Early Development Leader (Oncology R & D)
GSK
Summary
As the Early Development Leader (EDL), you will lead the early development of oncology medicines from candidate selection through proof of concept. As the single point of accountability for your asset, you will set a clear strategy, make evidence-based go/no-go decisions, and partner with teams across research, clinical development, medical, regulatory, and commercial functions.
Job description
Job Purpose
As the Early Development Leader (EDL), you will lead the early development of oncology medicines from candidate selection through proof of concept. As the single point of accountability for your asset, you will set a clear strategy, make evidence-based go/no-go decisions, and partner with teams across research, clinical development, medical, regulatory, and commercial functions.
Key Responsibilities
- Own the early development strategy and serve as the single point of accountability for one or more oncology assets, from candidate selection through proof of concept.
- Define and drive translational and clinical plans — including experimental medicine studies and biomarker strategies — that support robust go/no-go decisions.
- Identify key inflection points and make clear, evidence-based decisions to advance or stop programs.
- Lead cross-functional teams, building alignment across clinical, medical, regulatory, manufacturing, and commercial partners.
- Engage with external scientific, clinical, and regulatory communities to generate insights that sharpen development plans.
- Proactively identify regulatory and operational risks, putting mitigation plans in place to keep programs on track.
Basic Qualifications
- An advanced scientific or medical degree (MD, PhD, PharmD, or equivalent), or a relevant bachelor's degree paired with substantial oncology development experience.
- Proven experience in early-stage oncology drug development, including translational medicine and experimental medicine design.
- A demonstrated ability to translate preclinical data into actionable clinical development plans.
- Experience leading cross-functional teams in a matrix environment and driving decisions across diverse stakeholders.
- A track record of evidence-based go/no-go decision-making and defining clear development inflection points.
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to present complex scientific plans clearly to both internal colleagues and external stakeholders.
Preferred Qualifications
- Three or more years leading oncology development programs, including experience preparing regulatory filings to initiate clinical testing.
- Experience with biomarker strategy development and clinical pharmacology considerations for first-in-human studies.
- A track record engaging external advisors, key opinion leaders, and patient communities.
- Experience in business development, due diligence, or partnership integration activities.
- Demonstrated skill in developing leaders and building high-performing teams.
- Ability to apply late-stage development and commercial launch insight to early-stage strategy.
Requirements
- An advanced scientific or medical degree (MD, PhD, PharmD, or equivalent), or a relevant bachelor's degree paired with substantial oncology development experience.
- Proven experience in early-stage oncology drug development, including translational medicine and experimental medicine design.
- A demonstrated ability to translate preclinical data into actionable clinical development plans.
- Experience leading cross-functional teams in a matrix environment and driving decisions across diverse stakeholders.
- A track record of evidence-based go/no-go decision-making and defining clear development inflection points.
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to present complex scientific plans clearly to both internal colleagues and external stakeholders.
- Three or more years leading oncology development programs, including experience preparing regulatory filings to initiate clinical testing.
- Experience with biomarker strategy development and clinical pharmacology considerations for first-in-human studies.
- A track record engaging external advisors, key opinion leaders, and patient communities.
- Experience in business development, due diligence, or partnership integration activities.
- Demonstrated skill in developing leaders and building high-performing teams.
- Ability to apply late-stage development and commercial launch insight to early-stage strategy.
Benefits
- Health care
- Insurance benefits
- Retirement benefits
- Paid holidays
- Vacation
- Paid caregiver leave
- Paid parental leave
- Paid medical leave
- Annual bonus
- Share based long term incentive program
Company overview
GSK plc (formerly GlaxoSmithKline) is a British multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company headquartered in London, England. Founded in 2000 through the merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham, GSK has grown to become one of the world's leading healthcare companies with operations in over 150 countries. The company specializes in researching, developing, and manufacturing prescription medicines, vaccines, and consumer healthcare products. GSK's therapeutic areas include respiratory diseases, HIV/AIDS, oncology, immunology, and infectious diseases. The company is particularly renowned for its vaccine portfolio and has been at the forefront of developing treatments for major global health challenges. With approximately 70,000 employees worldwide, GSK maintains a strong commitment to scientific innovation and has a significant presence in key markets including the United States, Europe, and emerging economies. The company's mission is to unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together, aiming to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade.