Medical Lead - Friedreich Ataxia

Biogen, Inc.; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 136,000 - 182,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee stock plan

Education assistance

Sabbatical program

Health benefits

Job summary

Biogen, Inc. seeks a strategic Medical Lead to oversee Friedreich Ataxia medical strategy in the Toronto affiliate. You will translate patient insights into priorities, lead evidence-generation initiatives, and ensure readiness across launches and milestones.

The role partners with Medical Affairs, Marketing, and Regulatory to deliver scientifically rigorous plans, engage external experts, and guide medical education and communications while maintaining scientific integrity.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in health or life sciences.
• 7+ years of Medical Affairs experience in pharma/biotech.
• Experience developing affiliate medical plans.
• Strong understanding of Regulatory, Safety, Legal and Compliance requirements.
• Ability to communicate complex scientific information to diverse audiences.
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives in a matrix environment.
• Strong project management, budget management and prioritization capabilities.
• Fluency in English, written and verbal.
• Ability to travel approximately 30-40%.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of the affiliate medical strategy and annual medical plan.
• Identify evidence gaps and drive integrated evidence-generation strategies.
• Ensure medical readiness for product launches, new indications, and major milestones.
• Lead Key Medical Expert engagement strategy, advisory boards, and scientific consultations.
• Gather and translate medical insights into strategic recommendations and plans.
• Develop and execute scientific communication and medical education initiatives.
• Provide scientific leadership to Medical Science Liaisons and support engagement planning.
• Lead medical congress planning and post-congress knowledge sharing.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to support regulatory and HTA activities.
• Manage therapeutic-area budgets, medical projects, and external vendors.

Skills

Affiliate medical plans

Regulatory & Compliance

Communicate complex science

Cross-functional leadership

Project management

Budget management

Prioritization

English fluency

Travel 30-40%

Education

Advanced degree

Job description

About the Role

The Medical Lead provides scientific and strategic leadership for Friedreich Ataxia within the affiliate. The role leads the development and execution of the affiliate medical plan, translating local patient needs, evidence gaps and stakeholder insights into medical priorities aligned with regional and global strategy. Working closely with Medical Field Leadership and cross-functional partners, the Medical Lead supports evidence generation, scientific exchange and medical readiness across the product lifecycle, while maintaining scientific integrity and appropriate medical independence. Hybrid setting requiring working in person at our offices in Toronto.

What You’ll Do

Lead the development and execution of the affiliate medical strategy and annual medical plan for Friedreich Ataxia and other assigned therapeutic areas, aligning priorities with Medical Affairs, Marketing, Market Access, and cross-functional stakeholders. Identify evidence gaps and drive integrated evidence-generation strategies, including real-world evidence, investigator-initiated research, and company-sponsored research opportunities. Ensure medical readiness for product launches, new indications, and major evidence milestones through scientific engagement planning, training, content development, and cross-functional coordination. Establish medical objectives, success metrics, and performance measures; monitor progress and adjust priorities based on stakeholder needs, scientific quality, and business objectives. Lead Key Medical Expert (KME) engagement strategy, advisory boards, and scientific consultations to generate actionable insights and inform affiliate, regional, and global medical strategies. Gather, analyze, and translate medical insights from field engagements, congresses, advisory boards, and scientific interactions into strategic recommendations and actionable plans. Develop and execute scientific communication and medical education initiatives, including publications, abstracts, educational programs, and dissemination of local evidence. Provide scientific leadership and strategic direction to Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs), supporting engagement planning, capability development, scientific exchange, and interpretation of emerging data. Lead medical congress planning and execution, including scientific priorities, external expert engagement, insight generation, and post-congress knowledge sharing activities. Partner with Medical Information, Patient Services, Patient Advocacy, Pharmacovigilance, Regulatory Affairs, Market Access, and Clinical Development to provide scientific expertise and support patient-focused initiatives. Support regulatory submissions, health authority interactions, health technology assessment (HTA) activities, and evidence-based payer discussions through the communication of balanced clinical and scientific data. Provide scientific and clinical landscape insights to support clinical development programs, including study feasibility, investigator identification, site selection, and participation strategies. Manage therapeutic-area budgets, medical projects, research activities, and external vendors to ensure delivery of high-quality outcomes within scope, timelines, and budget. Deliver scientific training and capability-building programs for affiliate colleagues and field medical teams while promoting knowledge sharing and best practices. Conduct medical review of promotional and non-promotional materials to ensure scientific accuracy, balanced presentation of evidence, and compliance with applicable regulations and company policies. Represent Medical Affairs in leadership meetings, regional and global forums, and therapeutic-area initiatives, serving as a key scientific advisor and champion for local patient and healthcare-system needs. Maintain compliance with all applicable regulations, company policies, pharmacovigilance requirements, and ethical standards while performing additional responsibilities as assigned.

