Medical Affairs Director - Rare Epilepsies

Lundbeck • Boston, MA

1d • $260,000 - $290,000

About The Position

The Medical Affairs Director will provide strategic medical leadership for developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEE) and bexicaserin, supporting U.S. launch readiness and execution across the U.S. Medical Affairs organization. The role will shape and advance U.S. medical strategy by integrating scientific evidence, external stakeholder insights, cross-functional partnership, and high-quality medical execution to address the needs of people living with DEE, families, caregivers, healthcare professionals, payers, and policymakers.

The position leads and contributes to medical strategy, launch readiness, evidence generation and dissemination, external expert engagement, medical education, publication and congress planning, scientific content development, promotional medical review, vendor management, budget oversight, and compliance review. It partners with HEOR, Commercial, Customer Insights & Analytics, Patient Advocacy, Clinical Development, Compliance, Legal, Medical Affairs Operations, Medical Affairs teams, and external experts to ensure initiatives are scientifically rigorous, strategically aligned, compliant, and responsive to the evolving needs of the DEE community. The Director drives cross-functional alignment, scientific excellence, external engagement, and execution of U.S. medical strategy, elevating Lundbeck’s presence and credibility within the DEE and rare epilepsy communities.

The position may be based remotely, though Lundbeck strongly prefers a candidate based in its Deerfield, Illinois office. Travel of up to 35% domestically is expected, with occasional international travel. Remote employees will have additional travel to Deerfield as required. The salary pay range is $260,000–$290,000, with eligibility for a 25% target bonus based on company and individual performance and participation in the company’s long-term incentive plan.

Requirements

• Accredited advanced scientific or clinical degree: MD, PharmD, PhD, or MS.
• At least 5 years of progressive, non-field-based Medical Affairs experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, or at an agency supporting those industries.
• At least 2 years contributing to medical strategy development, launch readiness, evidence generation, external engagement, and medical education.
• Experience designing and executing CME and non-CME Medical Education programs.
• Experience developing and executing evidence-generation strategy.
• Strong understanding of clinical trial data, evidence generation, publication practices, and therapeutic-area strategy, with the ability to translate insights into strategic recommendations.
• Experience translating scientific evidence and stakeholder insights into medical strategy, education, and communication priorities.
• Knowledge of compliance requirements, publication ethics, and medical/legal/regulatory review processes.
• Experience reviewing promotional materials for compliance and scientific rigor.
• Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving, and data-driven decision-making skills.
• Demonstrated success building collaborative cross-functional relationships and influencing without authority.
• Experience managing multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Exceptional communication skills and ability to convey complex scientific information clearly and persuasively.
• Demonstrated integrity, professionalism, and commitment to ethical standards.
• Authentic, long-term engagement within the rare disease community as a trusted, mission-driven partner.
• Ability to collaborate respectfully and effectively with patient advocacy groups, patients, caregivers, clinicians, and industry stakeholders.
• Deep understanding of rare disease best practices, access and policy considerations, and patient support ecosystems.
• Ability to build relationships with rare disease clinical leaders, scientific societies, and relevant patient organizations.
• Strong business acumen and strategic judgment, with the ability to communicate effectively with leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Proactive and adaptable leadership, including effectiveness in evolving, data-limited environments.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 35% domestically; occasional international travel may be required.

Nice To Haves

• At least 8 years of rare disease industry experience, including preparing for and launching a rare neurology treatment.
• Neurologist, epileptologist, or pediatric neurologist with established relationships in epilepsy/DEE key opinion leader and patient advocacy communities.
• FDA regulatory knowledge.
• Based in the Deerfield, Illinois office is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert medical perspective and co-create launch strategy with Commercial, Patient Advocacy, Market Access, Regulatory, Clinical Development, Pharmacovigilance, and other stakeholders.
• Partner cross-functionally to drive U.S. medical launch readiness and lifecycle management.
• Translate clinical data and scientific insights into actionable strategies for stakeholder engagement and brand planning, prioritizing unmet needs, earlier recognition and diagnosis, meaningful seizure outcomes, and evidence needs in DEE.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with investigators, key opinion leaders, advocacy leaders, and healthcare professionals, including pediatric and adult epileptologists, neurologists, multidisciplinary care teams, and DEE patient advocacy organizations.
• Represent U.S. Medical Affairs in scientific forums and stakeholder engagements.
• Synthesize external insights and monitor DEE science, diagnostic and treatment practices, competitor activities, and the policy landscape to inform U.S. and global strategies.
• Lead and support advisory board and insights strategy.
• Develop and execute U.S. medical education and scientific communications initiatives aligned with brand and development objectives, with measurable impact.
• Co-create with Global Medical Affairs the scientific narrative, clinical value story, lexicon, data story, key messages, evidence summaries, and communication themes, incorporating U.S. insights.
• Ensure clinical data are communicated consistently, accurately, and in a balanced manner across materials.
• Interpret bexicaserin data to inform medical strategy and scientific exchange.
• Develop and execute U.S.-specific publication strategy and priorities, aligned with global publication plans.
• Develop and execute U.S. medical congress strategy, including data dissemination and key congress activities.
• Partner with Field Medical on strategy, scientific readiness, training, compliant communication, and development of scientific resources.
• Serve as a medical reviewer in promotional review, upholding scientific integrity and compliance.
• Design and execute strategic CME and non-CME medical education programs.
• Manage external partners and vendors, budgets, timelines, and deliverables.
• Identify and prioritize U.S. evidence gaps and translate unmet medical needs, scientific insights, and stakeholder perspectives into an evidence-generation and scientific-communication roadmap.
• Implement U.S. evidence-generation initiatives, including post hoc analyses, real-world evidence studies, observational research, and investigator-initiated studies, ensuring scientific rigor and decision-relevant objectives.
• Partner with Global Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, HEOR, and cross-functional stakeholders to align research priorities, optimize evidence-generation investments, and ensure complementary evidence plans.
• Ensure evidence-generation outputs inform medical strategy, scientific exchange, clinical practice, and future research priorities.

Benefits

• Flexible paid time off (PTO).
• Medical, dental, and vision health benefits.
• Company-match 401(k).
• Eligibility for a 25% target bonus based on company and individual performance.
• Eligibility to participate in the company’s long-term incentive plan.
• Robust and comprehensive benefits package to support employees’ health, family, and everyday life.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director