Senior Director, Patient Advocacy

Menarini Group; New York (NY); On-site; USD 240,000 - 278,000; Full time

Job summary

Menarini Stemline is seeking a Senior Director of Patient Advocacy in Oncology to lead advocacy strategies and scientific engagement with the patient community. This role requires a strong background in oncology, a passion for patient-centric approaches, and the ability to communicate complex scientific data effectively. Competitive salary and benefits offered in a dynamic oncology-focused environment.

Benefits

Generous compensation package

Short- and Long-Term Incentive Programs

401(k) with company match

Health insurance plans

Life & AD&D insurance

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a medical science field, extensive experience in oncology.
• Minimum 10 years in patient advocacy or related leadership roles in biopharmaceuticals.
• Deep understanding of breast cancer treatment landscape.

Responsibilities

• Lead scientific dialogue with the patient advocacy community.
• Provide strategic direction for patient advocacy strategy within oncology.
• Cultivate partnerships with advocacy organizations to incorporate patient voice into clinical design.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Communication

Leadership

Project management

Interpersonal skills

Education

MD, PharmD, PhD, PA, or NP

Job description

Overview

Job title – Sr. Director, Patient Advocacy

Reports to AVP, Global Head of Patient Advocacy and Policy

Join Menarini Stemline as our Senior Director, US Patient Advocacy, Oncology, where you will play a pivotal role in shaping our scientific engagement with the patient advocacy community. Reporting to the Associate Vice President of Global Patient Advocacy and Policy, your key responsibilities will include the scientific dialogue and execution of patient advocacy strategy. We are seeking a passionate individual with an advanced medical degree (MD, PharmD, PhD, PA, or NP) and significant professional experience within oncology, ideally with a focus on breast cancer (hematology experience is a plus).

Please note--this position is classified as a corporate office position. In accordance with the New York employer convenience rule, Stemline will withhold New York state income taxes for all corporate office employees, regardless of whether these employees work in New York or remotely. #LI-MB1

Responsibilities

• Lead the scientific dialogue with the patient advocacy community, serving as the primary senior medical expert to disseminate clinical and real-world data, ensuring all advocacy initiatives are scientifically rigorous and ethically sound.
• Provide strategic direction for the development and execution of Menarini Stemline’s U.S. patient advocacy strategy within oncology, with a core focus on our approved treatments for metastatic breast cancer, and blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN).
• Conceptualize and implement impactful patient-centric advocacy programs aligned with the global strategic framework, including data briefings, educational resources, biomarker testing initiatives, and innovative digital engagement strategies.
• Cultivate strong collaborative partnerships with patient advocacy organizations to embed the patient voice into Menarini Stemline’s clinical trial designs where feasible.
• Represent Menarini Stemline as a key spokesperson at external advocacy forums, delivering compelling presentations to educate the community on our scientific advancements, ongoing research, and future pipeline.
• Develop comprehensive internal reports that synthesize critical advocacy insights, emerging issues, and community feedback to inform strategic decision-making across the organization.
• Provide expert scientific counsel to advocacy groups on Menarini Stemline’s broader oncology portfolio and pipeline beyond current indications.
• Foster strong collaborative relationships with internal leadership and cross-functional teams (Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, Marketing, etc.), as well as global colleagues, to ensure a cohesive approach and the integration of patient perspectives into all relevant initiatives.
• Champion Menarini Stemline’s vision as a patient-centric leader in the oncology landscape, building positive community awareness and trust.
• Oversee the timely creation of high-quality, accurate communication materials for the advocacy community, including presentations, patient resources, and comprehensive Q&A documents.
• Maintain a proactive awareness of evolving trends and innovations in patient advocacy, integrating best practices into our strategic approach.
• Direct the efficient and compliant regulatory, legal, and medical review process for all relevant advocacy communications.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with external stakeholders, including vendors and agency partners.
• Ensure the highest standards of confidentiality are maintained regarding sensitive scientific data and patient information.
• Ensure all patient engagement activities adhere strictly to internal policies and industry regulations.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a medical science field (MD, PhD, PharmD, PA, or NP) with extensive and progressive experience within oncology.
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in patient advocacy, clinical education, or related leadership roles within the biopharmaceutical industry.
• Deep and nuanced understanding of the breast cancer treatment landscape, with experience in hematological malignancies being a distinct advantage.
• Exceptional ability to articulate complex scientific information in a clear, concise, and compelling manner for diverse audiences.
• A proven track record of successfully partnering with patient advocacy groups to meaningfully integrate patient perspectives into clinical research and drive successful trial enrollment.
• Exceptional strategic thinking and leadership skills with a demonstrated ability to align advocacy initiatives with overarching company objectives and drive measurable impact.
• Comprehensive and current knowledge of the U.S. patient advocacy landscape, coupled with established relationships with key cancer organizations.
• Expert-level understanding of relevant compliance, legal, and regulatory frameworks governing biopharmaceutical patient engagement and advocacy practices.
• A proactive and strategic mindset with the ability to anticipate and effectively address potential challenges and opportunities.
• Outstanding communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, characterized by executive presence, diplomacy, and the ability to manage sensitive information with utmost discretion.
• Exceptional organizational, financial management, and project management skills with meticulous attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to interact confidently and strategically with senior executive leadership.
• Proven ability to independently lead the development, implementation, and logistical management of complex strategic plans.
• Willingness to travel approximately 25% of the time.
• A positive, collaborative, and resilient leadership style with the ability to thrive in a dynamic environment.

