National Senior Director, Field Medical Affairs
Orca Bio
Summary
The National Senior Director of Field Medical Affairs will serve as the strategic and operational leader of the Medical Science Liaison (MSL) organization. You will be responsible for building and evolving the MSL function, providing visionary leadership, and ensuring effective execution of medical strategies across territories. The role will involve close cross-functional collaboration to align field medical activities with broader organizational goals.
Job description
Responsibilities
- Establish, grow, and lead the national field-based MSL team, including defining operational frameworks, best practices, and standard operating procedures
- Ensure high standards of scientific and operational excellence through effective recruitment, training, mentorship, and performance management
- Translate overarching medical strategy into clear, actionable goals and measurable field medical initiatives
- Lead the identification and strategic engagement of key thought leaders and external experts in alignment with the medical strategy
- Oversee field-based support of clinical trials, including site education, patient recruitment, and investigator engagement
- Represent the organization at scientific conferences and participate in advisory boards and other scientific forums
- Build MSL team infrastructure for compliant scientific insight and data collection, MSL training and SOPs; direct the team on CRM operations
- Oversee MSL scientific engagements & activities that support compliant interactions with KOLs/HCPs and key stakeholders and guide the collection and dissemination of actionable insights that inform internal strategies relevant to the medical and clinical development landscape
- Work within the team to bring alignment & collaboration across products, disease states and indications
- Support MA by engaging with cross functional teams on business planning, special projects & strategic imperatives as assigned, including working with cross functional partners to optimally lead and support congress planning & execution
- Direct MSL activities to ensure the highest ethical standards & compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, industry codes, policies, SOPs, OIG, FDA, PharMA guidelines & the Orca Bio Code of Conduct
- Maintain scientific and clinical expertise through continuous education and attendance at key meetings and symposia
- Collaborate with in-house teams on publications, training, internal initiatives, and development of medical resources
- Other duties as assigned
Minimum Experience, Education, Certifications, Licenses
- Advanced scientific degree required, doctorate level clinical/medical degree (MD, PharmD, PhD)
- 8+ years’ experience within Medical Affairs, experience working as an MSL and at least 3 years of experience managing field-based MSL teams
- This leadership position requires excellent communication and interpersonal skills, motivation, initiative, mentoring, strategic thinking, problem solving, planning, & organizational skills
- Strong understanding of US pharma rules and regulations, particularly as they apply to MSL activities; ability to develop, coach & oversee a highly compliant MSL function
- Experience in team management, developing, reporting, & tracking MSL performance
- Experience with managing departmental projects & resources
- Experience with managing & developing relationships with key opinion leaders (KOLs)/health care professional (HCPs)
Preferred
- Cell and/or gene therapy experience
- Experience working in a small biotech company or start-up environment
- Demonstrated success in field medical launch planning and execution
Reporting Structure & Authority
Direct reports include: Field based Medical Science Liaison Team. Direct Supervisory responsibilities including decision-making authority recruitment, training, mentorship, and performance management.
Training & Continuous Improvement
Mandatory training: compliant scientific exchange, protected health information, preapproval information exchange, adverse event and quality complaint reporting, regulations regarding prescription drug advertising and promotion.
Travel Requirements
Domestic and international travel will be required from time to time as needed (approximately 40-50%).
Requirements
- Advanced scientific degree required, doctorate level clinical/medical degree (MD, PharmD, PhD)
- 8+ years’ experience within Medical Affairs
- Experience working as an MSL
- At least 3 years of experience managing field-based MSL teams
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Motivation, initiative, mentoring, strategic thinking, problem solving, planning, & organizational skills
- Strong understanding of US pharma rules and regulations, particularly as they apply to MSL activities
- Ability to develop, coach & oversee a highly compliant MSL function
- Experience in team management, developing, reporting, & tracking MSL performance
- Experience with managing departmental projects & resources
- Experience with managing & developing relationships with key opinion leaders (KOLs)/health care professional (HCPs)
Benefits
- Pre-IPO equity
- Annual bonus
- Medical, Dental & Vision
- PTO
- 401(k) plan
- Life insurance
- Accidental death and disability coverage
- Parental leave
- Subsidized daily lunches
- Snacks
Company overview
Orca Bio is a late-stage biotechnology company headquartered in Menlo Park, California, specializing in the development of high-precision cell therapies for the treatment of blood cancers and autoimmune diseases. Founded in 2016, the company focuses on creating allogeneic T-cell immunotherapies designed to replace a patient's diseased blood and immune system with a healthy one. Their proprietary manufacturing platform utilizes single-cell precision to develop uniquely-defined cell therapy products that aim to revolutionize the field of allogeneic cell therapy. Orca Bio's lead investigational product, Orca-T, is currently in advanced clinical development for hematological malignancies including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The company employs a team of leading scientists, engineers, and clinicians who are united in their mission to transform patient lives through innovative cell therapy approaches that offer the promise of a cure without compromise.