Director, Scientific & Medical Communications

Syneos Health Commercial Solutions; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Syneos Health Commercial Solutions seeks a Director of Scientific & Medical Communications to lead scientific strategy and planning across publication programs, congress activities, and KOL engagement. The role operates as the primary scientific authority with no dedicated MM team, ensuring quality, strategy, and coherence across all outputs.

The position requires 10–15+ years in medical communications or related fields, and comfort with AI-assisted workflows.

Qualifications

• Advanced scientific degree preferred (PhD, PharmD, MD) or equivalent experience.
• 10–15+ years of experience in medical communications, medical affairs, or agency environments.
• Demonstrated independent ownership of scientific communication platforms, integrated publication planning, and congress strategy through the planning phase.
• Proven ability to operate as a standalone scientific leader without reliance on a medical communications team.
• Comfort with leverage AI agents in support of day-to-day operations and deliverables.

Responsibilities

• Own Scientific Communication Platform (SCP) ownership and evolution, defining core narrative and messaging guardrails.
• Oversee integrated publication strategy and planning deliverables, including sequencing and lifecycle alignment.
• Define scientific congress strategy with priorities, objectives, data disclosure, and narrative planning.
• Establish KOL identification, segmentation, and engagement frameworks aligned to objectives.
• Serve as the primary scientific authority in client interactions and internal cross-functional meetings.
• Own scientific integrity and risk management across planning deliverables.

Skills

Independent scientific leadership

Strategic planning

AI-assisted operations

Education

PhD/MD/PharmD or equiv.

Job description

JOB SUMMARY

Director, Scientific & Medical Communications is a senior, independent scientific leader responsible for owning medical communications strategy and planning deliverables. This role serves as the primary scientific authority for Scientific Communication Platforms (SCPs), integrated publication planning, congress strategy (through the plan), and KOL strategy. Operating without a dedicated medical communications team, the Director is accountable for scientific judgment, quality, and strategic coherence across all planning outputs.

Job Responsibilities

• Scientific Communication Platform (SCP) Ownership
• Independently develop and evolve Scientific Communication Platforms, defining the core scientific narrative, evidence hierarchy, and messaging guardrails. Ensure alignment across publication, congress, and KOL planning and maintain platform relevance as data, competitive context, or medical strategy evolves.
• Publications Strategy
• Own integrated publication strategy and planning deliverables, including publication sequencing, journal and congress targeting, and lifecycle alignment. Provide scientific approval of publication plans prior to execution. This role is not intended to write manuscripts, abstracts, or posters, and does not manage publication logistics.
• Congress Strategy
• Define scientific congress strategy through approved plans, including congress prioritization, scientific objectives, data disclosure strategy, and narrative planning. Partner with congress execution teams for strategic handoff and clarification. This role is not intended to manage congress logistics, booth execution, speaker contracting, or on-site activities.
• KOL Strategy & Engagement Enablement
• Define KOL identification, segmentation, and engagement frameworks aligned to scientific and medical objectives. Translate KOL insights into refinements of scientific platforms, publication priorities, and congress plans. This role is not intended to manage KOL contracting, honoraria, or logistics.
• Client-Facing Scientific Leadership
• Serve as the primary scientific authority in client interactions and internal cross-functional meetings, leading scientific planning workshops and strategic discussions. Provide evidence-based guidance, independently manage scientific ambiguity and risk, and confidently defend scientific strategy when advising clients.
• Scientific Quality, Judgment & Risk Ownership
• Own scientific integrity, consistency, and credibility across all planning deliverables. Make independent judgment calls in the context of evolving data, competing stakeholder priorities, and scientific or reputational risk.

Qualification Requirements

• Advanced scientific degree preferred (PhD, PharmD, MD) or equivalent experience.
• 10–15+ years of experience in medical communications, medical affairs, or agency environments.
• Demonstrated independent ownership of scientific communication platforms, integrated publication planning, and congress strategy through the planning phase.
• Proven ability to operate as a standalone scientific leader without reliance on a medical communications team.
• Comfort with leverage AI agents in support of day-to-day operations and deliverables.

The annual base salary for this position ranges from $X to $Y. The base salary range represents the anticipated low and high of the Syneos Health range for this position. Actual salary will vary based on various factors such as the candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role. In addition, some positions may include eligibility to earn commissions/bonus based on company and / or individual performance.

At Syneos Health, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace. If your past experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyway. At times, we will consider transferable skills from previous roles. We also encourage you to join our Talent Network to stay connected to additional career opportunities.

Why Syneos Health?

Here, you’re a part of the big picture. You will collaborate with colleagues across clinical and commercial disciplines to guide premarket development through post-market commercial strategy. Every project is a chance to solve a new challenge, learn from your colleagues, and advance your career. The diversification and breadth of our new and existing partnerships create a multitude of career paths and employment opportunities. Join our game-changing, global company dedicated to creating better, smarter, faster ways to get biopharmaceutical therapies to patients. Experience the thrill of knowing that your everyday efforts are contributing to improving patients’ lives around the world.

Work Here Matters Everywhere | How are you inspired to change lives?

At Syneos Health, we believe in providing an environment and culture in which Our People can thrive, develop and advance. We reward and recognize our people by providing valuable benefits and a quality-of-life balance. The benefits for this position will include a competitive compensation package, Health benefits to include Medical, Dental and Vision, Company match 401k, flexible paid time off (PTO) and sick time. Because certain states and municipalities have regulated paid sick time requirements, eligibility for paid sick time may vary depending on where you work. Syneos Health complies with all applicable federal, state, and municipal paid sick time requirements.