven ability to influence company life-cycle management and data generation.
• Understanding of resourcing and budgeting.

Skills

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Clinical Development
• Clinical Research
• Enterprise Leadership
• Leadership Management
• Medical Affairs
• Organizational Leadership
• Pharmaceutical Medical Affairs
• Resourcing Strategies
• Scientific Communications
• Strategic Leadership

Pay

The salary range for this role is $255,800.00 - $402,700.00. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on factors including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business needs. The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and other insurance benefits (for employee and family).
• Retirement benefits, including 401(k).
• Paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days.