Head of Solid Tumors US Medical Affairs Oncology

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 287,000 - 451,000; Full time

Job summary

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. in Boston, MA is seeking a senior leader to run the US Medical Affairs strategy for Solid Tumors, with a focus on lung and GI cancers. You will shape medical engagement, education, and field strategy across NSCLC, SCLC, gastric cancer, and PDAC.

You will lead a high-performing MA team, partner across Clinical Development, Commercial, Market Access and Medical Operations, and ensure scientific rigor and compliance in all activities.

Qualifications

• Advanced scientific or healthcare degree required (PharmD/PhD/MD).
• Significant Medical Affairs or clinical development experience in pharma/biotech.
• Strong oncology knowledge with focus on solid tumors, lung and GI cancers.
• Ability to translate data into strategic priorities and medical plans.
• Proven leadership in building and coaching teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead US Medical Affairs strategy for Solid Tumors (lung and GI).
• Provide strategic leadership for NSCLC and SCLC, including unmet needs.
• Oversee Medical Affairs planning across communications, education, and field engagement.
• Align Medical Affairs priorities with Clinical Development, Commercial, and Market Access.
• Build and develop the Solid Tumor MA team and ensure cross-functional execution.
• Engage with external experts and scientific societies to advance portfolio.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Executive communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

PharmD/PhD/MD

Job description

Job Description

The Head of Solid Tumors, US Medical Affairs

The Head of Solid Tumors, US Medical Affairs is a senior leadership role responsible for developing and executing the US Medical Affairs strategy across the Solid Tumor portfolio, with a primary focus on lung cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC), and gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including gastric cancer and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

This role provides strategic medical leadership across priority and emerging disease areas, translating evolving science, clinical practice, and unmet patient needs into an integrated US Medical strategy.

The Head of Solid Tumors will lead scientific engagement, medical education, field medical strategy, and cross-functional medical planning to support portfolio advancement and organizational readiness.

The position will also provide leadership and development for the Solid Tumor Medical Affairs team and ensure strong alignment and execution across US Medical Affairs.

How you will contribute

• Develop and lead the US Medical Affairs strategy for the Solid Tumor portfolio, with particular focus on lung and GI cancers.
• Provide strategic medical leadership for NSCLC, including understanding the evolving treatment landscape, unmet patient needs, scientific priorities, and opportunities to improve patient care.
• Lead Medical Affairs assessment and strategic planning for emerging opportunities in SCLC.
• Develop and execute US Medical strategies for emerging priorities across GI cancers, including gastric cancer and PDAC.
• Translate evolving scientific data, clinical practice, treatment guidelines, and the external healthcare environment into actionable US Medical priorities.
• Lead integrated medical planning across scientific communications, medical education, external scientific engagement, and field medical priorities.
• Establish and maintain strategic scientific engagement with external experts, investigators, academic institutions, professional societies, patient organizations, and other key stakeholders.
• Partner closely with Field Medical leadership to ensure scientific engagement priorities, capabilities, and execution are aligned with the overall US Medical strategy.
• Provide medical and scientific leadership across cross-functional teams, partnering with colleagues across Clinical Development, Commercial, Market Access, Biomarkers/Precision Medicine, and Medical Operations, as appropriate.
• Represent the US Medical Affairs perspective and patient needs in cross-functional strategic planning and decision-making.
• Monitor advances in scientific data, clinical practice, competitive landscapes, and standards of care to identify implications and opportunities for the Solid Tumor portfolio.
• Ensure Medical Affairs activities are scientifically rigorous, patient focused, and conducted in accordance with applicable policies, standards, and compliance requirements.
• Lead, coach, and develop Medical Affairs colleagues, fostering a culture of scientific excellence, accountability, collaboration, and high performance.
• Establish priorities and resource allocation across the Solid Tumor portfolio to support effective execution of near- and longer-term objectives.
• Serve as a senior US Medical Affairs leader and strategic advisor on important scientific, medical, and portfolio decisions.

Skills and qualifications

• Advanced scientific or healthcare degree such as PharmD, PhD, MD, or equivalent relevant advanced degree.
• Significant experience in Medical Affairs, clinical development, or a related scientific/medical function within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
• Strong knowledge of oncology and solid tumors, with experience in lung cancer and/or GI malignancies highly valued.
• Strong understanding of the US oncology healthcare environment, including clinical practice, scientific engagement, medical education, and evolving standards of care.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute Medical Affairs strategies across complex and evolving disease areas.
• Ability to interpret complex clinical and scientific data and translate implications into clear strategic priorities and medical plans.
• Strong experience engaging with external scientific and medical experts and building credible, collaborative relationships within the oncology community.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively across functions and influence strategic decisions within a complex matrix organization.
• Strong leadership capabilities, including experience developing teams, coaching colleagues, establishing priorities, and driving accountability.
• Excellent executive communication and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex scientific and strategic topics clearly to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated strategic thinking, sound judgment, collaboration, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Commitment to scientific integrity, patient impact, ethical decision-making, and compliant Medical Affairs practices.

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: $286,900.00 - $450,890.00

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.

Takeda is an industry-leading, global pharmaceutical company with an unwavering dedication to putting patients at the center of everything we do. We live our values of Takeda-ism - Integrity, Fairness, Honesty, and Perseverance - and are united by the mission to strive towards Better Health and a Brighter Future for people worldwide through leading innovation in medicine. Here, everyone matters and you will be a vital contributor to our inspiring, bold mission.

At Takeda, you will make an impact on people's lives – including your own.

Takeda is an equal opportunity employer. For applicants of U.S and Puerto Rico positions: Click here to learn about our commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO). If you are limited in the ability to use our job application tool, or otherwise require a reasonable accommodation for a disability please click here.