Head of Field Medical

Takeda Pharmaceutical; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 230,000 - 361,000; Full time

Job summary

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. seeks a Head of US Oncology Field Medical (Sr. Director) to lead and shape the field medical organization for oncology in the United States, aligning with global Medical Affairs and R&D.

The role drives strategy, execution, launch readiness, and scientific rigor across a broad oncology portfolio. You will manage a geographically dispersed team, engage with key stakeholders, and ensure compliant, evidence-based scientific interactions while guiding budget priorities and

Qualifications

• Advanced scientific or clinical degree required; MD credential strongly preferred.
• Significant leadership experience in Medical Affairs or Field Medical within oncology or hematology.
• Operational knowledge of pharmaceutical drug development and clinical development.

Responsibilities

• Lead the US Oncology field medical organization, including strategy, structure, resource planning, performance expectations, and execution across the portfolio and pipeline.
• Translate US Oncology medical strategy into clear field medical priorities, objectives, engagement plans, and measurable outcomes.
• Build and develop a high-performing, geographically dispersed MSL organization with field medical leaders and people managers as applicable.
• Ensure field medical teams deliver balanced, evidence-based and compliant scientific exchange with healthcare professionals, investigators, payers, and other stakeholders.
• Oversee field insights collection, synthesis, and communication to inform medical strategy and evidence generation.
• Partner with US and Global Medical Affairs to shape medical plans, platforms, and congress strategies.
• Provide field medical leadership for launch readiness and product launches with organizational capability and scientific preparedness.
• Represent US Field Medical in cross-functional governance and leverage scientific insights in decision-making.
• Travel up to 40-60% as required.

Skills

Strategic Leadership

People Leadership

Scientific and Clinical Expertise

Field Medical Excellence

Regulatory and Compliance Acumen

Enterprise Collaboration

External Stakeholder Engagement

Decision Quality

Operational Excellence

Communication and Influence

Education

MD degree

Job description

Job Description

About Us:

The Head of US Oncology Field Medical (Sr. Director) provides strategic and operational leadership for the US Oncology field medical organization and report directly to Head of US Oncology Business Unit. This leader sets the vision, priorities, and execution standards for Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs), ensuring high-quality scientific exchange, actionable insight generation, and effective engagement with healthcare professionals and other external stakeholders. The role partners across US and Global Medical Affairs, R&D, Market Access, and other functions to support portfolio strategy, launch readiness, pipeline clinical trials and lifecycle management while maintaining the highest standards of scientific integrity and compliance.

How you will contribute:

• Lead the US Oncology field medical organization, including strategy, structure, resource planning, performance expectations, and execution across the portfolio and pipeline.
• Translate US Oncology medical strategy into clear field medical priorities, objectives, engagement plans, and measurable outcomes.
• Build, lead, coach, and develop a high-performing, geographically dispersed MSL organization, including field medical leaders and people managers, as applicable.
• Ensure field medical teams deliver balanced, accurate, evidence-based, and compliant scientific exchange with healthcare professionals, investigators, payers, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Establish consistent standards for field planning, stakeholder engagement, territory execution, documentation, and follow-through.
• Oversee the collection, synthesis, and communication of field insights to inform medical strategy, evidence generation, clinical development, access strategy, and business planning.
• Partner with US and Global Medical Affairs to shape and execute medical plans, scientific communication platforms, congress strategies, advisory boards, and evidence-generation priorities.
• Provide field medical leadership for launch readiness and product launches, ensuring organizational capability, scientific preparedness, and coordinated execution.
• Partner with R&D to provide US healthcare system and external stakeholder insights into ongoing and planned development programs.
• Represent US Field Medical on cross-functional leadership teams and governance forums; influence decisions through scientific expertise and field-based insights.
• Develop and maintain appropriate relationships with key opinion leaders, professional associations, research sites, and other external stakeholders to advance scientific objectives.
• Ensure field medical activities comply with applicable laws, regulations, industry standards, and company policies and procedures.
• Own the field medical operating budget and deploy resources against the highest-priority portfolio and organizational needs.
• Lead continuous improvement of field medical capabilities, operating models, technology, analytics, and business processes.
• Provide scientific and medical input into confidential business development opportunities, as requested.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced scientific or clinical degree required; MD credential strongly preferred.
• At least 12 years of relevant experience in the pharmaceutical industry, academic research, clinical practice, or an equivalent combination of experience.
• Significant leadership experience in Medical Affairs or Field Medical within oncology or hematology.
• Demonstrated success leading, managing, and developing large, multidisciplinary, geographically dispersed field-based teams.
• Experience with clinical research, scientific publications, congress presentations, and public speaking.
• Proven ability to influence senior leaders and key stakeholders in a complex, matrixed organization.
• Demonstrated success leading business process transformation and organizational or cultural change while delivering complex programs.
• Operational knowledge of pharmaceutical drug development, with meaningful exposure to clinical development and evidence generation.
• Strong healthcare business acumen and comprehensive understanding of the pharmaceutical industry.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and interpret scientific, operational, financial, market research, and field insight data to support decisions.
• Oncology or hematology board certification.
• Lifecycle management and product launch experience.

