Country Medical Director, ViiV UK

GSK; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 200,000 +; Full time

Job summary

A specialized pharmaceutical company is looking for a Country Medical Director in London to lead the medical strategy for their HIV portfolio. The role requires strong leadership skills, a deep understanding of the UK healthcare system, and collaboration with external stakeholders. Applicants should have a medical degree or relevant advanced qualifications, with experience in medical affairs. The position offers hybrid working and a focus on impacting healthcare positively.

Benefits

Employee benefits from GSK

Flexible working hours

Support for career development

Qualifications

• Experience in a senior affiliate or national leadership role.
• Deep understanding of the UK healthcare system and NHS structure.
• Proven ability to collaborate with UK external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Define and deliver the UK HIV medical strategy.
• Establish and maintain trusted partnerships with clinical opinion leaders.
• Oversee generation and communication of clinical evidence.

Skills

Strong communication

Influencing

Stakeholder management

Education

Medical degree or PhD/PharmD

Eligibility for final medical signatory

Job description

Country Medical Director, ViiV UK

We are a specialist pharmaceutical company 100% dedicated to developing medicines to treat and prevent HIV. Born out of a partnership between GSK and Pfizer in 2009, with Shionogi joining in 2012, our ambition is to end the HIV epidemic. As the pioneers in HIV innovation, we constantly look to push the boundaries of science to develop medicines that can change lives and give people more choice. Beyond our medicines, we are proud of our deep connection with the HIV community and work with partners to advance research and development, address HIV-related stigma, increase access to our medicines and provide funding and support to local community organisations to support their efforts in the HIV response. We are ViiV Healthcare. Here until HIV and AIDS are not.

Position Summary

The Country Medical Director, ViiV UK – provides strategic leadership and scientific direction for the company’s HIV portfolio in the UK. This senior role is accountable for developing and executing the medical affairs strategy, ensuring excellence in evidence generation, scientific engagement, compliance, and cross-functional collaboration. The Medical Director acts as a senior leader within the UK affiliate, representing the medical voice internally and externally, and building trusted relationships with healthcare professionals, policymakers, patient organisations, and advocacy bodies to advance standards of HIV care.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Define and deliver the UK HIV medical strategy in alignment with global and regional priorities.
• Shape the scientific narrative for the portfolio and engage the external environment through thought leadership and evidence generation.
• Contribute as a key member of the UK leadership team to broader affiliate strategy, planning, and decision‑making.

External Engagement

• Establish and maintain trusted partnerships with clinical opinion leaders, academic centres, guideline committees, advocacy organisations, and policy stakeholders.
• Represent the company at external advisory boards, scientific meetings, and national forums as the senior medical voice.
• Support national policy shaping and guideline evolution through data dissemination, evidence generation, and expert engagement.

Medical Excellence

• Oversee generation and communication of robust clinical and real‑world evidence to support product use, market access, and positioning.
• Ensure scientific accuracy and compliance of promotional and non‑promotional materials, acting as final medical signatory.
• Provide expert medical support for launch readiness, life‑cycle management, and new indication planning.

Team Leadership & People Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a multidisciplinary medical team to achieve strategic and scientific goals.
• Foster a culture of scientific curiosity, cross‑functional collaboration, and compliance.
• Drive talent development, succession planning, and future leadership capability within the medical function.

Governance & Compliance

• Champion ABPI Code compliance, pharmacovigilance, and ethical standards.
• Act as medical governance lead for all HIV‑related activities within the UK affiliate.

Why You!

We will love your high accountability for impact performance, your ambition for patients and strategic curiosity, and your collaboration and influence abilities. Your passion for our mission and purpose of getting ahead of HIV together will enthuse us! How you work is as important as what you deliver.

Min Basic Qualifications & Experience

• Medical degree (GMC‑registered physician) or PhD/PharmD in a relevant life‑science field with significant medical affairs leadership experience.
• Strong years of progressive medical affairs experience, including experience in a senior affiliate or national leadership role.
• Deep understanding of the UK healthcare system, NHS structure, commissioning pathways, and the evolving HIV treatment and prevention landscape.
• Familiarity with BHIVA guidelines, NHS England commissioning processes, Blueteq / prior approval mechanisms, and relevant NICE submissions.
• Proven ability to work with UK external stakeholders including KOLs, patient groups, guideline committees, and policy influencers.
• Detailed knowledge of the ABPI Code of Practice, PV, and regulatory requirements.
• Eligibility for or existing final medical signatory status.
• Demonstrated success in leading and developing teams.
• Strong communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred Experience

• Experience leading medical strategy in HIV, infectious disease, or immunology.
• Involvement in UK national guideline development, policy consultations, or advocacy coalitions.
• Evidence of shaping real‑world evidence programmes or investigator‑initiated studies.
• Track record of successful launch leadership in the UK market.
• Global or regional medical affairs experience in addition to affiliate leadership.
• Additional qualifications (e.g., MPH, MBA, Health Economics or Public Health training).

Interested in Joining the Team?

Please apply via our online portal providing your CV and Cover Letter. (Please take a personal copy of the Job Description, as this will not be available online post closure of the advert)

Closing Date: COP 7th November 2025

Hybrid working applies to this role, with ViiV expectation of 2-3 days per week onsite at our HQ in central London.

We encourage you to apply if this role aligns with your skills and aspirations. Join us in making a meaningful impact on healthcare and patient lives.

Why Us?

At ViiV Healthcare, we will not rest until we leave no person living with HIV behind. Until the 39 million people living with HIV is down to zero, we will continue searching for new ways to limit the impact of HIV. We are the only pharmaceutical company solely focused on combating, preventing, and ultimately eradicating HIV and AIDS. We are guided by our mission to leave no person living with HIV behind and it is this mission that unites our employees located across the globe. We combine expertise in research, manufacturing, policy and more to push the boundaries of what people think is possible in HIV treatment and care. As a result of our connection with GSK, we are able to draw on their proud history and resources. This means that you would receive all the employee benefits offered by GSK.

ViiV 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.