Thought Leader Liaison

Position Summary

The Thought Leader Liaison – Retina is a high-impact, field-based position responsible for driving regional and Key Opinion Leader (KOL) engagement, managing peer-to-peer educational strategies, and executing commercial thought leadership initiatives. This individual will play a vital role in supporting the historic launch of Théa's first buy-and-bill product, CYKLX. Reporting directly to the Director of Marketing – Retina, the Thought Leader Liaison bridges field insights and brand strategy. The ideal candidate possesses deep expertise in the retina therapeutic area, an intimate understanding of buy-and-bill economics, and a proven track record of compliant, high-impact relationship management with top-tier healthcare professionals (HCPs).

Key Responsibilities

• KOL Engagement & Relationship Management:
  • Systematically identify, profile, and cultivate collaborative relationships with retina specialists, academic influencers, and rising stars.
  • Capture and synthesize field-level behavioral insights, clinical perspectives, and competitive intelligence to inform the home office marketing strategy.
  • Coordinate institutional engagement strategies for top-tier academic medical centers and influential retina fellowships within the assigned geography.
  • Work closely with sales and marketing teams to align on a strategy to ensure uptake in large PE accounts.
• Peer-to-Peer Marketing & Speaker Bureau Execution:
  • Execute the regional recruitment, training, and operational management of the official CYKLX Speaker Bureau, ensuring strict compliance and high-quality clinical delivery.
  • Oversee the strategic deployment of peer-to-peer educational programs, ensuring localized tactics align with global branding and core messaging frameworks.
  • Partner with participating speakers to ensure clear understanding of approved scientific data, buy-and-bill workflows, and product positioning.
• Congress, Convention & Medical Society Strategy:
  • Execute the corporate presence at major regional and medical congresses (e.g., ASRS, AAO, Retina Society).
  • Manage corporate touchpoints during congresses, including product theaters, advisory boards, and high-value HCP interactions at the scientific booth.
• Cross-Functional Launch Collaboration:
  • Work in lockstep with Sales leadership and Market Access teams to ensure field-level strategies seamlessly pull through payer wins and support practice workflows.
  • Partner with Training and Medical Affairs to identify ongoing clinical and educational needs within the Retina community.
  • Address complex buy-and-bill operational inquiries by leveraging an expert-level understanding of specialty distribution, J-codes, and ASP-based dynamics.
• Create Regional Marketing Tactics and Strategies:
  • Work closely with marketing leads to identify strategies: brand planning and continuous monitoring of regional metrics.
  • KOL tactics such as whitepapers, speaker decks, podcasts, etc.
  • Regional Ad board Execution

Functional Competencies & Expectations

• KOL Advocacy: Nurturing tier-1 academic relationships and maximizing thought leader advocacy compliant with industry guidelines.
• Buy-and-Bill Competency: Solid grasp of reimbursement mechanics, specialty distribution, and practice management workflows.
• Strategic Collaboration: Working seamlessly across Marketing, Sales, Market Access, and Medical Affairs to execute a flawless launch.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced scientific degree preferred.
• 5+ years of pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical device commercial experience (Marketing, Sales, or Medical Affairs).
• Minimum 2-3 years of dedicated experience within the Retina or Ophthalmology marketplace is strictly required.
• Launch & Reimbursement Experience: Proven track record supporting a buy-and-bill biologic or injectable asset within a highly competitive specialist environment.
• Established Network: Existing, compliant relationships with prominent regional or retina Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs).
• Travel Requirement: Ability to travel up to 60 to 70% (including regular weekend medical congresses, evening speaker programs, and visits to the Waltham office for collaboration).
• This role is open at the Thought Leader Liaison or Sr. Thought Leader Liaison level. The specific title and compensation will be aligned with the candidate's experience, qualifications, and internal equity.

Physical Demands & Work Environment

This position requires prolonged sitting. Additionally, requires eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity enough to operate a keyboard, photocopier, telephone, and other office equipment. Requires normal range of hearing and vision to record, prepare, and communicate appropriately. Additional physical requirements include hearing spoken communication clearly. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Benefits and Perks

• Employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Generous schedule of paid time off (PTO)
• Life and disability insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Competitive 401(k) company match
• Flexible and entrepreneurial work environment with an inclusive culture

For U.S. locations that require disclosure of compensation, the starting pay for this role is between $97k to $247k. The estimated salary range reflects an anticipated range for this position. The actual base salary offered may depend on a variety of factors.