Global Head of Medical Affairs (d/f/m)

Job Description Summary

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Job Description

Sandoz continues to go through an exciting and transformative period as a global leader and pioneering provider of sustainable Biosimilar and Generic medicines. As we continue down this new and ambitious path, unique opportunities will present themselves, both professionally and personally. Join us, the future is ours to shape! 

Role Purpose:

The Global Head of Medical Affairs provides strategic and operational medical leadership for the company’s marketed  global biosimilars portfolio and selected generic assets. This role is critical in shaping the medical strategy, generating and communicating scientific evidence, and driving stakeholder engagement to support the uptake and acceptance of biosimilar medicines across global markets. The incumbent will lead a multidisciplinary global medical team and collaborate closely with Pipeline selection, Regulatory, Clinical Development, Commercial and Market Access to ensure successful asset selection, development, approval, and post-launch support of biosimilar products and select generic products.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Global Medical Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive medical affairs strategy that supports the biosimilars portfolio across all phases of the product lifecycle
• Provide expert guidance on medical aspects and market dynamics unique to biosimilars.
• Serve as a senior medical leader and thought partner to executive leadership, CMO, R&D, and commercial teams.

2. Evidence Generation & Scientific Data Communication

• Oversee the development of scientific publications, posters, abstracts, and other peer-reviewed outputs.
• Ensure scientific consistency and integrity in all communications.
• Lead the planning and execution of select data generation (can include real-world evidence (RWE) and post-marketing studies, although limited) to support the safety, efficacy, and value proposition of biosimilars.

3. Stakeholder Education & External Engagement

• Build and sustain relationships with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), academic institutions, and professional societies to support scientific exchange and biosimilar education.
• Drive educational initiatives that address biosimilar science, interchangeability, immunogenicity, extrapolation, and pharmacovigilance.
• Represent the company at scientific congresses, advisory boards, and stakeholder meetings.
• Define strategies to allow for earlier biologics use and shape medical guidelines resulting in broader patient access to critical therapies in collaboration with CMO.

4. Medical Information & Medical Communications

• Ensure high-quality, accurate, and timely medical information is available globally to internal and external stakeholders.
• Oversee the development of global medical communication platforms, FAQs, response documents, and medical training materials utilizing latest digital tools to increase the outreach to HCPs

5. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Provides scientific input to the Global pipeline selection team to ensure that the right assets are chosen for development.
• Collaborate with Regulatory Affairs, Clinical Development, Market Access, and Commercial functions to align on product strategy, launch readiness, and lifecycle management.

6. People & Team Leadership

• Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing global medical affairs team across regions.
• Foster a culture of scientific excellence, collaboration, accountability, and ethical conduct.
• Bring a mindset of efficiency and effectiveness to the organization in managing available resources.

7. Governance, Compliance & Risk Management

• Oversee Medical Excellence Function, incl. business system ownership requiring maintenance as well as access management and training for country users (GXP and non-GXP), Regular Pharmacovigilance or GMP Health Authority inspections in the countries which require support/resources from MedEx (GxP), close alignment with Patient Safety/QPPV and Quality Assurance.
• Ensure all medical affairs activities are compliant with global and local regulations, industry codes, and company policies.
• Lead medical review and approval processes for promotional and scientific materials

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Qualifications & Experience:

Education: Medical degree (MD) (preferred) or advanced scientific degree (PharmD or PhD) required.

Experience:

• Minimum 10–15 years of experience in Medical Affairs within the pharmaceutical or biotech industry.
• At least 5 years in a senior global or regional leadership role.
• Direct experience with biosimilars is strongly preferred.
• understanding of biosimilar regulatory pathways (EMA, FDA, etc.) and market dynamics.
• Experience working across international markets with diverse healthcare systems and stakeholder expectations.
• Previous experience in implementation of digital and novel ways to interact with key external stakeholders.

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Core Competencies:

• Strong scientific acumen, particularly in biologics and biosimilars.
• Ability to translate complex clinical and regulatory concepts into actionable strategy.
• Exceptional leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Skilled in external stakeholder engagement and scientific communication.
• High integrity and commitment to ethical conduct and compliance.

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Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• Successful support  global launches.
• Quality, impact, and timeliness of scientific publications and medical education programs.
• Strength of KOL relationships and scientific advocacy.
• Global team performance and development.
• Compliance with global medical and promotional standards.

Successful HA inspections in area of responsibility.

Why Sandoz? 

Sandoz is the global leader in Biosimilar and Generic medicines, a segment of the healthcare industry that delivers 80% of the world’s medicines at 30% of the cost, touching the lives of more than 1 billion people across 100+ countries! While we are proud of our achievements, we have an ambition to do more so that everyone can achieve the basic human right of good health. 

With investments in new development capabilities, production sites, new acquisitions, and partnerships, we have the opportunity to shape the future of Sandoz and help even more people gain access to low-cost, high-quality medicines, sustainably.  

Our momentum is powered by an open, collaborative culture driven by our talented and ambitious colleagues, who, in return for applying their skills, experience an agile and collegiate environment with impactful careers, where diversity of thought is welcomed and where personal growth is supported!  

Join us, help us make healthcare fairer and faster. 

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:  

We are committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams representative of the patients and communities we serve.  

Accessibility and accommodation  

Sandoz is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to all individuals. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the recruitment process, please send an e-mail to [email protected]  and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message. 

#Sandoz 

Skills Desired

Clinical Research, Computer Programming, Computer Science, Cross-Functional Teams, Data Analytics, Drug Development, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Influencing Skills, Leadership, Mentorship, Microsoft Exchange Server, Npd (New Product Development), Oscilloscope, PCB (Printed Circuit Board), Pmp (Project Management Professional), Program Management, Project Planning, R&D (Research And Development), Risk Management, Strategic Management, Talent Growth And Development, Waterfall Project Management