Executive Medical Director, Clinical Development Lead - Oncology in City of Westminster

Overview

Cancer is unrelenting, but so are we.

At GSK, we are committed to transforming outcomes for people with cancer through innovative science, bold ambition, and strong partnerships across the healthcare ecosystem.

We focus our science where it can matter most — advancing care in cancers with high unmet need, grounded in disease biology and deliberate scientific choices that connect discovery to meaningful impact in the real world.

The Clinical Development Lead (CDL) – Oncology operates at the asset level as the enterprise clinical strategy leader, accountable for defining the clinical strategy, scientific narrative, and decision framework across the asset lifecycle.

The CDL serves as a full strategic partner within the Medicine Development Team (MDT) core quad, positioning Clinical Development at the center of product strategy, governance, and investment decisions.

The CDL owns the clinical roadmap and serves as the recognised clinical authority and visible leader for the asset's strategic vision, shaping how clinical strategy, scientific insight, development innovation, and decision velocity are understood and experienced across the organisation, representing Clinical Development in both internal and external settings.

The CDL is accountable for the strategic direction and clinical positioning of the asset, with operational study-level delivery led by Senior Scientists within the programme.

This role is critical to enabling a more dynamic, data-driven, and technology-enabled model of clinical development, increasing speed, precision, and decision quality.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the clinical strategy, scientific narrative, integrated benefit–risk position, and decision framework across the asset to ensure a coherent and differentiated clinical position throughout the lifecycle.
• Be accountable for strategic outcomes across the asset, with study-level delivery including design, execution, and data generation, led by Senior Scientists and programme teams within the CDL's strategic direction.
• Serve as the senior clinical strategy leader on the MDT core quad, acting as a full strategic partner to the Medicine Development Leader (MDL) and representing Clinical Development in portfolio, governance, and investment decisions.
• Lead or co-lead governance and investment presentations to senior management, translating clinical evidence into clear strategic recommendations for portfolio prioritisation and progression.
• Act as the recognised clinical authority and visible leader for the asset, ensuring its clinical vision, scientific identity, and development trajectory are clearly understood and advanced across the organisation.
• Drive an integrated, end-in-mind approach to development, ensuring target selection, development pathways, regulatory positioning, and commercial readiness are considered as a connected whole.
• Represent Clinical Development for Health Authority interactions, advisory boards, steering committees, IDMCs, and alliance partnerships.
• Leverage AI-enabled insights, advanced analytics, and emerging data platforms to inform asset-level strategic decisions and drive competitive advantage in development speed and decision quality.
• Lead, develop, and mentor clinical development talent, contributing to talent calibration, succession planning, and capability building aligned to evolving development models.
• Clinical Development Plan and Benefit–Risk Leadership
• Own the strategic integrity and clinical direction of the Clinical Development Plan (CDP), ensuring it reflects asset-level strategy and is delivered through programme teams.
• Own the integrated benefit–risk framework, ensuring alignment between clinical data, safety insights, and strategic decision-making.
• Define the strategic direction and decision frameworks guiding study design and development approaches across the asset.
• Provide strategic direction to Senior Scientists on the content and scientific quality of CDP deliverables, ensuring execution aligns with asset-level clinical intent.
• Leverage AI-enabled insights, advanced analytics, and emerging data platforms to inform asset-level strategic decisions, enhance precision of programme direction, and strengthen the evidence base for governance and portfolio decisions.
• Ensure alignment between clinical strategy and programme-level execution, maintaining clarity of clinical intent across teams.
• Scientific Leadership and External Engagement
• Act as the default Clinical Development representative for Health Authority interactions, including scientific advice, regulatory meetings, and responses to queries.
• Provide strategic oversight and final clinical accountability for scientific communications derived from clinical data, including publications, congress presentations, and advisory materials.
• Represent Clinical Development across external engagements, including advisory boards, steering committees, IDMCs, and alliance partnerships.
• Synthesize integrated clinical insights and evidence trends to shape asset-level strategic direction and inform governance decisions.
• Shape and influence clinical development standards, governance practices, and decision-making frameworks across Oncology Clinical Development, ensuring consistency and quality at the programme level.
• People Leadership and Capability Development
• Develop and mentor clinical development talent within the asset programme, ensuring the right people are in the right roles and that team capabilities align with current and future development models (e. g., PRISM).
• Contribute to talent calibration, succession planning, and resourcing decisions across the Oncology Clinical Development function.
• Set clear expectations for decision quality, accountability, and collaboration across the asset programme, empowering Senior Scientists and Clinical Matrix Teams to lead operational delivery within the CDL's strategic direction.
• Champion a culture of innovation, integrated thinking, and continuous improvement, reinforcing the enterprise mindset and technology fluency for the evolving R&D operating model.

The position is open to candidates from either a medical or non-medical background.

An MD, Pharm D, Ph D, or equivalent advanced degree is required; an MD or equivalent clinical doctorate is preferred.

Depth of oncology clinical development expertise and enterprise-level leadership experience are what matter most.

Qualifications and Skills

• Medical degree, Pharm D, or Ph D required; oncology clinical development experience in the pharmaceutical industry or relevant scientific/medical experience.
• Demonstrated experience operating at the asset, portfolio, or enterprise level, including governance and investment decision-making.
• In-depth knowledge of GCP, ICH, FDA, EMA, NICE, and relevant regulatory frameworks.
• Proven ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams in complex matrix environments.
• Strong understanding of clinical development, oncology therapeutic landscapes, and drug approval processes.
• Experience leveraging data, analytics, or emerging technologies to inform clinical decision-making.
• Preferred Qualifications
• Medical degree or equivalent clinical doctorate preferred.
• Experience leading Health Authority interactions.
• Board certification or substantial clinical experience in oncology.
• Strong executive presence and enterprise-influencing capability.
• Experience translating clinical data into strategic decisions across development and lifecycle.
• Cross-functional business acumen across clinical, regulatory, regulatory, commercial, and access domains.
• What We Value

We act with transparency, respect and integrity.

We welcome different perspectives and champion inclusion.

Bring curiosity, humility and a clear focus on patients.

At GSK, we aim to positively impact health globally through our R&D in vaccines and medicines, with therapeutic focus areas including oncology.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and support an agile working culture.

If adjustments are needed during the process, contact us at the provided email for accommodations.

Salary ranges and benefits are discussed during recruitment.

This summary preserves the core responsibilities and qualifications of the CDL – Oncology role while aligning with formatting standards.

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