Pharmaceutical Industry Engagement Lead, Medicines for All Institute
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA
Full-time
Management
Posted on April 4, 2024
Pharmaceutical Industry Engagement Lead, Medicines for All Institute
Reports To: Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer
Job Summary:
Medicines for All (M4ALL), a part of Virginia Commonwealth University, is an entrepreneurial, impact-oriented institute founded with commitment to improving access to medications across the globe by driving down production costs. We do this, in part, by developing low-cost, high-quality routes for the manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
M4ALL is a global leader in delivering lower-cost processes for drug development, and continues to grow to meet the global need for access to medicines. With a future promising high-growth, M4ALL seeks its inaugural Pharmaceutical Industry Engagement Lead which will be responsible for ensuring M4ALL's scientific and technoeconomic work is adopted in the market, creating significant impact on global access to much needed medicines. The individual who is a fit for this role will be comfortable leading the end-to-end development and execution of an evolving stakeholder engagement function while building the systems and processes required as our work expands and scales. We are seeking an individual who can both connect the dots at a strategic level, and is also excited to operate in “doer” mode, ensuring strategies are sound, actionable, and of high-quality.
The Industry Engagement Lead plays a critical role in ensuring we deliver on our mission through effective engagement with drug developers and manufacturers. The individual in this role will lead M4ALL's effort to proactively and effectively engage pharmaceutical drugmakers to bring to market global health medicines increasing access for those who need them around the world. As a bridge between our scientific team and manufacturing partners, the Industry Engagement Lead is responsible for fostering relationships and developing all related strategies and products ensuring innovations developed by M4ALL are adopted by drug developers and manufacturers around the world.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategy Development (10%)
- Develop and implement a strategic engagement strategy involving global drug developers and manufacturers, as well as other relevant stakeholders, related to increasing access to global health medicines (e.g., medicines treating malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, etc.)
- Develop and implement a cross-functional strategy, including appropriate goals, objectives and supporting activities, ensuring adoption of M4ALL's processes by drug developers and manufacturers leading to increased global access for medicines
- Collaboratively build required processes, tools, and resources to operationalize stakeholder engagement, specific to drug developers and manufacturers and increasing access to global health medicines
- Develop and implement a systematic approach to gathering intelligence about drug developers and manufacturers, including their strategic priorities, capabilities, and interests in meeting the needs of global health drug shortages in an effort to build and maintain an information hub for stakeholders
- Develop robust profiles for manufacturers for the purpose of informing delivery and adoption of M4ALL processes in the global health medicines market
- Develop and foster a network of contacts within the drug developer and manufacturing community on behalf of M4ALL with the purpose of increasing access to global health medicines
- Proactively engage drug developers and manufacturers to drive adoption of M4ALL-developed synthetic processes increasing the value of M4ALL's work in meeting global health medicine demand
- Represent M4ALL in relevant global conferences/meetings to meet the mission
- Coordinate internally ensuring M4ALL processes are presented to drug developers and manufacturers with quality and specificity for effective adoption of resulting process improvements to lower cost of development of global health medicines
- Provide consultative input to M4ALL's R&D team to ensure process development reports reflect requirements of industry community
- Ensure delivery of well-packaged information meeting stakeholder requirements related to the work of M4ALL, which may include interim and final reports, executive summaries, PowerPoint presentations, special notices, publications, strategies, other media formats, etc. prepared for relevant audiences in cooperation with the Communications and Technical teams
The inaugural Industry Engagement Lead will develop and implement all relevant stakeholder engagement efforts from end-to-end in a proactive manner ensuring the adoption of innovative processes developed by M4ALL. In doing so, this individual is part of a significant effort to lower the cost of much needed global health medicines treating diseases effecting the lives of millions around the world.
Required Experience and Skills for Success:
- A degree in a scientific or technical field relevant to drug development and/or manufacturing (i.e., chemistry, biology, engineering, pharmaceutical science, etc.)
- At least 7 years of experience in pharmaceutical drug development, formulation, and/or manufacturing
- Demonstrated experience in engaging with pharmaceutical companies throughout drug development lifecycle
- Effective communication skills, including the ability to convene partners and foster relationships with enthusiasm
- Project management skills to include the execution of effective process development and implementation, while maintaining high-quality documentation, effort and work
- At a minimum, knowledge of GCP and/or GMP regulations, regulatory affairs, API development, global generic pharmaceuticals, medicines specific to global health
- Ability to write reports, develop appealing presentations, and convey information in a compelling manner to relevant stakeholders (i.e., funders, scientists, drug developers/manufacturers, global health partner organizations, etc.)
- High self-drive and motivation with complete task development and ownership
- Strong analytical skills, including systematically collecting and analyzing market data ensuring effective optimization of organization operations
- Work-related domestic and international travel up to 25% and could adjust with growth
- A strong commitment to championing diversity and equity to include cultivating an inclusive environment that values and respects individuals from all backgrounds, perspectives, and identities
- Alignment and adherence to M4ALL's core values and purpose, to include an unwavering commitment to safety with the highest standards of honesty, respect, professionalism, integrity and scholarly ethics alignment with VCU/M4ALL values
- Significant experience and/or relationships in generic pharmaceutical industry, specifically in India or China
- Experience and/or relationships with major global health foundations, funders, and partner organizations
- Experience in startup or entrepreneurial environment where processes need to be developed, tested and refined
- Exposure to business development and/or customer experience management
Commensurate With Experience
VCU consistently ranks among the best places to work as judged by local and national organizations. VCU offers a robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, generous paid time off and holiday pay, employer-funded retirement plans as well as supplemental retirement savings plans with cash matching, tuition benefits, employee discounts, well-being resources, and abundant opportunities for career development and more!
Life at Medicines for All:
A career with M4ALL offers an invaluable chance to contribute meaningfully to work centered around tackling critical global health challenges. Our working environment is high-energy and the culture is mission-driven. The problems we hope to solve are immense, and we are just getting started on this journey! Join us in making a lasting impact at the forefront of pressing health issues worldwide!
Contact: M4ALL@vcu.edu
Position Details:
• University Job Title: Administrator/Senior Administrator (32911 - 32916)
• Exemption Status: Exempt
• ORP Eligibility: Yes
• Restricted Status: M4ALL is a grant funded research institute dependent upon the availability of funding
• Flexible work arrangements: Yes, remote work supported. Applicants located outside the Greater Richmond region are welcome to apply.
VCU and M4ALL is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.
