Scientific Director, Medical Communications

Prime; Toronto; Remote; CAD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous paid time off

Remote Work

401k with company match

Supplemental Benefits

Job summary

Prime seeks a Senior Scientific Director to lead scientific strategy and delivery across accounts. You will guide teams, ensure rigorous quality control, and act as a trusted client advisor, shaping communication strategies and partnerships.

Extensive medical writing and leadership across diverse projects are expected, along with experience in strategic planning, new business pitches, and compliance. This role emphasizes growth and innovation in AI/omnichannel approaches.

Qualifications

• PhD/MD/PharmD or MSc preferred.
• Extensive experience in medical communications, medical education, medical affairs, pharmaceutical marketing or similar.
• Ability to lead and develop scientific/editorial teams within a medical communications setting.
• Extensive medical writing and scientific leadership across diverse projects.
• Proven experience in strategic planning and shaping communication strategies.
• Experience developing and presenting new business proposals and pitches.
• Strong quality-control and final sign-off accountability.
• Experience delivering across accounts including resourcing, timelines, and quality outcomes.
• Awareness of compliance standards and regulations.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop scientific teams to deliver high-quality content meeting client objectives.
• Ensure SOPs, QC standards, and scientific review practices are consistently applied.
• Act as trusted advisor to clients, shaping communication strategies and partnerships.
• Oversee content development and data interpretation for consistency and quality.
• Drive resource planning, budgeting and operational efficiency across accounts.
• Identify opportunities for organic growth and new business, including AI/omnichannel approaches.

Skills

Scientific leadership

Medical writing

Strategic planning

Client relationship management

Team leadership

Education

Doctoral level degree (PhD, PharmD, MD) or Master of Science in a relevant field

Job description

Accelerating Life-Changing Solutions to Global Healthcare Challenges is the vision that unites us through a shared sense of purpose, whatever the role.

It speaks to the significant challenges that exist within global healthcare, and how we, as one team, can help to deliver better solutions and outcomes for our partners and for patients everywhere, sooner.Your job description outlines the important role and responsibilities that you own in achieving this vision.

Importantly too is how we go about living our vision. This is defined by the Prime mission:

Through a pioneering fusion of the finest expertise in science, strategy, evidence, technology and creativity we deliver the world-class outcomes that our global partners trust to achieve their goals.

It speaks to collaboration and to everyone’s responsibility to bring together the diverse expertise that exist across our team to deliver world-class outcomes.

On this foundation, we have defined four core values, these represent the shared principles that guide our behaviours every day, whatever your role:

Be Brave, Be Human, Be Passionate, Be Exceptional.

At Prime these values are integral to who we are. They are there to guide you in your role and support you on your personal journey to success. They shape our culture and support us in achieving our vision together, as one global team.

The role

As a Scientific Director at Prime, you will be a senior scientific leader with accountability for both the strategic direction and the high-quality delivery of scientific work across your accounts.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Lead and develop scientific teams to deliver complex, high-quality scientific content that meets client objectives
• Play a central role in ensuring that SOPs, QC standards, and scientific review practices are consistently applied, with ultimate responsibility for quality standards, scientific sign-off, and overall delivery excellence
• Act as a trusted advisor to clients, shaping communication strategies, contributing strategic insight, and building strong, long-term partnerships grounded in scientific credibility
• Lead and oversee content development, guiding scientific messaging and data interpretation, and ensuring consistency and quality across all outputs
• Drive team performance, resource planning, and operational efficiency across your accounts
• Contribute to business growth by identifying opportunities for organic expansion, supporting new business activity, and bringing innovative thinking to client solutions, including the integration of AI and omnichannel approaches
• Doctoral level degree (PhD, PharmD, MD) or Master of Science in a relevant field preferred
• Extensive experience in medical communications, medical education, medical affairs, pharmaceutical marketing, scientific content development or similar
• Ability to lead, build and develop scientific/editorial teams within a medical communications agency setting
• Extensive medical writing and scientific leadership experience across a broad range of projects and therapeutic areas
• Proven experience in strategic planning and shaping communication strategies
• Experience developing and presenting new business proposals and pitches
• Strong experience in scientific quality control, review processes, and final sign-off accountability
• Experience overseeing delivery across accounts, including resourcing, timelines, and quality outcomes
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver to tight deadlines
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with confidence presenting to clients and collaborating with thought leaders and subject matter experts
• Knowledge and deep understanding of compliance standards, industry guidelines and regulations
• Awareness and ability to champion a culture of creativity, curiosity and innovation in medical communications related to AI and omnichannel approaches.

• Generous paid time off
• Remote Work
• 401k with company match
• Supplemental Benefits