Head of US Field Medical
Skyhawk Therapeutics · Waltham, MA
Head of US Field Medical
The Head of US Field Medical will build and lead Skyhawk’s US field medical organization in support of SKY-0515 and future pipeline assets, with direct accountability for field medical strategy, scientific engagement, insight generation, Medical Science Liasion (MSL) team development and management, and launch readiness.
This is a hands-on, builder role. The successful candidate will have experience establishing or scaling a field medical organization and leading an MSL team through the pre-launch and launch phases of at least one orphan, rare disease, neurology, or other high-touch specialty product. The individual must be comfortable operating with the resourcing, pace, and ambiguity of a small biopharmaceutical company — not simply directing processes developed by larger organizations.
This role sits at the center of Skyhawk’s Medical Affairs organization and requires close, day-to-day collaboration with Clinical Development, Clinical Operations, Scientific Communications, Publications, Medical Information, HEOR and Real-World Evidence, Patient Advocacy, Regulatory, Drug Safety, Legal and Compliance, and appropriate Commercial partners.
Responsibilities
US Field Medical Strategy and Leadership
- Develop and execute the national US field medical strategy for SKY-0515 and future pipeline assets, aligned with the Medical Affairs strategy, scientific communications platform, clinical development plan, and lifecycle priorities.
- Design and build the US MSL organization, including team size, geographic deployment, territory structure, stakeholder prioritization, hiring sequence, and workload expectations.
- Recruit, onboard, coach, and develop a high-performing MSL team, establishing clear competencies, objectives, performance standards, and career-development pathways.
- Personally establish relationships with nationally recognized experts, investigators, treatment-center leaders, and professional organizations, participating directly in Skyhawk’s highest-priority scientific engagements.
Scientific Exchange and External Engagement
- Ensure that MSLs conduct accurate, balanced, evidence-based, and non-promotional scientific exchange with healthcare professionals and other appropriate stakeholders.
- Lead field communication of emerging clinical, biomarker, translational, disease-state, and real-world evidence related to SKY-0515 and the evolving Huntington’s disease treatment landscape.
- Develop a coordinated engagement strategy for Huntington’s disease centers, movement-disorder specialists, genetic counselors, multidisciplinary care teams, investigators, and scientific organizations.
- Partner with Medical Affairs and Clinical colleagues to support advisory boards, congress activities, investigator interactions, scientific meetings, medical education, and appropriate research collaborations.
Medical Insights and Evidence Needs
- Establish a structured process for capturing, documenting, analyzing, prioritizing, and communicating medical insights generated through field interactions.
- Translate insights into actionable recommendations for Medical Affairs strategy, evidence generation, clinical development, publications, scientific communications, education, and lifecycle planning.
- Identify evidence gaps, clinical-practice barriers, educational needs, patient-journey challenges, and stakeholder perceptions that could influence the development and appropriate use of SKY-0515.
Launch Readiness and Medical Execution
- Serve as the field medical lead on the cross-functional launch team, ensuring that MSL hiring, deployment, training, systems, materials, and stakeholder engagement are appropriately sequenced ahead of potential approval.
- Develop and execute the US field medical launch-readiness plan, including disease-state education, pre-launch scientific engagement, stakeholder mapping, insight generation, and post-approval execution.
- Partner with Scientific Communications and Medical Information to provide the MSL team with current, appropriately approved scientific resources, response documents, data summaries, and frequently asked questions.
- Build a comprehensive scientific training and certification program addressing Huntington’s disease, SKY-0515’s mechanism of action, clinical and biomarker data, clinical trial methodology, the competitive landscape, and compliance requirements.
Team Development and Field Excellence
- Create a culture of scientific rigor, patient focus, accountability, collaboration, continuous learning, and ethical decision-making across the US field medical organization.
- Conduct regular field coaching and performance reviews focused on scientific knowledge, quality of engagement, strategic execution, insight generation, and compliance.
- Establish consistent standards for field planning, documentation, CRM use, reporting, analytics, and performance measurement.
- Manage the US field medical budget, including headcount, travel, training, congress participation, technology, and external resources.
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Partner closely with Clinical Development and Clinical Operations to support appropriate scientific engagement with investigators and research sites while maintaining clearly defined functional boundaries.
- Collaborate with Scientific Communications, Publications, Medical Information, HEOR, Real-World Evidence, and Patient Advocacy to align field activities with broader Medical Affairs priorities.
- Work with Regulatory, Drug Safety, Legal, and Compliance to ensure that field medical plans, materials, training, and external engagements meet applicable requirements and company standards.
Compliance and Medical Governance
- Establish and maintain field medical policies, procedures, training, documentation practices, and governance processes consistent with applicable laws, regulations, industry codes, and Skyhawk standards.
- Ensure that all MSL activities remain scientific, balanced, non-promotional, appropriately documented, and responsive to legitimate medical and scientific needs.
- Ensure timely reporting of adverse events, product complaints, and other reportable safety or quality information identified through field interactions.
- Maintain clear and compliant standards governing interactions with healthcare professionals, investigators, patients, caregivers, advocacy organizations, and Commercial colleagues.
Requirements, Education, Experience and Skills
- 12 or more years of progressive experience in Medical Affairs, Field Medical, or a related biopharmaceutical function, including substantial direct MSL experience and at least five years of people leadership.
- Demonstrated experience building, expanding, or transforming a national MSL organization, including organizational design, recruitment, onboarding, training, coaching, and performance management.
- Experience leading field medical activities through pre-launch and launch for a neurology, orphan, rare disease, or similarly complex therapy.
- Experience in Huntington’s disease, movement disorders, neurology, neurodegenerative disease, or another high-touch central nervous system therapeutic area.
- Advanced scientific or clinical degree required, such as an MD, DO, PharmD, PhD, or equivalent degree in a relevant discipline.
Additional Required Skills
- Strong scientific and clinical acumen, with the ability to interpret and communicate clinical trial results, biomarkers, statistical analyses, disease-progression data, and emerging evidence.
- Demonstrated ability to establish credible, peer-to-peer relationships with nationally recognized experts, investigators, and senior scientific stakeholders.
- Strong understanding of Medical Affairs compliance requirements, scientific exchange, medical insights, CRM systems, field analytics, and appropriate Medical–Commercial collaboration.
- Ability to operate effectively in a small or emerging biopharmaceutical company