Scientific Director - Medical Communications

Avalere Health Group; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension contribution

Life insurance

Income protection

Private medical insurance

Flexible hybrid working

Work from anywhere globally two weeks/

25 days annual leave

Personal well-being days

End-of-year holidays and early Summer早

Job summary

Avalere Health is seeking a Scientific Director within our Medical capability to shape high-impact communications. You’ll lead scientific strategy across large accounts, build trusted client partnerships, and empower teams to translate data into compelling narratives.

Collaborating across Scientific Services, Client Services, Strategy and Operations, you’ll deliver transformative solutions that advance our mission: Every Patient Possible.

Qualifications

• Degree in a scientific or related discipline; an advanced degree is a plus.
• Eight years' experience in scientific/medical communications, including client-facing work.
• Ability to translate complex science into meaningful strategies and engaging communications.
• Experience building strong client relationships within healthcare or medical communications.
• Inclusive, motivating leadership that coaches others and supports development.
• Clear, diplomatic communication influencing clients and senior stakeholders.
• Experience supporting business development in medical/healthcare consultancy.

Responsibilities

• Lead the scientific direction and strategic development of high-value accounts and workstreams.
• Translate scientific data into clear, compelling narratives aligned with client and product objectives.
• Build trusted client relationships and help shape communication plans and content strategies.
• Provide senior scientific oversight, ensuring accuracy and quality across deliverables.
• Mentor colleagues and strengthen scientific content development skills.
• Collaborate across teams to anticipate risks and resolve delivery challenges.
• Identify and pursue opportunities supporting client success and organic growth.
• Contribute scientific insight to wider Medical capability initiatives.

Skills

Scientific leadership

Client facing

Strategic thinking

Communication excellence

Education

Science degree

Job description

About Avalere Health

United by one profound purpose: to reach EVERY PATIENT POSSIBLE. At Avalere Health, we ensure every patient is identified, treated, supported, and cared for. Equally. Our Advisory, Medical, and Marketing teams come together – powerfully and intentionally – to forge unconventional connections, building a future where healthcare is not a barrier and no patient is left behind.

About Avalere Health

United by one profound purpose: to reach EVERY PATIENT POSSIBLE. At Avalere Health, we ensure every patient is identified, treated, supported, and cared for. Equally. Our Advisory, Medical, and Marketing teams come together – powerfully and intentionally – to forge unconventional connections, building a future where healthcare is not a barrier and no patient is left behind.

Achieving our mission starts with providing enriching, purpose-driven careers for our team that empower them to make a tangible impact on patient lives. We are committed to creating a culture where our employees are empowered to bring their whole selves to work and tap into the power of diverse backgrounds and skillsets to play a part in making a difference for every patient, everywhere.

Our flexible approach to working allows our global teams to decide where they want to work, whether in-office or at home based on team and client need. Major city hubs in London, Manchester, Washington, D.C., and New York, and smaller offices globally, serve as collaboration hubs allowing our teams to come together when it matters. Homeworkers are equally supported, with dedicated social opportunities and resources.

Our inclusive culture is at the heart of everything we do. We proudly support our employees in bringing their whole selves to work with our six Employee Network Groups – Diverse Ability, Family, Gender, LGBTQ+, Mental Health, and Race/Ethnicity. These groups provide opportunities to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion and to connect, learn, and socialise through regular meetings and programs of activity. We are an accredited Fertility Friendly employer with our Fertility Policy, enhanced parental leave, and culture of flexibility ensuring every employee feels supported across their family planning journey and can work in a way that suits their family’s needs.

We are deeply invested in supporting professional growth for our employees through day-to-day career experiences, access to thousands of on-demand training sessions, regular career conversations, and the opportunity for global, cross-capability career moves.

We take pride in being part of the Disability Confident Scheme. This helps make sure you can be interviewed fairly if you have a disability, long term health condition, or are neurodiverse. If you'd like to apply and need adjustments made, you can let us know in your application.

About The Role

As a Scientific Director within our Medical capability, you’ll combine scientific expertise, strategic thinking and people leadership to shape high-impact communications for our clients. You’ll lead scientific strategy across large accounts, build trusted client partnerships and empower talented teams to turn complex data into compelling stories.

Working collaboratively across Scientific Services, Client Services, Strategy and Operations, you’ll help deliver transformative communication solutions that support our mission to make Every Patient Possible.

What You'll Do

• Lead the scientific direction and strategic development of complex, high-value accounts and workstreams.
• Translate scientific data into clear, compelling narratives aligned with client and product objectives.
• Build trusted client relationships and help shape communication plans, scientific platforms and content strategies.
• Provide senior scientific oversight, ensuring accuracy, consistency and quality across deliverables.
• Mentor and empower colleagues, strengthening strategic reviewing and scientific content-development skills.
• Collaborate across teams to anticipate risks, resolve delivery challenges and make effective decisions.
• Identify and pursue opportunities that support client success, organic growth and new business development.
• Contribute scientific insight and leadership to wider Medical capability initiatives.

About You

• You have a degree in a scientific or related discipline; an advanced degree would be an advantage.
• You bring at least eight years’ experience in scientific or medical communications, including client-facing work.
• You can translate complex science into meaningful strategies and engaging communications.
• You have experience building strong client relationships within healthcare, science or medical communications.
• You’re an inclusive and motivating leader who enjoys coaching others and supporting their development.
• You communicate with clarity and diplomacy, confidently influencing clients and senior stakeholders.
• You combine sound judgement with a collaborative, solutions-focused approach.
• You have experience supporting business development or organic account growth, ideally within a medical or healthcare consultancy.

What We Can Offer

You’ll receive up to a 7% pension contribution, life insurance, income protection, and private medical insurance for peace of mind. Enjoy flexible working arrangements, including flexible hybrid working, along with the option to work from anywhere across the globe two weeks each year. We provide 25 days of annual leave plus two personal well-being days, along with gifted end-of-year holidays and an early Summer Friday finish in June, July, and August.

Access free counselling through our employee assistance program, as well as personalized health support. Enhanced maternity, paternity, family leave, and fertility policies provide support across every stage of your family-planning journey, as well as on-demand support from our partner Peppy. You can also benefit from continuous opportunities to professionally develop with on-demand training, support, and global mobility opportunities across the business.

We encourage all applicants to read our candidate privacy notice before applying to Avalere Health.

We may use AI tools to support elements of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing CV/resumes, assessing responses, or transcribing interviews. These tools assist our Talent team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please review our candidate privacy policy.