KEY SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Strategic Leadership: Sets direction, aligns resources, and integrates field medical activities with US and Global Oncology priorities.
• People Leadership: Builds strong teams, develops talent, establishes accountability, and makes sound organizational decisions.
• Scientific and Clinical Expertise: Interprets complex clinical data and communicates scientific evidence clearly and credibly.
• Field Medical Excellence: Establishes rigorous, consistent standards for insight generation, scientific exchange, and field execution.
• Regulatory and Compliance Acumen: Ensures field medical activities adhere to applicable regulations, ethical standards, and company policies.
• Enterprise Collaboration: Builds effective partnerships across Medical Affairs, R&D, Commercial, Market Access, and other functions while preserving appropriate role clarity.
• External Stakeholder Engagement: Develops credible, productive relationships with healthcare professionals, investigators, professional associations, and external partners.
• Decision Quality: Uses scientific evidence, business context, and sound judgment to make timely, well-reasoned decisions.
• Operational Excellence: Manages competing priorities, budgets, timelines, and complex deliverables with discipline and attention to detail.
• Communication and Influence: Communicates with clarity and impact and influences without direct authority across multiple levels.

COMPLEXITY AND PROBLEM SOLVING

• Operates with a high degree of autonomy and accountability in a complex, matrixed environment. Makes decisions on field medical strategy, organizational design, resource allocation, talent, operating priorities, and execution standards. Escalates matters with significant enterprise, legal, regulatory, compliance, or reputational implications through appropriate governance channels.

KEY INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS

• Internal: US Oncology Leadership Team; US and Global Medical Affairs; R&D; Clinical Development; Market Access; Commercial; Regulatory; Legal; Ethics and Compliance; Human Resources; Finance; and other enabling functions.
• External: Healthcare professionals, investigators, key opinion leaders, professional associations, research sites, vendors, and other scientific or healthcare stakeholders.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Travel requirement is up to 40-60% including some weekend travel.
• Ability to work effectively across time zones and with field-based colleagues and external stakeholders.

Takeda Compensation and Benefits Summary

We understand compensation is an important factor as you consider the next step in your career. We are committed to equitable pay for all employees, and we strive to be more transparent with our pay practices.

For Location:

Boston, MA

U.S. Base Salary Range:

$229,600.00 - $360,800.00

The estimated salary range reflects an anticipated range for this position. The actual base salary offered may depend on a variety of factors, including the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, specific and unique skills, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job. The actual base salary offered will be in accordance with state or local minimum wage requirements for the job location.

For information about our benefits, please click here.

EEO Statement

Takeda is proud in its commitment to creating a diverse workforce and providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, genetic information or characteristics, marital status, status as a Vietnam era veteran, special disabled veteran, or other protected veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws, and any other characteristic protected by law.

Locations

Boston, MA

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type

Regular

Time Type

Full time

Job Exempt

Yes

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.