Senior Medical Writer

Reports to Principal Medical Writer or Scientific Team Lead MSS

Job Summary

As a Senior Medical Writer, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the communication of complex scientific ideas. Taking leadership of large projects/specific workstreams across a range of medical communications deliverables, you will be responsible for the quality and scientific integrity of all outputs delivered by the team.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Developing written materials that are of high quality, scientifically accurate, clear, fully referenced, appropriate to the target audience, meets the client’s communication objectives and conforms to client specifications; this includes interacting with key experts, negotiating on content and making constructive suggestions on content
• Developing a broad range of materials including meeting materials (e.g. slides, agendas, discussions guides); post-meeting activities (e.g. webcasts, reports), as well as attending meetings, workshops and advisory boards; newsletters; training materials; and publications
• Developing and maintaining relationships with clients and key experts
• Researching medical and scientific topics using relevant information sources
• Developing and maintaining knowledge in relevant therapy areas including drug mechanisms of action, disease state, treatment guidelines and competitive landscape
• Participation in strategic projects and in the provision of strategic counsel, insights, recommendations, and solutions to clients on their projects and programs
• Following all relevant internal, client and industry guidelines and SOPs – at the personal and junior team member level
• Providing support to accounts team and attending meetings as required, including internal kick-off meetings, status meetings and client calls
• Identifying and anticipating any problems or resource limitations that could jeopardize the delivery of your projects on-time, on-budget or with sufficient quality
• Nurturing client relationships and be aware of opportunities to develop and grow business
• Providing content support for new business opportunities, such as proposals and presentations
• Proficiency in the use of all relevant supportive tools and databases (e.g. EndNote, DataVision, ZINC, etc.), as required
• Coaching and mentoring of junior colleagues, proactive provision of feedback to relevant Line Managers
• Submission of accurate and timely timesheet records

For line managers

• Provision of effective line management, supporting the career and personal development of assigned line reports
• Ensuring all line reports undergo performance review and have appropriate objectives and development plans in place
• Rapid addressing of under-performance and initiation of active management plans to support individuals as required

Experience, Skills, and Qualifications

• Experience as a Medical Writer in a medcomms, healthcare agency or pharma environment 
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interpret and fulfil client briefs in a creative and technically accurate manner
• Sound understanding of science and medicine, the healthcare environment and the medical education and publication industry
• Outstanding attention-to-detail
• Willingness/ability to learn and apply new skills and news scientific/therapeutic/ regulatory information
• Plan, organize and complete multiple tasks and deal with changes in project timings and specifications
• Manage workload in line with the changing demands of the business
• Able to work independently and as part of a team
• Able to communicate and negotiate effectively to achieve agreed objectives
• Excellent time management skills
• Adaptability / flexibility
• Management / mentoring
• Able to produce documents in Word, PowerPoint and Excel to an advanced standard, and in compliance with the appropriate style guide (e.g. OPEN Health Medical Communications, client or external publisher)
• Sound understanding of the ABPI Code of Practice and Thorough familiarity with AMA editorial style and medical terminology
• Graduate in life sciences (ideally biomedical or related degree eg. Pharmacy, Medicine), higher degree preferred
• Prior experience at Medical Writer level in a medical communications agency environment; knowledge of pharmaceutical healthcare marketing principles preferred

Travel Requirements

• As required by business needs