Executive Medical Director – Translational Medicine Group Leader - Neurology

GlaxoSmithKline

  • Stevenage, Hertfordshire
  • Permanent
  • Full-time
  • 1 month ago
Are you an industry neurologist looking for an opportunity where you will provide scientific leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight for GSK's neurodegenerative disease area initiatives? If so, this career opportunity could be for you.The Executive Medical Director Group Leader Translational Medicine will lead efforts to bridge preclinical research and clinical development, ensuring the successful transition of innovative therapeutics from the laboratory to Proof of Mechanism/Clinical Activity in the clinic. The position reports to the SVP Head Early Pipeline Unit.As the leader of the Disease Area Advisory Team (DAAT), you will provide scientific leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight for the disease area initiatives to understand mechanism of disease and clinical development strategy.This role demands neurology expertise in disease pathobiology, translational medicine, early clinical drug development, and biomarker strategies, with a focus on driving innovation across the neurodegenerative therapeutic area.PLEASE NOTE: This position requires an on-site office -based presence 2 to 3 days a week in the UK (London or Stevenage or US (Upper Providence/Collegeville, PA).Key Accountabilities / ResponsibilitiesScientific Leadership:
  • Provide disease-level leadership, to develop causal maps of relevant pathobiology (through identifying, accessing or generating translational datasets), and the tools/instruments (endpoints, biomarkers) that enable timely experimentation and prosecution to derisk mechanisms and programmes.
  • strategic leadership for the design, execution, and management to clinical development plans and clinical trials for programmes in the Early Pipeline Unit
  • Provide translational and clinical leadership in defining and executing innovative early development strategies. Provide strategic leadership assuring that the clinical study designs are aligned with the IEP and CDP, and take into account the scientific rationale, regulatory requirements, product development plan and commercial goals.
  • Stay abreast of advancements in TA research, clinical trial methodologies, and regulatory changes to maintain GSK’s competitive edge.
  • Actively contribute to regulatory interactions, including briefing documents, presentations, and responses.
  • Contribute to Business Development activities, including due diligence projects.
  • Champion the implementation of translational and biomarker strategies across therapeutic areas.
DAAT Leadership:
  • Lead the Disease Area Acceleration Team (DAAT), ensuring alignment of scientific and clinical strategies with business objectives through matrix leadership of large cross-functional teams.
  • Drive the evaluation of therapeutic potential and clinical tractability of targets within the disease area.
  • Identify transformational opportunities where projects can offer significant benefits to patients.
Program Delivery:
  • Ensure quality, on-time, and on-budget delivery of studies and programs within a therapeutic area of EPU
  • Design and implement experimental medicine studies to
  • Oversee risk assessment across programs and ensure implementation of mitigation strategies.
Line management, Collaboration and Matrix Working:
  • Manage, mentor and coach early Clinical Development Leads to foster a culture of empowerment, innovation and excellence.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams with program counterparts in Advance Pipeline Unit, Commercial, Research Tech and Development organisations.
  • Build and maintain networks across internal and external stakeholders, including academic institutions, CROs, and regulators.
  • Represent GSK effectively in external collaborations and negotiations.
Problem Solving and Decision Making:
  • Anticipate challenges and proactively develop strategies to mitigate risks.
  • Make decisions balancing risk/benefit with clear understanding of project impact.
  • Written and Oral Communication:
  • Lead the writing and review of study-related documents and regulatory submissions.
  • Communicate confidently and effectively at all levels, internally and externally.
Ways of Working:
  • Champion implementation of innovative business processes and strategies to improve clinical development outcomes.
*LI-GSKBasic Requirements:
  • Physician scientist with board qualification/registration in Neurology
  • Strong Industry experience in neurodegenerative clinical drug development
  • Thorough understanding of the neurodegenerative therapy area including underlying biology and potential therapeutic targets
  • In-depth experience with planning clinical development for a neurdegenerative asset and/or indication
  • Significant neurodegenerative clinical trials and projects experience (e.g., deriving causal confidence from novel sources, or qualifying a novel endpoint)
  • Experience in translational medicine, clinical research methodology and principles of biostatistics to facilitate innovative and efficient designs of clinical trials and clinical development plans with clear data-driven decision rules
  • Strong leadership experience including direct line management, coaching, mentoring and individual/team development
Preferred Qualifications/experience:In the addition to the above, the following will be highly desirable
  • In addition to Neurologist credentials, holding a higher research degree (e.g., PhD) or other demonstrable research expertise (e.g., Faculty appointments)
  • Experience working collaboratively with multiple stakeholders on complex projects.
  • Track record of building and maintaining strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders
  • Strong personal network across relevant scientific and clinical thought leaders, institutions and consortia in neurology
Why GSK?Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.GSK is a global biopharma company with a special purpose – to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together – so we can positively impact the health of billions of people and deliver stronger, more sustainable shareholder returns – as an organisation where people can thrive. We prevent and treat disease with vaccines, specialty and general medicines. We focus on the science of the immune system and the use of new platform and data technologies, investing in four core therapeutic areas (infectious diseases, HIV, respiratory/ immunology and oncology).Our success absolutely depends on our people. While getting ahead of disease together is about our ambition for patients and shareholders, it’s also about making GSK a place where people can thrive. We want GSK to be a place where people feel inspired, encouraged and challenged to be the best they can be. A place where they can be themselves – feeling welcome, valued, and included. Where they can keep growing and look after their wellbeing. So, if you share our ambition, join us at this exciting moment in our journey to get Ahead Together.GSK is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), military service or any basis prohibited under federal, state or local law.We believe in an agile working culture for all our roles. If flexibility is important to you, we encourage you to explore with our hiring team what the opportunities are.Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities contact us on or 0808 234 4391. The helpline is available from 8.30am to 12.00 noon Monday to Friday, during bank holidays these times and days may vary.Please note should your enquiry not relate to adjustments, we will not be able to support you through these channels. However, we have created a UK Recruitment FAQ guide. Click the and scroll to the Careers Section where you will find answers to multiple questions we receive .Important notice to Employment businesses/ AgenciesGSK does not accept referrals from employment businesses and/or employment agencies in respect of the vacancies posted on this site. All employment businesses/agencies are required to contact GSK's commercial and general procurement/human resources department to obtain prior written authorization before referring any candidates to GSK. The obtaining of prior written authorization is a condition precedent to any agreement (verbal or written) between the employment business/ agency and GSK. In the absence of such written authorization being obtained any actions undertaken by the employment business/agency shall be deemed to have been performed without the consent or contractual agreement of GSK. GSK shall therefore not be liable for any fees arising from such actions or any fees arising from any referrals by employment businesses/agencies in respect of the vacancies posted on this site.Please note that if you are a US Licensed Healthcare Professional or Healthcare Professional as defined by the laws of the state issuing your license, GSK may be required to capture and report expenses GSK incurs, on your behalf, in the event you are afforded an interview for employment. This capture of applicable transfers of value is necessary to ensure GSK’s compliance to all federal and state US Transparency requirements. For more information, please visit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website at

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