Field Medical Excellence Lead

Some opportunities happen only once in a lifetime - like a job where you have the chance to change lives. At Alexion, people living with rare and devastating diseases are our Guiding Star. We are driven to continuously innovate and create meaningful value in all we do to help patients and families fully live their best lives. We value the uniqueness and diversity of our employees and recognize that nurturing the diverse perspectives and strengths of our people translates into innovative breakthroughs for patients.

Field Medical Excellence Lead(International & Japan)

Location: Zürich, Switzerland

Position Summary

The Field Medical Excellence Lead is a newly created role responsible for successfully establishing, implementing and improving Alexion’s Field-based Medical Affairs excellence programs across International and Japan. This is a highly visible and critical role involving close collaboration with Global, Regional, and Local colleagues to ensure that the vision and strategy of the International Medical leadership team is translated into action. The field medical employees, Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) are an important team acting as the direct medical & scientific interface with healthcare professionals across the region. This role will ensure that Field Medical performance reinforces the reputation of Alexion RDBU as a highly effective, scientific and medically orientated enterprise. This position reports into the Head of Launch & Field Excellence/MACTs, International and Japan and is in Zurich, Switzerland.

This essential role requires strong matrix management, influencing skills and collaboration with multiple country and functional stakeholders to deliver on responsibilities focusing on a wide range of core activities from people and process, to tools and training. The successful candidate must win the hearts and minds of many internal stakeholders and bring them together on this exciting journey towards building a high performing field medical function.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Builds a culture of Field Medical Excellence for International & Japan Medical Affairs by developing a ‘community of practice’ that clearly highlights the value of the MSL role whilst defining best practice
• Works with International & Japan HQ and country teams to lead standardization and drive excellence in execution of MSL activities. This can include field medical standard operating procedures, processes, working handbooks, playbooks, codes, guidelines, ways of working and training.
• Collaborates with HR and Field Medical leadership team to develop and implement tools supporting hiring, onboarding, development, and retention of Field Medical teams.
• Defines and establishes appropriate alignment of MSL activities, skill development and performance tracking
  • Supports implementation of KPIs and tracking of MSL activities in coordination with Medical operations via AlexCRM in line with external facing metrics and expectations.
  • Establishes strategic imperatives and action plan for MSL to deliver on International medical affairs objectives.
  • In collaboration with Global, Regional and Local medical operations, produces monthly, quarterly and annual reports on Field Medical activity KPIs/Scorecard for regional management and country leadership
  • Insights gathering – creates an ‘insights driven mindset’ by delivering training, developing behaviors, designing business processes, introducing tools and systems to harness actionable insights with a strong feedback loop between HQ and the field to inform and influence Alexion medical strategy
  • Balances both quantitative and qualitative metrics to demonstrate the field medical value proposition in a way that truly reflects the work they do.
• Defines, develops and implements Field Medical Team capabilities and assesses required competencies – ensures training, talent management, working with HR to identify training and professional development priorities adaptable to their needs.
• Ensures that components of the Field Medical Excellence Plans are aligned to Global/International strategy, considering country adaptations.
• Collaborates with Commercial, and R&D functions across the whole of AstraZeneca to leverage available tools and systems.
• Manages in the matrix, building a network of MSL Excellence Advocates to help pull through initiatives at a local level and gain buy-in and adoption of new ideas
• Engages with Medical Affairs stakeholders to periodically review and optimize the size and structure of Field Medical teams, territories, and disease areas in line with business priorities. Designs resource models to ensure the Field medical team is fit for purpose – playing to win and focusing on the right activities.
• External engagement. Ensure all MSLs are strategically aligned to the Medical Director and product strategy with relevant materials, training, and tools. Ensure the MSLs have the requisite professional skills needed for high quality interactions in a variety of formats (F2F, digital, virtual). Foster the MSLs passion and ability for high scientific discussions whilst ensuring they ‘connect the dots’ regarding feedback, competitor intelligence and key strategic scientific thinking
• Optimizes sharing of Field Medical excellence critical information, best practices, and key learnings
• Actively participates in cross functional initiatives (e.g. Key account management) as the voice of medical affairs, involving MSLs where appropriate and feeding back to the wider medical leadership team any updates from these programs.
• Remains aware of any changes to the regulatory environment likely to impact MSL and external stakeholder interactions. Understand the nuances between countries and adopt an 80:20 approach allowing customization to adapt to local needs in line with local codes.
• Monitors and keep abreast of industry MSL best practices, trends and direction of travel to enable our field teams to remain current
• Stays up to date on local laws and guidelines, codes of practices and Alexion policies relevant to Medical Affairs activity. Embodies Alexion’s culture – leads by example and works with the highest degree of professionalism and in accordance with the company’s policies and Code of Ethics and Business Conduct

Qualifications, competencies and capabilities

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in the Pharmaceutical / Biotechnology industry with proven success in either a Medical, Clinical, or Commercial role
• Significant experience leading in or above country field teams/MSLs, preferably in the rare disease space and ideally in a competitive environment
• Cross-functional experience, working in a multicultural or international environment, with the ability to network and influence as needed
• Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills. Exceptional business aptitude, strategic thinking, and creative abilities
• Ability to prioritize workloads in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment and to focus on the business critical items that need to be addressed first
• Relationship builder, demonstrating an ability to listen and respond to a wide variety of personal styles. Adaptability, being sensitive to feedback of stakeholders whilst remaining focused on the goal ahead
• Strong communicator and presenter, able to deliver and articulate persuasive and cohesive presentations and points of view. Strong desire to help others succeed with a positive attitude
• Fluent in English, both written and spoken.
• Ability to travel 40% of time across international to be close to the country medical teams and attend MSL field visits (subject to Covid restrictions)

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific (preferred) or business field

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous MSL, MSL Manager, Medical Excellence experience in a rare disease organization
• Prior people or matrix management experience
• Demonstration of coaching, mentoring, recruiting, developing high performance teams within a large highly matrixed, complex business

Alexion is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on serving patients and families affected by rare diseases and devastating conditions through the discovery, development and commercialization of life-changing medicines. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Alexion has offices around the globe and serves patients in more than 50 countries. Further information about Alexion can be found at: www.alexion.com.

Alexion is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We are committed to fostering a culture of belonging where every single person can belong because of their uniqueness. The Company will not make decisions about employment, training, compensation, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment based on race, color, religion, creed or lack thereof, sex, sexual orientation, age, ancestry, national origin, ethnicity, citizenship status, marital status, parental status (including adoption or surrogacy), pregnancy (including childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), military status, protected veteran status, disability, medical condition, gender identity or expression, genetic information, mental illness or other characteristics protected by law. Alexion provides reasonable accommodations to meet the needs of candidates and employees. To begin an interactive dialogue with Alexion regarding an accommodation, please contact accommodations@Alexion.com. Alexion participates in E-Verify.

AstraZeneca completed its acquisition of Alexion, marking the creation of Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease. If you’re interested in career opportunities with AstraZeneca, click here.