Medical Science Liaison

Field-based role: 60% to 70% time spent in field
Location: Madrid

Territory: Madrid and North of Spain
 

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Medical Science Liaison (MSL) will focus on identifying, developing and maintaining long-term collaborative partnerships with specified Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) /External Clinical and Scientific Experts and assigned institutions to provide scientific and clinical trial support for future epilepsy portfolio. The MSL will serve as a primary liaison for clinical and scientific information exchange with KOLs/External Clinical and Scientific Experts and health care providers and will be leading discussions relating to therapeutic areas of importance to Jazz and the provision of scientific and medical data on both licensed and unlicensed Jazz products in response to appropriate requests from Healthcare Professionals (HCPs).

The MSL will be the primary conduit for Medical Affairs communications and interactions for their assigned institutions and organizations and will ensure effective communication across multifunctional teams in carrying out Medical Affairs projects.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES/ACCOUNTABILITIES

External Stakeholders

Building Partnerships with HCPs

• Identifying national, regional and local KOLs in the area of Neurology & Rare Diseases, and developing and maintaining long-term collaborative relationships.
• Developing synergistic relationships with KOLs to expand research, advisory and educational partnership opportunities and developing synergistic scientific exchange opportunities between with internal and external colleagues.
• Delivering regional engagement plans with KOLs, based upon insights into their specialties and interests in specific areas of improving patient care.
• Engaging with specific Clinical and Scientific experts and Institutions/Organisations in the territory, through appropriate high-level scientific support for research activities, publications, education, consulting and other Medical Affairs initiatives.
• Understanding the needs of HCPs and developing insights through listening and observing the challenges faced in the treatment of serious diseases in paediatric and adult neurology therapy areas.

Providing Expertise in Jazz Medicines to Clinical Professionals, in a reactive environment

• Possess an in-depth knowledge of Jazz medicines, answering questions from HCPs, communicating salient facts in a clear, factual and non-promotional manner.
• Providing reactive medical support and scientific medical presentations within the therapeutic area to external stakeholders as needed.
• Becoming the ‘go to’ person for Clinician’s field of Rare Disease Neurology and cannabinoid therapies.
• Work with a diverse range of functions (e.g. Medical Information, Pharmacovigilance) to provide the optimal all-round medical service provision to partners.

Delivering on partnership projects, in a compliant therapy area environment

• Developing country medical projects in collaboration with HCPs (round table meetings, diagnosis workshops, rare disease forums, etc) within the defined therapeutic area.
• Providing medical support and International Congress, including lead, design and delivery of medical function activities, and working with commercial colleagues in the appropriate frameworks.
• Running appropriate advisory board panel meetings, to seek answers to questions specific to the needs and understanding of the Jazz Medical function business.
• Coordinating interactions with academic societies, research groups and other national organisations.
• Exploring novel educational opportunities with healthcare associations and ancillary healthcare professionals.
• Spending the majority of time in a field-based role, developing projects through self-motivation, and the identification of appropriate opportunities to help improve HCP education and patient care.

Working in a compliant environment, with patient safety and care at the heart of all activities

• Ensuring pharmacovigilance excellence, through adverse event reporting monitoring and liaising with HCPs to gather additional Drug Safety information as requested.
• Maintaining a strict delineation/definition with non-medical colleagues.
• Maintaining an understanding and application of local regulation in all activities.

Internal Functional Group Collaboration

Interfacing compliantly with commercial and marketing colleagues

• Participating in scientific and medical training of sales colleagues, and Jazz partner organisations.
• Responding to complex scientific enquires from the field, received through the commercial force.  Providing scientific and medical support for internal meetings and projects as needed.
• Working within defined SOPs across functions for optimal team delivery for Jazz business.

Clinical Development and Studies

• Identifying and supporting Phase II-IV sites as required and working with the clinical team as major liaison for trial sites.
• Receiving and processing Investigator Initiated Trials (IIT) from the environment, and working with the medical and clinical team to ensure all IIT are providing appropriate support.

Leading the production of Medical Documents, Presentations, and Reports, working across a range of Jazz functions

• Identify, understand, distill and communicate new and complex data from inside Jazz and from the external environment.
• Produce educational materials, using various media, and lead on internal education and teaching activities within the environment of the EU medical team.
• Providing field updates regarding topics of interest for creation and/or updating of Standard Response Letters.
• Contribute to the National and International Medical team for development of Medical team ways of working, and aligned execution of the EU Medical strategy.

Others

• Communicating with all medical, research and development and commercial organisation as delineated by policies.
• Maintaining and continually developing scientific knowledge related to approved products and pipeline agents, and the relevant competitive landscape.
• Working within National and International Medical Environment, taking individually responsibility within with a large team ethos, to provide the best in class medical group.
• Operates in accordance with the Jazz corporate values of being patient driven, passionate, innovative, collaborative, accountable, having integrity and achieving excellence
• Works in accordance with the systems in place with regards to health & safety, security and the environment

KEY REQUIREMENTS

Knowledge:

· Scientific Graduate with a higher qualification (e.g. PhD, Pharm D, MSc etc.)

Experience:

• Proven track record of success in KOL management with an established network of contacts within the Pharmaceutical industry, and ability to build contacts, work in the field with external stakeholders.
• Significant Medical Science Liaison experience and strong knowledge of the pharma/biotech industry
• Experience in the therapy areas of epilepsy or neurology in general, is desirable.
• Clear understanding of MSL roles and responsibilities and Medical Affairs activities, including publication planning, medical information and advisory boards.

Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal communication and relationship building skills.
• Strong multi-tasking, time management and organisational skills for a busy environment with a demonstrated ability to prioritise multiple assignments and deliver results while meeting deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and coordinate meetings.
• Demonstrated strong understanding of clinical research trial design.
• Excellent verbal, written communication and presentation skills. Ability to clearly articulate complex scientific concepts in one-to-one and group settings.
• Proactive approach with proven ability to take initiative and work both independently and as part of a team.

Attributes and Behaviours:

• Proven track record in delivering on projects at the country level, with both internal and external stakeholders, also with the ability to manage partners and work with ‘dotted line’ matrix team flows.
• Strong organisational abilities, with an ability to prioritise tasks, and place the customer needs at the forefront of activities.
• Strong IT skills, with an ability to create informative and factual scientific documents and presentations, to distill complex data in a timely manner.
• Full understanding of the compliance environment and ability to design activities to fit within local regulatory framework and understanding of approval processes.
• Fluent in English and Spanish.