Senior Medical Director, Clinical Development, Obesity
About the role
The Senior Medical Director, Clinical Development will serve as a key medical and scientific leader responsible for defining and executing clinical development strategies for Neurocrine’s obesity pipeline. This role provides independent medical leadership across Phase 1–3 clinical programs and partners closely with cross-functional teams including Clinical Operations, Clinical Project Management, Biometrics, Regulatory Affairs, Drug Safety, Translational Medicine, and Preclinical/Clinical Pharmacology.
Responsibilities
Develops and leads clinical development strategies for assigned obesity programs, with accountability for study design and medical integrity of clinical trials across Phase 1–3
Serves as the Program/Therapeutic Medical Lead on cross-functional Program Teams, providing medical leadership and clinical input into integrated development plans
Drives execution of the clinical development plan, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives, regulatory strategy, and scientific rationale
Translates clinical strategy into actionable study designs and operational plans that deliver high-quality data and meaningful outcomes
Leads preparation of clinical study synopses and is a major contributor to protocols, major amendments, and clinical study reports
Oversees the design of data collection strategies and ensures appropriate interpretation and integration of clinical data
Partners with Clinical Operations to oversee clinical trial execution in accordance with NBI SOPs, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and applicable regulatory requirements
Conducts medical assessment and disposition of adverse events in collaboration with Drug Safety, and provides ongoing evaluation of benefit–risk throughout clinical development
Collaborates closely with internal stakeholders to support study activities requiring medical expertise
Engages external experts, investigators, and key opinion leaders to inform strategy, optimize trial design, and advance programs
Assists in identification and selection of clinical investigators and serves as Sponsor medical monitor/representative
Works with Medical Affairs and external partners to communicate clinical data and establish new collaborations
Leads analysis, interpretation, and presentation of clinical study results to internal and external audiences
Partners with Research and Translational Medicine to define biomarker strategies that enhance early clinical evaluation and decision-making
Interfaces with Research, Product Development, and Business Development to assess new product opportunities and shape clinical research strategies
Identifies resource needs and contributes to budget planning, personnel forecasting, and development of clinical teams
Plays a key role in recruiting, mentoring, and developing clinical staff, and in identifying and managing external consultants and CROs
Contributes to the development and implementation of clinical development policies, processes, and best practices
Requirements
Education & Training: MD or DO (or equivalent) degree in relevant clinical specialty for the therapeutic area required AND 4+ years clinical experience with broad bio/pharmaceutical/CRO industry experience in drug development OR Accredited residency training and board certification preferred
Experience & Expertise: Recognized internal thought leader with deep expertise in clinical development Comprehensive understanding of the drug development process, including regulatory, technical, and business considerations Proven track record providing clinical leadership for INDs, NDAs, or other regulatory submissions and interactions with global regulatory agencies Strong knowledge of GCP, regulatory procedures, translational medicine, biomarker development, study design, biostatistics, and data interpretation Demonstrated success leading cross-functional, matrixed teams and managing external CROs and vendors, particularly in small or agile organizations Experience driving program strategy from early development through late-stage execution
Leadership & Core Competencies: Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into executable plans and deliver results Strong mentoring and people leadership skills, with experience leading direct and indirect teams Highly collaborative with exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to influence across functions and externally Outstanding oral and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex scientific concepts to diverse audiences Flexible, adaptable, and self-motivated, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment Demonstrated project management capability and attention to detail Proficiency with standard business and clinical documentation tools (word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, and archiving systems)
Benefits
Annual base salary range: $301,100.00-$411,000.00
Annual bonus with a target of 35% of the earned base salary
Eligibility to participate in our equity based long term incentive program
Benefits offered include:
A retirement savings plan (with company match)
Paid vacation, holiday, and personal days
Paid caregiver/parental and medical leave
Health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans