Medical Director, Oncology

Summit Strategic Search; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 300,000 - 360,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus program

Long-term incentives

Hybrid work arrangement

Job summary

Summit Strategic Search is partnering with a global biopharmaceutical company to appoint a Medical Director/Senior Medical Director for pivotal oncology trials aimed at next-generation antibody-based therapies. Based in Central New Jersey with a hybrid work setup, this role leads clinical science, investigator relationships, and program strategy as trials advance toward registration.

The position requires MD or equivalent, 3–6+ years in oncology/hematology, and strong leadership in a matrixed

Qualifications

• MD or equivalent medical degree from an accredited institution (board certification not required).
• Minimum of 3 years (6 for Senior level) of direct industry experience in oncology/hematology.
• Experience serving as the responsible Medical Officer for a clinical trial.

Responsibilities

• Direct study design, protocol development, and execution for pivotal cancer studies as the accountable Medical Director.
• Contribute to overall medical strategy of assigned programs and broader product pipeline, including input on new projects.
• Lead interactions with external stakeholders (regulators, KOLs, advisory boards) and collaborate with cross-functional teams.

Skills

Medical leadership

Oncology/hematology

Clinical trial oversight

Stakeholder management

Matrixed organization

Education

MD degree

Job description

Lead pivotal oncology trials that carry next-generation antibody-based therapies from clinical concept to the patients who need them most.

Our client is a global biopharmaceutical company with a growing, late-stage oncology pipeline spanning solid tumors, including gynecologic and other high-unmet-need indications. As the organization advances multiple registration-track studies, its Global Clinical Development team is adding a Medical Director to provide hands‑on medical leadership for one or more pivotal clinical trials.

This is a study‑level medical leadership role, not a data‑review or protocol‑support seat. You will serve as the accountable Medical Director for an assigned clinical trial — owning the science, the investigator relationships, and the emerging data — while also contributing to program‑level strategy as the compound(s) advance toward registration. The role sits within a collaborative, matrixed Clinical Development team and reports to a physician‑leader with broad oncology program oversight.

This position can be filled at either the Medical Director or Senior Medical Director level, depending on experience.

• Director: 3+ years of direct industry experience in oncology/hematology
• Sr. Director: 6+ years of direct industry experience in oncology/hematology

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

This list represents the major duties of the role and is not all-inclusive. The Employee may be asked to perform related duties beyond those described here.

Study & Program Medical Leadership

• Direct study design, protocol development, and execution for pivotal cancer studies as the accountable Medical Director.
• Contribute to the overall medical strategy of assigned clinical development program(s) and the broader product pipeline, including in-depth medical input on potential new projects.
• Act as Study Lead and, when needed, represent the program or disease area internally and externally.

Data, Safety & Documentation

• Oversee the safety of patients enrolled in clinical studies and support signal detection in partnership with the Safety physician.
• Generate and review clinical components of key regulatory, registration, value, and pharmacoeconomic documents supporting the compound(s).
• Ensure the quality of clinical documents, including Investigator's Brochures, protocols, study reports, and clinical components of regulatory and safety submissions.

External & Internal Stakeholder Leadership

• Serve as medical expert and lead interactions with external stakeholders, including regulatory authorities, key opinion leaders, advisory boards, and patient advocacy groups.
• Partner closely with internal functions — Research, Translational Medicine, Safety, Regulatory, Global Medical Affairs, and Commercial — and with internal decision‑making boards.
• Plan and execute publication and clinical communication strategy alongside Scientific Communications, and provide input to key external presentations.

Team & Organizational Contribution

• Support the career development of functional reports (particularly Clinical Research Scientists) and other Clinical Management Team colleagues through active participation in performance management and talent planning.
• Provide onboarding, training, and mentoring support, and contribute to performance evaluations as appropriate.
• Participate in interviews for new hires within the Medical department, and remain proactive in cross‑functional alignment with the objectives of the Medical department.

Qualifications

The requirements below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this role successfully.

Required

• MD (or equivalent medical degree) from an accredited institution; board certification is not required.
• Minimum of 3 years (6 for Senior level) of direct industry experience in oncology or hematology.
• Experience serving as the responsible Medical Officer for a clinical trial.
• Demonstrated ability to represent the organization credibly in internal and external settings, with persuasive, effective interpersonal skills at all levels.
• Proven success operating within a matrixed organization, with the ability to inspire trust and build alignment across functions.

Preferred

• Scientific background and/or deep understanding of solid tumor oncology.
• Experience in gynecologic oncology is a priority for this role. Candidates without direct gynecologic oncology experience but with strong, transferable solid tumor development experience (e.g., breast, lung, GI) plus experience on an antibody‑drug conjugate or checkpoint‑inhibitor program will also be considered.
• Experience with global regulatory submissions (e.g., US, EU, Japan) is a plus.

Nice to Have

• Comfort operating across more than one tumor type or disease area as program needs evolve.
• A track record of mentoring or developing junior clinical colleagues.

Engagement & Location

• Reporting structure: This is an individual contributor, matrixed leadership role with no direct reports at this time.
• Location: Based in Central New Jersey, with a hybrid work arrangement, in‑office 3x per week on average

Compensation:

• Medical Director: $300,000 – $330,000
• Senior Medical Director: $330,000 – $360,000

Bonus & Equity:

• 25% target annual cash performance bonus
• Generous, annual long‑term incentive awards

*The compensation offered will be commensurate with experience, skills, qualifications, and other relevant factors.

Equal Opportunity Commitment:

Summit Strategic Search and our client are equal opportunity partners. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Selection & Onboarding:

As this is a direct‑hire role within a regulated industry, the end client’s standard hiring protocols apply. This includes, but is not limited to, a comprehensive background check and drug screening prior to the start of employment. All hiring decisions are made solely by the end client.