Senior Director/Executive Director, Scientific Communications

About the role

The Senior Director/Executive Director, Scientific Communications is a strategic leader within the Medical Affairs organization and a key member of the Medical Affairs Leadership Team. This individual will be responsible for developing and executing integrated scientific communication strategies across the company's oncology portfolio, including approved products and pipeline assets. The role owns the end-to-end planning, creation, and delivery of scientific narratives that support the development and commercialization of oncology therapies. They will translate complex clinical data into compelling and evidence-based stories for diverse audiences including physicians, payers, and internal stakeholders. This position operates at the intersection of medical strategy, scientific rigor, and creative communication execution. The hire will be accountable for ensuring that all scientific messaging is accurate, balanced, and aligned with the broader goals of Medical Affairs and Clinical Development. They will lead cross-functional initiatives that shape how data is shared and perceived across the oncology ecosystem.

Key facts

What you'll do

Lead the development and execution of integrated scientific communication strategies for approved and pipeline oncology assets, aligning each initiative with overarching Medical Affairs and corporate objectives.

Serve as the primary scientific communications lead on cross-functional asset teams, providing strategic direction on data dissemination, scientific positioning, and the orchestration of communication planning.

Ensure rigorous consistency of scientific messaging across publications, congress presentations, field medical materials, advisory boards, medical education initiatives, and other scientific exchange platforms.

Partner with Medical Affairs leadership to design, build, and maintain annual and long-range scientific communication plans and associated budgets.

Accountable for the end-to-end development and execution of comprehensive publication plans for assigned assets, guaranteeing strict alignment with medical objectives and strategic priorities.

Lead and mentor publication planning teams and publication steering committees to guarantee the timely and high-quality dissemination of scientific and clinical data.

Develop forward-looking publication strategies that provide support across the entire lifecycle of assets, from early clinical development through commercialization and lifecycle management.

Collaborate deeply with clinical, statistical, translational, and medical teams to identify high-impact publication opportunities and optimize the timing and targeting of data dissemination.

Maintain detailed oversight of publication timelines, budgets, and all external vendor deliverables to ensure on-time and on-budget execution.

Lead scientific congress communication planning and execution for major national and international meetings, ensuring cohesive representation of data.

Drive the development and maintenance of robust scientific platforms and evidence-based communication materials that support both approved and pipeline oncology products.

Create scientifically accurate, fair-balanced, and strategically aligned content tailored for Medical Affairs initiatives, Medical Science Liaison teams, advisory boards, congress activities, and internal training programs.

Provide leadership and direction for the development of medical affairs booths, congress presentations, scientific posters, and executive-level briefing materials.

Collaborate effectively with stakeholders across Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, Translational Medicine, Biostatistics, Regulatory Affairs, Legal, Compliance, Commercial, and Executive Leadership.

Manage relationships and deliverables for external medical communications agencies, publication vendors, freelance medical writers, and congress support service providers.

Establish clear quality, timeline, and accountability standards for all external and internal scientific communication outputs.

Ensure all scientific communications comply with legal, regulatory, and internal governance requirements while maintaining transparency and scientific integrity.

Requirements

Must currently reside in or be willing to relocate to Redwood City, California, to perform the duties of this role in person.

Must possess a PhD, MD, PharmD, or an equivalent advanced degree in a relevant scientific or medical field.

Must have a minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in medical affairs, scientific communications, or a closely related field within the biopharmaceutical industry.

Must demonstrate a proven track record of developing and executing publication and congress strategies in oncology or a related therapeutic area.

Must have direct experience leading cross-functional teams and managing external vendors for scientific communications deliverables.

Must have a deep understanding of the drug development lifecycle and the regulatory and compliance landscape relevant to pharmaceutical communications.

Must possess exceptional written and verbal communication skills with the ability to synthesize complex data into clear, concise, and persuasive narratives.

Must be highly proficient in Microsoft Office and experienced with analytics platforms, content management systems, and collaboration tools.

Nice to have

Preferred experience in a biotechnology or pharmaceutical company with a robust oncology pipeline.

Demonstrated success in developing scientific strategies that span early discovery communication through late-stage commercialization.

Experience managing medical affairs booths and complex congress strategies at major national and international meetings.

Practical notes

This is a full-time position.

Travel may be required for meetings and congress attendance.

Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship for this role.