Who You Are

A strategic and scientifically rigorous Medical Affairs leader with the ability to influence across a matrix organization, engage external experts, and translate complex evidence into meaningful actions that improve patient outcomes.

Required Skills

• Advanced degree (MSc, PharmD, PhD, MD or equivalent) in a relevant health or life sciences discipline.
• At least 7 years of Medical Affairs experience within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing affiliate medical plans.
• Strong understanding of Regulatory, Safety, Legal and Compliance requirements.
• Ability to communicate complex scientific information to diverse audiences.
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives in a matrix environment.
• Strong project management, budget management and prioritization capabilities.
• Fluency in English, written and verbal.
• Ability to travel approximately 30-40%.

Preferred Skills

• Experience in a field-based role such as Medical Science Liaison.
• Experience in Friedreich Ataxia or related therapeutic areas.
• Experience working with health authorities or HTA agencies.
• Knowledge of local healthcare systems, market dynamics and health economics.
• French language proficiency.

The expected salary range for this position is $136,000 to $182,000 and includes eligibility for a discretionary bonus. Base salary offered is determined through an analytical approach utilizing a combination of factors including, but not limited to, relevant skills & experience, job location, and internal equity. Regular employees are eligible to receive both short term and long-term incentives, including cash bonus and equity incentive opportunities, designed to reward recent achievements and recognize your future potential based on individual, business unit and company performance.

In addition to compensation, Biogen offers a full and highly competitive range of benefits designed to support our employees’ and their families physical, financial, emotional, and social well-being; including, but not limited to health care, retirement, paid time off, and ancillary programs such as a fully paid sabbatical after six years of service, Employee Stock Purchase Plan participation, education assistance, and more.

Job Level: Management

Why Biogen?

We are a global team with a commitment to excellence, and a pioneering spirit. As a mid-sized biotechnology company, we provide the stability and resources of a well-established business while fostering an environment where individual contributions make a significant impact. Our team encompasses some of the most talented and passionate achievers who have unparalleled opportunities for learning, growth, and expanding their skills. Above all, we work together to deliver life-changing medicines, with every role playing a vital part in our mission. Caring Deeply. Achieving Excellence. Changing Lives. At Biogen, we are committed to building on our culture of inclusion and belonging that reflects the communities where we operate and the patients we serve. We know that diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives make us a stronger and more innovative company, and we are focused on building teams where every employee feels empowered and inspired. Read on to learn more about Biogen.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law.

Biogen is an E-Verify Employer in the United States.

As Biogen recently acquired Apellis, you can find additional open jobs on our Apellis website here.

We are a global team with a commitment to excellence, and a pioneering spirit. As a mid-sized biotechnology company, we provide the stability and resources of a well-established business while fostering an environment where individual contributions make a significant impact. Our team encompasses some of the most talented and passionate achievers who have unparalleled opportunities for learning, growth, and expanding their skills. Above all, we work together to deliver life-changing medicines, with every role playing a vital part in our mission. Caring Deeply. Achieving Excellence. Changing Lives.