Director, Value Communications / Medical Writing in Cardiff

Director, Value Communications / Medical Writing in Cardiff

Cardiff Full-Time 60000 - 80000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
H

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead a dynamic team in crafting compelling medical narratives and driving strategic growth.
  • Company: Join a collaborative company that values creativity and connection in healthcare communications.
  • Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, personal development support, and extra leave for special occasions.
  • Other info: Hybrid work model with opportunities for professional growth and innovation.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of value communications while inspiring a talented team.
  • Qualifications: Extensive experience in medical writing and strong leadership skills required.

The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.

Location: Cardiff or Bicester (Hybrid – 3 days in office)

At HEOR, our value communication specialists navigate complex evidence with clarity and precision to define the true, differentiating value of an intervention. We turn complex data into clear, compelling, evidence‑based narratives, tailored to the target audience. What sets us apart is our integrated approach, combining scientific rigor with creative expertise to bring evidence to life through clear, compelling, and impactful communications.

We're now looking for a director to lead this evolving function, combining strategic and commercial leadership with a passion for scientific storytelling, innovation, and collaboration. This is a role for someone who believes the best ideas are built together and values the energy and creativity that come from in‑person connection.

The opportunity

As director, you'll shape both our client work and future direction, leading the growth of your function, strengthening client partnerships, and ensuring consistently high‑quality, impactful delivery. Working closely with senior leaders, you'll contribute to the wider HEOR strategy while evolving our value communications offering. Alongside this, you'll develop and inspire a talented team, ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional, scientifically rigorous work and build the capabilities we need for the future. You will work in close partnership with the creative director, who leads creative strategy and execution, to bring scientific stories to life in compelling and engaging ways.

You’ll bring leadership across three key areas:

  • Commercial and strategic leadership
    • Drive business growth through proactive strategy development and strong pipeline management
    • Lead and oversee proposals, ensuring compelling, high‑quality responses with strong scientific narratives and appropriate commercial framing
    • Build long‑term client partnerships and play a senior role across key accounts
    • Represent the business externally through conferences, client meetings, and industry engagement
    • Contribute to the evolution and innovation of our HEOR and value communications offering, particularly in scientific storytelling and evidence communication
    • Partner with the creative director to ensure integrated, high‑impact communication approaches that combine robust science with effective creative execution
  • Operational excellence and delivery
    • Hold accountability for P&L within your function, ensuring sustainable growth and cost control
    • Oversee project delivery to ensure quality, timelines, and budgets are consistently met
    • Maintain visibility of pipeline and resourcing, anticipating challenges and enabling smooth delivery
    • Champion best practice, quality standards, and continuous improvement across all outputs
  • People leadership and development
    • Lead, mentor, and grow a high‑performing writing/value communications team, fostering a culture of accountability, learning, and collaboration
    • Shape people strategy, attraction, development, retention and engagement
    • Identify future skills needs and build capability within your function
    • Encourage innovation and thought leadership, keeping both you and your team at the forefront of methodological and market developments

Extensive experience delivering value communication and medical writing materials, ensuring strategic alignment, scientific rigor, and high‑quality execution.

Proven experience leading medical writing/value communication teams in a consultancy or commercial research environment.

Strong commercial acumen, including P&L responsibility and pipeline management.

A track record of winning business, developing proposals, and building trusted client relationships.

The ability to balance strategic thinking with hands‑on oversight of delivery.

Confident leadership style, with the ability to inspire, mentor, and guide diverse technical team.

Excellent communication skills, with the ability to influence both internally and externally.

A higher degree (or equivalent experience) in a relevant technical discipline.

A strong understanding of market dynamics, client needs, and industry trends.

We believe that great work comes from great collaboration. That's why we're building an environment where people come together to share ideas, challenge thinking, and support each other in doing their best work.

You’ll be joining a team that values:

  • Connection – building strong relationships across teams and with clients
  • Creativity – encouraging new thinking and innovative approaches
  • Quality – delivering rigorous, impactful work we're proud of
  • Growth – for our people, our services, and our business

If you're looking for a leadership role where you can genuinely shape direction, build a team, and make an impact, while being part of a collaborative and engaged culture, we'd love to hear from you.

