Senior Director, Clinical Science, Gastrointestinal (GI) Oncology (Hybrid)

MSD•Boston, MA

10d•$210,400 - $331,100•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director, Clinical Science, Gastrointestinal (GI) Oncology provides strategic Clinical Science leadership across multiple studies, programs, and assets. Reporting to the Executive Director, the role contributes to disease area strategy and development planning by applying deep expertise in GI cancers and promoting consistency in scientific standards, medical data review, and decision-making across the portfolio. The role partners with Section Heads, Asset Leads, Program Development Team Leads, and cross-functional development teams to support study planning, data interpretation, issue resolution, and program decisions. It shapes Clinical Science practices across the GI cancers portfolio, including standardization, scientific alignment, and integration of insights across assets. The Senior Director may directly manage and develop multiple Clinical Scientists and provides leadership, coaching, and direction in a matrix environment. The position works closely with Clinical Operations, Regulatory Affairs, Biostatistics and Data Management, Drug Safety and Pharmacovigilance, Translational Medicine, Medical Affairs, and other partner functions. It also contributes to governance discussions and senior leadership reviews, supports regulatory compliance and inspection readiness, and identifies opportunities to improve Clinical Science quality and effectiveness.

Requirements

Advanced scientific or healthcare degree (for example, PhD or PharmD) with 8 or more years of pharmaceutical, clinical drug development, and/or medical field experience; OR a master's degree, preferably in life sciences, with 12 or more years of such experience; OR a bachelor's degree, preferably in life sciences, with 15 or more years of such experience.
Significant experience in Clinical Development, Clinical Science, clinical drug development, or a related function in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
Demonstrated Clinical Science leadership across multiple studies, programs, or assets.
Deep therapeutic expertise in GI cancers, including disease biology, the current and emerging treatment landscape, clinically relevant endpoints, and scientific considerations affecting development.
Strong understanding of clinical trial design, clinical development strategy, clinical data review, and oncology data interpretation.
Experience contributing to disease area strategy, portfolio discussions, or cross-program planning.
Experience contributing to regulatory submissions, safety reviews, or health authority interactions.
Experience working effectively in cross-functional teams in a matrix environment.
Ability to integrate information across studies and programs to support scientific and business decisions.
Excellent communication, influence, and executive presentation skills.
Demonstrated people leadership, including management, coaching, and development of scientific staff.

Nice To Haves

Cross-functional teamwork.
Development strategy experience.
Functional leadership.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic Clinical Science leadership across multiple studies, programs, and assets within the disease area.
Contribute Clinical Science input to disease area strategy, development opportunities, portfolio risks, and the implications of emerging internal and external data.
Partner with Section Heads, Asset Leads, Program Development Team Leads, and cross-functional leaders to align Clinical Science activities with program and disease area objectives.
Apply expertise in GI cancer disease biology, treatment landscape, and clinically meaningful endpoints to study planning, data interpretation, and issue resolution.
Integrate scientific insights across studies and assets to inform development decisions.
Standardize Clinical Science approaches, including medical data review practices, data interpretation principles, deliverables, and leading practices.
Promote consistency across studies and programs while accommodating program-specific needs, and align assets on endpoint interpretation, patient populations, safety topics, and emerging scientific issues.
Advocate for visual analytics, centralized data review, AI-enabled workflows, and other technologies that improve quality and efficiency.
Guide clinical data interpretation across studies, cohorts, and assets, and help frame clinical, scientific, and data-related issues for cross-functional and governance discussions.
Contribute scientific perspective to protocol development and amendments, study design, endpoint selection, eligibility criteria, biomarker strategy, and other development planning.
Serve as a Clinical Science subject matter resource for the disease area across study teams and partner functions.
Contribute to portfolio discussions, governance reviews, and senior leadership meetings; prepare and present scientific content, assessments, cross-study insights, and key issues.
Translate portfolio priorities into Clinical Science strategies, capabilities, and resource plans.
Directly manage Directors, Principal Scientists, and Clinical Scientists as appropriate; set expectations and develop staff through coaching, mentoring, feedback, and development opportunities.
Promote accountability, inclusion, continuous learning, strong performance, and consistent ways of working across Clinical Scientists.
Represent Clinical Science in cross-functional planning, program discussions, and strategic decision-making forums, facilitating alignment and clear communication.
Ensure Clinical Science activities follow applicable regulatory requirements, company policies, and procedures; support inspection readiness and appropriate documentation.
Monitor scientific, clinical, and regulatory developments and identify opportunities to improve Clinical Science work.