Base Salary Range of $240,000-278,000. Menarini Stemline offers generous compensation and benefits packages, including Short- and Long-Term Incentive Programs, Fidelity 401(k) (with 6% company match), Anthem Premier PPO and HDHP insurance plans, Company paid Basic Life & AD&D insurance and pre-tax FSA/HSA programs.

Menarini Stemline is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

About Us:

Founded in 1886 in Naples under the name of Farmacia Internazionale, Menarini moved in 1915 to Florence where the Group’s headquarters are still located today. High quality therapeutics and diagnostics solutions for patients, ethics as our underlying principle, dedication to innovation and advancement, strong people centricity and environmental sustainability. These five pillars form the foundation of the Menarini Group, an Italian pharmaceutical company with nearly 135 years of history.

The Menarini Group is present in 70 countries and our products are sold in 140 locations around the world. Its companies span from Europe to Asia, to Africa and the Middle East, to Central America and to the United States where with the acquisition of Stemline Therapeutics, a NASDAQ-listed biopharmaceutical company, the company marked its entry into the US oncology market.

Thanks to the valuable contribution of around 18,000 employees, every year more than 500 million packs of drugs are produced at the Group's 18 manufacturing sites including a biotech plant for the manufacturing of monoclonal antibodies that also serves external clients distributed across 6 continents.

Menarini has made a strong commitment to oncology, investing in a pipeline of five investigational compounds for the treatment of a variety of haematological and solid tumours. The acquisition of Stemline Therapeutics in June 2020, further strengthened Menarini’s oncology portfolio, adding both commercial and clinical-stage assets. Tagraxofusp is a novel, first in class targeted therapy for patients with blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) and to date, the only approved treatment for BPDCN in the U.S. and EU, and the first and only approved CD123-targeted therapy. Tagraxofusp is also being evaluated as both a single agent and in combination, in other CD123+ indications, including acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML), and myelofibrosis (MF).

Additionally, Menarini received exclusive rights to commercialise Selinexor for the treatment of oncology indications in the European Union and other European countries (including the United Kingdom), Latin America and other key countries. Menarini has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Karyopharm Therapeutics for the rights to commercialise an innovative therapeutic option in Europe, Latin America, Turkey, Russia, and CIS countries. Selinexor is a first-in-class, oral Selective Inhibitor of Nuclear export compound for the treatment of hematologic cancers and solid tumours. It is already marketed in the US for multiple myeloma and is under development for solid tumour indications. Selinexor is registered in the EU for both early and late lines.

Menarini entered into a global licence agreement with Radius Health to complete the development of Elacestrant, an oral SERD in late-stage Phase 3 development for hormone receptor-positive advanced breast cancer. Following a successful phase 3 study, Menarini Stemline received FDA approval in January 2023 under priority review and successfully oversaw a strong launch in February to the US market with the EMA review process concluded positively in September 2023.

Menarini’s commitment to oncology is also reflected in the investments made in the liquid biopsy diagnostic field through its affiliate Menarini Silicon Biosystems (MSB), a pioneer in rare cell analysis and non-invasive, advanced diagnostic solutions. MSB’s CELLSEARCH Circulating Tumour Cell (CTC) Test is the first and only clinically validated blood test cleared by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for detecting and counting CTCs in metastatic breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer when used in conjunction with other clinical monitoring methods.

Since 2021, MSB has offered in the US a menu of non-invasive Laboratory Developed Tests (LDTs) provided through its CLIA/CAP accredited US-based Lab. The services include CMC enumeration, CTC enumeration and PDL-1/HER2 biomarker and offer a minimally invasive approach to follow cancer patient’s therapeutic journey.

In 2022, the company launched the CELLSEARCH Circulating Multiple Myeloma Cell (CMMC) Enumeration LDT, the first-of-its-kind, which directly measures levels of plasma cells in the blood of patients. This test provides new, complementary information to that of the bone marrow biopsy and other standard-of-care measures. Due to its minimally invasive nature, it can be performed serially to assess plasma cell burden without requiring repeated bone marrow biopsies.

Menarini's vision and uniqueness in oncology is to bring together innovative therapeutic solutions and advanced liquid biopsy-based diagnostics for faster, more effective and precise patient management.

It is an exciting time in the company’s development and an excellent opportunity for individuals joining us to contribute to building and shaping Menarini Stemline’s Oncology business.