Senior Medical Director Ophthalmology, Global Medical Affairs

Merck; London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global healthcare company is seeking a Senior Medical Director for its Ophthalmology team in London. The role involves scientific leadership in the Retina space, focusing on medical affairs plans. Ideal candidates will possess a strong educational background, extensive experience in ophthalmology, and the ability to collaborate effectively with international teams and stakeholders.

Benefits

Potential for global travel

Flexible working arrangements

Diverse and inclusive workplace

Qualifications

• Experience in the Retina therapeutic space.
• Fluency in English, with additional language skills as an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Support annual medical affairs plans and collaborate with various teams.
• Develop communication platforms and organize global expert events.
• Engage with scientific leaders and key stakeholders about emerging science.

Skills

Collaboration

Communication

Decision Making

Interpersonal Relationships

Education

M.D., Ph.D, or Pharm. D. in Ophthalmology, Optometry

Job description

Senior Medical Director Ophthalmology, Global Medical Affairs

We are currently building a brand new Ophthalmology team, to carry out scientific work in the Retina space, with the aim to bring forward first in class products to address remaining unmet needs. We have an ambitious vision to create a world-class Medical Affairs organisation to help deliver these potential new therapies for patients.

We have an exciting, new role for a Senior Medical Director, Global Medical Affairs Ophthalmology.

You will be an individual contributor scientific leader and will be responsible for supporting the execution of scientific & medical affairs plans for your assigned Therapy Area (TA) in key countries and regions. You will be an impactful member of Product Development Team sub-teams and Global Human Health commercialisation teams. You will collaborate with our Early and Late Development R&D functional areas, Value & Implementation Outcomes Research (VIOR), Policy, Commercial and Market Access to address opportunities in key countries and engage with your network of scientific leaders and decision makers.

The primary location for the role will be London, UK, however, we are flexible for this role to be based in other key affiliates in Europe. You will be required to travel to various local markets as needed and retina congresses worldwide.

What you will do:

• Support execution of the annual Value & Implementation plan with medical affairs colleagues from key countries and regions.
• Serve as an impactful member of Product Development Team sub-teams (e.g., Clinical, V & I, Commercial, Publications).
• Contribute to the development of a single global scientific communications platform.
• Consolidate actionable medical insights from countries and regions.
• Engage with a network of international scientific leaders and other key stakeholders (therapeutic guideline committees, payers, public groups, government officials, medical societies) about Our Company’s emerging science.
• Organise global expert input events (advisory boards and expert input forums) to answer Our Company’s questions about how to develop and implement new medicines or vaccines.
• Align plans and activities with Global Human Health (commercial) executive directors.
• Organise global symposia and educational meetings.
• Support key countries with the development of local data generation study concepts and protocols.
• Review Investigator-Initiated Study proposals from key countries prior to headquarters submission (ex-USA).
• Manage programs (patient support, educational or risk management) to support appropriate and safe utilisation of Our Company medicines or vaccines.

Qualifications, Experience, and Competencies:

Required:

• M.D., Ph.D, or Pharm. D. in Ophthalmology, Optometry and recognised medical expertise within the pharmaceutical industry.
• Experience in the Retina therapeutic space.
• Experience in country/region medical affairs or clinical development.

Preferred:

• Significant regional or global medical affairs experience (e.g., Regional Director Medical Affairs) with proven track record of contribution to medical affairs strategies.
• Customer expertise, especially of scientific leadership and other key stakeholders (payers, public groups, government officials, medical professional organizations) in the assigned therapeutic area.
• Strong prioritisation and decision-making skills.
• Ability to effectively collaborate with partners across divisions in a matrix environment.
• Excellent interpersonal, analytical, communication skills (written and oral) in addition to results-oriented project management skills.

Your role at our company is integral to helping the world meet new breakthroughs that affect generations to come, and we’re counting on your skills and inventiveness to help make meaningful contributions to global medical advancement. At our company, we’re inventing for life.

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively for the common good. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.

Closing date for applications: 13th July 2025

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Employee Status:

Regular

Job Description

We are currently building a brand new Ophthalmology team, to carry out scientific work in the Retina space, with the aim to bring forward first in class products to address remaining unmet needs. We have an ambitious vision to create a world-class Medical Affairs organisation to help deliver these potential new therapies for patients.

We have an exciting, new role for a Senior Medical Director, Global Medical Affairs Ophthalmology.

You will be an individual contributor scientific leader and will be responsible for supporting the execution of scientific & medical affairs plans for your assigned Therapy Area (TA) in key countries and regions. You will be an impactful member of Product Development Team sub-teams and Global Human Health commercialisation teams. You will collaborate with our Early and Late Development R&D functional areas, Value & Implementation Outcomes Research (VIOR), Policy, Commercial and Market Access to address opportunities in key countries and engage with your network of scientific leaders and decision makers.

The primary location for the role will be London, UK, however, we are flexible for this role to be based in other key affiliates in Europe. You will be required to travel to various local markets as needed and retina congresses worldwide.

What you will do:

• Support execution of the annual Value & Implementation plan with medical affairs colleagues from key countries and regions.
• Serve as an impactful member of Product Development Team sub-teams (e.g., Clinical, V & I, Commercial, Publications).
• Contribute to the development of a single global scientific communications platform.
• Consolidate actionable medical insights from countries and regions.
• Engage with a network of international scientific leaders and other key stakeholders (therapeutic guideline committees, payers, public groups, government officials, medical societies) about Our Company’s emerging science.
• Organise global expert input events (advisory boards and expert input forums) to answer Our Company’s questions about how to develop and implement new medicines or vaccines.
• Align plans and activities with Global Human Health (commercial) executive directors.
• Organise global symposia and educational meetings.
• Support key countries with the development of local data generation study concepts and protocols.
• Review Investigator-Initiated Study proposals from key countries prior to headquarters submission (ex-USA).
• Manage programs (patient support, educational or risk management) to support appropriate and safe utilisation of Our Company medicines or vaccines.

Qualifications, Experience, and Competencies:

Required:

• M.D., Ph.D, or Pharm. D. in Ophthalmology, Optometry and recognised medical expertise within the pharmaceutical industry.
• Experience in the Retina therapeutic space.
• Experience in country/region medical affairs or clinical development.

Preferred:

• Significant regional or global medical affairs experience (e.g., Regional Director Medical Affairs) with proven track record of contribution to medical affairs strategies.
• Customer expertise, especially of scientific leadership and other key stakeholders (payers, public groups, government officials, medical professional organizations) in the assigned therapeutic area.

Skills/competencies:

• Strong prioritisation and decision-making skills.
• Ability to effectively collaborate with partners across divisions in a matrix environment.
• Excellent interpersonal, analytical, communication skills (written and oral) in addition to results-oriented project management skills.

Your role at our company is integral to helping the world meet new breakthroughs that affect generations to come, and we’re counting on your skills and inventiveness to help make meaningful contributions to global medical advancement. At our company, we’re inventing for life.

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively for the common good. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.

Closing date for applications: 13th July 2025

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Required Skills:

Clinical Development, Clinical Development, Clinical Medicine, Clinical Trial Planning, Collaborative Development, Communication, Cross-Cultural Awareness, Decision Making, Detail-Oriented, Empathy, Hematology, Interpersonal Relationships, Lensmeters, Market Access, Medical Affairs, Medical Research, Medical Writing, Mentorship, Ocular Pathology, Ophthalmology, Patient Advocacy, Pharmaceutical Medical Affairs, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacology, Pharmacovigilance {+ 5 more}

Preferred Skills:

Job Posting End Date:

07/14/2025

*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.

About the company

Merck & Co., Inc.,

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