VP, Head of Epilepsy, R&D

Jazz Pharmaceuticals•US - Home-Based - PA, PA

10d•$445,000 - $506,000•Onsite

About The Position

Jazz Pharmaceuticals is a global biopharma company whose purpose is to innovate to transform the lives of patients and their families. We are dedicated to developing life-changing medicines for people with serious diseases — often with limited or no therapeutic options. We have a diverse portfolio of marketed medicines, including leading therapies for sleep disorders and epilepsy, and a growing portfolio of cancer treatments. Our patient-focused and science-driven approach powers pioneering research and development advancements across our robust pipeline of innovative therapeutics in oncology and neuroscience. Jazz is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland with research and development laboratories, manufacturing facilities and employees in multiple countries committed to serving patients worldwide. Please visit www.jazzpharmaceuticals.com for more information.

Requirements

MD, PhD with specialization in Epilepsy
Board Certification in Neurology or subspecialties
Minimum of 10 years' experience in drug development in both academia and the pharmaceutical industry.
National or international recognition as an academic epileptologist and/or epilepsy drug developer
Significant experience in: Clinical research and trial leadership
Investigator-initiated studies
Strong track record of: Publications
Conference presentations
Scientific leadership roles
Established network across: Academic centers
Clinical trial sites
Epilepsy organizations
People Leadership: Proven experience leading and developing teams in a global matrixed organization.
Ability to proactively lead through change and ambiguity.
Executive presence and communication – ability to effectively communicate complex ideas concisely with impact within executive level forums.
Ability to effectively lead cross functional teams and successfully leverage internal and external partnerships
Excellent organizational and time management skills, ability to lead and represent department functions on project teams in a matrix organization.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills with collaborative interpersonal skills

Responsibilities

Develop and shape epilepsy clinical development strategy aligned with portfolio, regulatory expectations, and unmet needs.
Define clinical endpoints, trial designs, and patient populations across epilepsy development programs.
Integrate scientific insights, literature, and competitive intelligence into actionable program strategies.
Steward epilepsy programs through governance to align budget and timeline expectations
Execute multiple epilepsy programs according to budget and timeline
Serve as a leading external scientific voice, building trusted relationships with epilepsy experts and stakeholders.
Engage academic epileptologists and experts to inform strategy, evidence generation, and trial design.
Represent company at congresses, symposia, and regulatory interactions as epilepsy clinical expert.
Drive collaborative research initiatives with academic institutions and external partners advancing epilepsy science.
Establish and oversee collaborative research aligned with strategic priorities.
Identify emerging scientific opportunities and innovative technologies to advance epilepsy therapeutic development.
Bridge preclinical discoveries and clinical development to enhance probability of success for epilepsy programs.
Translate mechanistic insights and biomarkers into clinical hypotheses, endpoints, and decision frameworks.
Partner with nonclinical teams to refine target validation and support translational development strategies.
Provide R&D leadership at enterprise-wide epilepsy forums to advance epilepsy pipeline, commercial portfolio, and category leadership
Influence Executive Committee and Board stakeholders through clear, data-rich scientific presentations.
Mentor internal teams and contribute to capability building in epilepsy expertise across organization.
Embed patient and caregiver perspectives into development strategy through meaningful community engagement.
Partner with advocacy organizations and patients to incorporate patient centricity into trial design and endpoint selection.
Ensure development programs reflect diversity, access considerations, and real-world patient priorities.
Proven experience managing and developing high performing teams in a global organization
Experience in building leadership capability through mentoring, coaching and talent development programs to enhance performance and engagement
Experience fostering a learning culture, featuring innovation and operational excellence
Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to lead through change, while building trust and credibility across the enterprise.