Vice President, Medical and Scientific Services

Cactus Life Sciences is a non-traditional, fully integrated medical communication agency specializing in technology-enabled innovation and stakeholder personalization, where we uniquely combine science, technology, and strategic communications. Following strong recent growth, we are strengthening our leadership team to support continued development and expansion.

We are seeking a Vice President of Medical and Scientific Services to join our senior leadership team. This role will be responsible for driving medical strategy, scientific excellence, and business growth in the evolving medical communications landscape. The position reports directly to the SVP of Medical/Scientific Services.

Please note: Cactus Life Sciences is a remote-first organization, and we embrace an accelerate from anywhere culture. You may be required to travel based on business requirements or for company/team events.

Medical Strategy (60% of the role)

• Develop and execute medical affairs strategic plans that align with client objectives and industry best practices in evidence generation and scientific communications
• Lead cross-functional teams to create integrated strategies combining traditional and innovative data dissemination approach
• Create and oversee scientific communication platforms that effectively translate complex clinical and scientific data into actionable insights for diverse healthcare stakeholders
• Provide strategic guidance to pharmaceutical and biotech clients on medical affairs planning, publications strategy, and lifecycle management approaches
• Drive integration of AI and emerging technologies into content strategy
• Bridge medical strategy with commercial objectives, participate in business development opportunities (including RFPs/RFIs) and ensure scientific rigor while supporting business goals

Document Review & Quality Assurance (20% of the role)

• Conduct high-level medical and scientific reviews of all client deliverables including publications, MSL content, congress materials, and medical education resources to ensure scientific accuracy and regulatory compliance
• Provide strategic oversight of content development and quality assurance processes across therapeutic areas, delivering feedback on publication planning and scientific communications while maintaining industry standards and client expectations

Leadership & Team Management (20% of the role)

• Lead and develop medical affairs team including medical directors, scientific associates, and medical writers through mentoring, recruitment, onboarding, and establishing clear performance metrics and career development pathways
• Drive cross-functional collaboration and integrated service delivery by fostering alignment between medical, scientific, and account teams to ensure excellence across all client engagements

#LI-Remote

• PhD, PharmD, MD, or equivalent advanced degree with 12-15+ years of progressive medical affairs, medical communications, or pharmaceutical industry experience, including demonstrated leadership of medical teams in agency, pharma, or biotech environments
• Deep understanding of publications, medical education, evidence generation, and scientific communications with proven ability to develop and execute complex medical strategies aligned with business objectives across diverse therapeutic areas
• Medical affairs strategic planning experience within pharma/biotech companies, knowledge of commercialization processes and market access, previous medical communications agency experience, and international medical affairs expertise across multiple regulatory environments
• Comprehensive knowledge of regulatory requirements, compliance standards, and ethical guidelines in pharmaceutical communications, with extensive experience in publication planning, manuscript development, and scientific writing across various formats
• Understanding of AI applications in medical communications, digital medical education platforms, omnichannel strategies, and emerging healthcare technologies with ability to implement innovative solutions and leverage data insights for strategic decisions
• Strong executive presence with proven ability to interact with C-level stakeholders, lead transformation initiatives, and manage client relationships and business development within medical communications
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills with ability to present complex scientific information to diverse audiences, plus experience working across international markets with understanding of regional regulatory differences

• Annual leaves, public holidays, personal days, and a special day off for your birthday
• Supportive leave options including maternity, paternity, and sabbatical opportunities
• Comprehensive health coverage for you and your family, including dental and vision care
• Holistic wellness supports access to medical, mental health, and specialist care
• Financial security through life assurance and income protection
• Retirement savings plan with employer contributions and flexible options
• Company-provided mobile phone to keep you connected
• Reimbursement for travel and business-related expenses

Before applying, please ensure you meet the role requirements listed above and have legal authorization to work in the country where this role is advertised.Our selection process typically involves an initial screening by a recruiter, two to three interview rounds and the final HR round.

Equal Opportunity

Our hiring practices reflect our commitment to providing equal opportunities and creating an environment where everyone can thrive, develop, and succeed.We celebrate the uniqueness of our team members and prohibit discrimination of any kind, based on race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

Accelerating from Anywhere

As a remote-first organization, these are essential attributes we look for in all our candidates.

• Taking ownership of your work with minimal supervision, showing strong ability to organize, prioritize and deliver results independently.
• Documenting work that brings everyone on the same page.
• Maturity to choose between synchronous and asynchronous collaboration.
• Effectively collaborating with colleagues across different time zones by setting dedicated hours for collaboration and keeping team members updated through your MS Teams status.

At Cactus Life Sciences (cactuslifesciences.com), we believe the future of medical communications lies at the intersection of science, technology, and human connection. Headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, with teams in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, India, and Japan, we help biopharmaceutical organizations redefine scientific exchange-leveraging AI, automation, and innovation while keeping patients at the heart of everything we do.

Our expertise spans medical strategy, scientific content development, and medical education across therapeutic areas and the product lifecycle. By blending scientific rigor, agile operational models, and future-ready technologies, we partner with medical affairs teams to catalyze their transformation, adapt to a changing landscape, and drive meaningful outcomes for healthcare communities worldwide.