Job Description:

We’re looking for a senior medical affairs leader to head our UK Vaccines & Public Medical Affairs team – shaping national vaccination strategy, partnering with key healthcare and policy stakeholders, and ensuring patients benefit from world class prevention and treatment sooner.

If you’re passionate about vaccines, public health and leading high performing teams, this role gives you the platform, remit and support to make a visible impact across the UK and Ireland.

As Director of Medical Affairs, Vaccines & Public Health, you will:

• Lead an industry leading vaccines medical affairs team, working in close alignment with EMEAC Regional Medical Affairs and Global Vaccines teams.

• Own and deliver the Medical Affairs strategy and plans for our Vaccines & Public Health portfolio – from early pipeline through to late lifecycle, ensuring everything we do is grounded in science and patient benefit.

• Shape the external environment for vaccines and public health by building strong, trusted relationships with clinical and scientific leaders, policy makers, NHS stakeholders, payers and key advocacy groups.

• Act as the senior vaccines medical voice in the UK, representing our portfolio and perspectives at key scientific, clinical and policy meetings, and in engagement with stakeholders such as JCVI, NHSE, HSA and professional bodies.

• Operate 100% in a non-promotional capacity, ensuring the highest standards of ethics, compliance and governance in everything you and your team do.

• What you’ll do

• Lead the Vaccines & Public Heath Medical Affairs team within the UK Medical Affairs Leadership Team.

• Develop and execute Medical Affairs Plans (MAPs) for each key therapy area in Vaccines & Public Health, in partnership with cross functional teams (e.g. Market Access, Commercial, Regulatory, Quality, Legal).

• Align UK medical priorities with regional (EMEAC) and global strategies, while identifying and acting on UK specific opportunities and needs.

• Map and anticipate emerging trends in UK life sciences and public health, and connect these to our strategy and MAPs.

• Maintain deep understanding of our early and late stage pipeline and partner with discovery, development, and search & evaluation teams to give UK insights early in the development cycle.

• Lead UK advice seeking activities for pipeline assets and help define their potential patient impact early.

• In close collaboration with Health Technology Assessment and Outcomes Research, oversee UK Phase 3b / 4 and real world data projects, including study operations, budgets, data generation and publication planning; Influencing access & implementation.

• Partner with Market Access and Commercial colleagues to deliver horizon scanning, input to tender submissions and, where appropriate, support access programmes to enable earlier patient access.

• Bring together insights from NHS clinical practice, National Immunisation Programmes, health economics and policy to shape how vaccines and anti infectives are implemented in real world settings.

• Lead, coach & develop a high performing team

• Set a clear vision and direction for the Vaccines Medical Affairs Directorate and inspire the team to deliver to a high standard of medical excellence.

• Build capabilities, identify and nurture talent, and address under performance where needed.

• Champion cross functional collaboration, break down silos and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

• Ensure the team is always “audit ready” and fully aligned to UK regulatory and governance frameworks (e.g. MHRA, ABPI, GCP, PV).

What you'll bring:

• Medical degree preferred; alternatively, a Pharmacy degree or higher science degree (e.g. PhD) with significant relevant industry experience.

• Extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry or equivalent, with significant and recent experience in Vaccines (essential).

• Strong scientific background in medical or biological sciences with a robust understanding of NHS clinical practice and the UK vaccines / public health landscape.

• Deep understanding of the UK National Health Service, National Immunisation Programmes, the UK academic and life sciences environment, and how these systems interact.

• Demonstrated ability to discuss clinical data, policy, health economics and science credibly with senior external stakeholders.

• High level of knowledge of the ABPI Code of Practice, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), pharmacovigilance regulations; final signatory status (or eligibility) is highly desirable.

• Proven ability to apply and adopt innovative technologies and processes in pharma and/or healthcare settings.

• Proven experience leading and developing medical or cross functional teams, setting clear strategic direction and raising performance.

• Strong relationship building skills with scientific leaders and decision makers in clinical, academic, policy or payer environments.

• Confident communicator with excellent influencing, strategic planning and organisational skills; able to balance long  and short term priorities.

• Track record of effective cross functional collaboration and working through matrix structures.

• Comfortable and credible engaging senior stakeholders internally and externally, representing both the vaccines team and the wider UK & Ireland Medical Affairs organisation.

• Ability to critically appraise progress, drive change and maintain a sharp focus on patient centric outcomes.

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively for the common good. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.

Required Skills: Adaptability, Advisory Board Development, Decision Making, Healthcare Education, Healthcare Management, Infectious Disease, Management Process, Medical Affairs, Multiple Therapeutic Areas, People Leadership, Project Life Cycle Management, Results-Oriented, Scientific Communications, Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Planning, Vaccine Management

Preferred Skills: Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

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Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company.  No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Employee Status: Regular

Relocation:VISA Sponsorship:Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:Valid Driving License:Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

03/4/2026

A job posting is effective until 11: 59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.