Principal Medical Writer, Healthcare Practice London, Hybrid

In our dedicated Healthcare Practice, we help our healthcare clients bring products, services, and propositions to life, turning complex concepts into simple and compelling messages. As you’d expect, we’re strong on the science. But we also provide creative flair and strategic know-how, delivering programmes built on unique ideas and insights. We communicate science with passion. It’s a combination that leads to measurable and meaningful outcomes. What sets our healthcare team apart is their enthusiasm, authenticity, and professional and personal approach. A team that you will enjoy working with.

Role Overview

As a Principal Medical Writer, you will take strategic and scientific ownership of major client accounts, ensuring the delivery of scientifically rigorous, creatively crafted, and strategically aligned medical communications. You will serve as a senior scientific leader and trusted advisor - shaping programmes, influencing client strategy, driving new business initiatives, and leading and inspiring the scientific services team. This role blends deep scientific expertise, high‑level client partnership, leadership, and programme oversight. Working in close collaboration with editorial, scientific, client services, and creative teams, you will deliver best‑in‑class medical communications that meaningfully influence healthcare decision‑making.

Core Responsibilities

• Scientific Strategy & Content Leadership
  • Act as lead scientific strategist across 1-2 major accounts, setting scientific direction and ensuring alignment with client goals.
  • Oversee and contribute to the development of high‑quality, scientifically robust, insight‑driven content across medical communications disciplines.
  • Ensure the highest standards of scientific accuracy, data interpretation, narrative coherence, and editorial quality.
  • Lead complex scientific discussions with clients, external experts, and senior internal stakeholders.
  • Apply deep understanding of therapy areas, competitive landscapes, and market trends to shape programmes and generate new project ideas.
  • Ensure rigorous implementation of QC processes and best‑practice guidelines (e.g., ICMJE, GPP, study reporting standards).
• Understanding the Medical Communications Environment
  • Maintain advanced knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry and drug development process, linking these to pre‑ and post‑launch client objectives.
  • Analyse and synthesise scientific, product, market, competitor, and cross‑industry insights to guide strategic decision‑making.
  • Interpret therapy area developments and assess implications for ongoing and future work.
  • Demonstrate strong understanding of global compliance frameworks (e.g., ABPI, US Sunshine Act) and ensure adherence.
  • Oversee editorial resourcing and scientific delivery across key accounts.
  • Define outcome‑focused objectives with clients and embed these within delivery plans.
  • Monitor progress across multiple workstreams, anticipate risks, and guide teams to ensure high‑quality, timely delivery.
  • Identify opportunities for continuous improvement, innovation, and value‑add.
• Client & External Engagement
  • Serve as a trusted scientific advisor to clients, external experts, and senior stakeholders.
  • Lead high‑level scientific conversations and provide authoritative recommendations grounded in data and strategy.
  • Build and sustain deep client relationships, confidently navigating complex stakeholder dynamics.
  • Lead scientific elements of client meetings, workshops, and events.
  • Rapidly establish credibility with new clients across diverse therapy areas.
• Internal Leadership & Team Development
  • Mentor and coach writers to support capability development and delivery excellence.
  • Line‑manage 2-3 writers (as required), supporting growth, setting expectations, and identifying development opportunities.
  • Proactively identify and resolve team challenges with a solutions‑focused mindset.
  • Develop and deliver training sessions and scientific capability‑building initiatives.
  • Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high‑performing team culture.
• Financial & Business Leadership
  • Contribute to internal and external budget discussions, defining scope, hours, and resourcing needs.
  • Support forecasting and planning processes to anticipate resource requirements.
  • Demonstrate strong understanding of account recoverability and model sound financial behaviours.
  • Identify opportunities for organic account growth and strategic expansion.
  • Lead development of scientific and strategic components of pitches and proposals, presenting confidently in new business settings.

What You’ll Bring

• A degree in a life science or biomedical discipline (MSc or PhD advantageous), with advanced scientific literacy.
• Extensive medical writing experience in a medical communications agency environment (typically 6+ years), including leadership of major accounts.
• Demonstrated expertise across multiple content disciplines (publications, medical affairs, promotional) and end‑to‑end programme development.
• Strong ability to interpret, synthesise, and communicate complex scientific information with clarity and impact.
• Confidence leading high‑level client conversations and acting as a trusted scientific partner.
• Proven experience mentoring and managing writers, with commitment to developing talent and maintaining team morale.
• Strong organisational skills, managing competing priorities across complex accounts.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, reference management tools (e.g., EndNote), and medical communications platforms (e.g., Veeva, Datavision).

What We Offer

• Leadership opportunities within high‑impact, strategically significant accounts.
• Clear progression pathway with exposure to senior decision‑making, agency leadership discussions, and complex cross‑functional programmes.
• A collaborative, people‑focused culture that values scientific excellence, curiosity, and continuous learning.
• Opportunities to shape scientific strategy across multiple therapy areas within the AVENIR GLOBAL network.

Our Benefits

As well as the basic salary, great social events and a culture of continual learning, our competitive benefits package includes:

• 25 days’ holiday plus Bank Holidays (rising to a maximum of 30 days alongside length of service).
• Enhanced employer pension contribution.
• Private Medical insurance (for you and your family).
• Income Protection insurance.
• Financial support and advice.
• Travel insurance (for you and your family).
• An annual wellness benefit of £150.
• Four‑week sabbatical after every 5 years’ service.

*Some benefits are contingent on successful completion of probation period.

We are committed to transparency about how we collect and use your data, including ensuring we comply with legal obligations relating to data protection. You can view our data privacy policy here and Recruitment Privacy Policy. Madano is committed to a policy of equal opportunities and non‑discrimination. At all times we aim to recruit, develop and promote the very best people, basing judgement solely on suitability for the job. We particularly encourage applications from those who are significantly underrepresented in our sector, such as disabled people, ethnic minorities and neurodiverse people. Our recruitment process can consist of virtual interviews, in‑person interviews, and written tasks. Please let us know if you have any accessibility requirements so that we can accommodate your needs during this process. We embrace the use of AI across our business and see it as a valuable tool in our work. However, as part of our recruitment process, we ask candidates not to use AI to generate application content or complete written tasks. Submissions may be reviewed using AI detection tools to ensure we can fairly assess each candidate’s own skills and experience. AI use is encouraged once in role.