Competitive compensation and benefits package, including:

  • A ‘learning’ culture focused on personal development and supported by study bursaries
  • Workplace pension scheme
  • Range of high street, supermarket, restaurant, gym membership, holiday and entertainment discounts via Pluxee
  • Employee assistance programme
  • Employees are given an additional day of leave for: their wedding and moving house
  • Annual leave purchase scheme of up to 10 additional days’ leave per year

If you would like to request any reasonable adjustment, for any part of the recruitment process (including application), please let us know by emailing careers@heor.co.uk

Director, Value Communications / Medical Writing in Cardiff employer: HEOR

At HEOR, we pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative and innovative work culture that empowers our employees to thrive. As a Director in Value Communications, you will not only lead a talented team but also have the opportunity to shape the future of our offerings while enjoying a competitive benefits package and a strong focus on personal development. With a hybrid working model in vibrant locations like Cardiff or Bicester, we ensure that our employees can connect, create, and contribute meaningfully to impactful scientific storytelling.

H

Contact Details:

HEOR Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Director, Value Communications / Medical Writing in Cardiff

Unlock Networking Opportunities

Dive into industry-specific events like pharmaceutical conferences and seminars, where you can meet hiring managers from companies like HEOR. These are goldmines for making connections and learning about job openings before they hit the mainstream job boards.

Join Relevant Professional Bodies

Get involved with organisations such as the Royal Pharmaceutical Society or your local pharmaceutical professionals' network. Being an active member can boost your credibility and may even lead to job referrals in top organisations like HEOR.

Leverage Internships for Full-time Roles

If you can, consider pursuing internships in the pharmaceutical industry, especially with companies like HEOR. These opportunities often pave the way for full-time positions and allow you to demonstrate your capabilities firsthand.

Tailor Your Approach

When you're applying for roles, don't rush it! Take the time to customise your applications for specific positions, showcasing relevant skills and experiences that align with what HEOR is looking for. A tailored application can really make you stand out!

We think you need these skills to ace Director, Value Communications / Medical Writing in Cardiff

Value Communication
Medical Writing
Strategic Leadership
Commercial Acumen
P&L Management
Proposal Development
Client Relationship Management

Some tips for your application 🫡

Showcase Your Relevant Experience:When applying for a role in the pharmaceutical industry, it's crucial to highlight any relevant experience you have. Whether that's internships, lab work, or even related coursework, make sure to weave this into your CV and cover letter. We want to see how your background aligns with the role you're applying for at HEOR!

Emphasise Your Understanding of Regulations:The pharmaceutical industry is heavily regulated, so it's important to indicate your familiarity with industry standards and regulations. In your cover letter, mention any training or certifications you've received that are relevant, or discuss projects where you’ve navigated compliance. This will show HEOR that you're not just a fit for the job but also a safety-conscious candidate!

Tailor Your CV to Be Result-Driven:Craft your CV to highlight quantifiable achievements, especially if you have previous roles in pharmaceuticals or related fields. Use metrics to demonstrate your impact, such as improved processing times or successful project completions while working on trials. This analytical approach will resonate well with hiring managers at HEOR!

Convey Your Passion for the Industry:In your cover letter, express why you are passionate about working in the pharmaceutical sector. Whether it’s your desire to contribute to groundbreaking drug research or improve patient outcomes, let it shine through! At HEOR, we value candidates who are truly enthusiastic about their work—you might just stand out from the crowd.

How to prepare for a job interview at HEOR

Understand the Science

Make sure you brush up on key pharmaceutical concepts and recent developments in the industry. You might get asked some technical questions during the interview at HEOR that show your grasp of drug development processes or regulatory requirements, so be ready to discuss them clearly.

Showcase Relevant Experience

If you have any hands-on experience or internships in a laboratory setting, be sure to highlight these in your responses. Think about the projects you worked on, the methodologies you used, and the impact you made. It's all about telling a story that connects your background to the role you're applying for.

Know Their Products

Take some time to familiarise yourself with HEOR’s product range and recent breakthroughs. Understanding their portfolio not only shows your enthusiasm for the role but also allows you to ask insightful questions that demonstrate your interest in actively contributing to their projects.

Be Ready for Regulatory Scenarios

In a full-time pharmaceutical role, understanding the regulatory landscape is crucial. Prepare for situational questions that may test your problem-solving skills concerning compliance and safety standards. You could be asked how you'd handle a hypothetical issue regarding a drug’s market release, so think through your approach.