MSD in the UK
Therapy Area Medical Head, Oncology (Associate Director)
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Job Description
We are looking for an experienced medical affairs leader to lead one of our oncology therapy area teams in the UK. This role combines strategic leadership, people management, and cross-functional collaboration. You will lead a team of Medical Advisors and work closely with Field Medical colleagues, ensuring seamless coordination between office-based and clinician-facing medical activities within your oncology therapy area.
As a member of the Oncology Medical Leadership Team, you will help shape the direction of our oncology organisation, contribute to business planning, and ensure that medical affairs continues to deliver meaningful impact for patients, healthcare professionals, and the wider healthcare system.
You will play a key role across the full lifecycle of our products, from pipeline planning and launch preparation through to supporting established medicines, helping ensure our scientific strategy evolves alongside the needs of patients and the oncology community.
What You Will Do
- Lead and develop a team of Medical Advisors, ensuring strong coordination between head office medical activities and Field Medical colleagues to deliver a unified medical strategy.
- Set the strategic direction for the therapy area, translating scientific insights and healthcare system needs into impactful medical affairs plans and priorities.
- Drive delivery of annual medical plans, ensuring activities are executed to a high standard, deliver measurable impact, and remain aligned to patient and organisational needs.
- Identify and implement innovative approaches to medical engagement, evidence generation, scientific exchange, and partnership working across the oncology community.
- Actively contribute as a member of the Oncology Medical Leadership Team, helping shape organisational priorities, culture, resource allocation, and long-term strategy.
- Build strong cross-functional partnerships across Medical Affairs, Market Access, Regulatory, Clinical Research, Commercial, and Corporate Affairs to support products from early pipeline through launch and lifecycle management.
- Develop organisational capability and talent, creating opportunities for coaching, career progression, succession planning, and continuous professional growth within the team.
- Ensure compliance, governance, and budget accountability, applying the ABPI Code, internal SOPs, and sound fiscal management to all activities while maintaining the highest ethical standards.
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What We Are Looking For
- GMC registered doctor or a GPhC registered pharmacist
- Reflecting a working knowledge of NHS systems and ability for peer engagement
- Significant experience within pharmaceutical medical affairs – Required to evidence an ability to manage a range of scenarios and activities
- Experience leading and developing people and teams – Leadership and line management will be key skills in this role
- Experience creating and implementing strategic medical affairs plans – Experience of core and innovative medical affairs activities required to support the team through their plans
- Strong understanding of the UK healthcare environment, including the NHS and Oncology landscape – Oncology experience is preferred
- Final Signatory status and strong understanding of the ABPI Code of Practice and practical application within day-to-day medical affairs activities – Reflecting the ability to support and advise the team and contribute to decision-making at an oncology leadership level
- Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate across multiple functions and levels of an organization – A key skill for a successful candidate when working across the lifecycles of our medicines
- Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder engagement skills – Essential to have a visible presence across the team
- Proven ability to manage competing priorities and deliver results through others – Our pipeline creates the need for this agility and ability to deliver for the business
Desirable
- Oncology experience
- Experience supporting product launches and launch readiness activities
- Experience managing budgets and resource planning
- Experience leading organisational change, capability building, or transformation initiatives
What Success Looks Like
- A highly engaged and capable team with strong development and progression opportunities
- High-quality medical affairs plans that are delivered effectively and generate measurable impact
- Strong collaboration across field and office-based medical teams
- Excellent cross-functional partnerships and leadership team contribution
- Robust budget management and operational delivery
- Consistent demonstration of compliance, ethical leadership, and patient focus
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We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.
Required Skills
Clinical Outcomes, Collaborative Leadership, Leadership Management, Line Management, Medical Affairs, Multidisciplinary Teamwork, Oncology, People Leadership, Resource Planning, Scientific Communications, Situational Leadership, Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Leadership
Preferred Skills
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Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.
Employee Status
Regular
Relocation
VISA Sponsorship
Travel Requirements
Flexible Work Arrangements
Hybrid
Shift
Valid Driving License
Hazardous Material(s)
Job Posting End Date
10/2/2026
A job posting is effective until 11:59:59 PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.
Requisition ID
R417615
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