Medical Lead

Join Neo Optima at Cencora and help shape the future of Medical Affairs and Medical Excellence. We are seeking a Director-level Medical Lead to drive strategic client engagements while helping build Neo Optima’s capabilities, offerings, and growth.

This role is ideal for a leader who combines scientific credibility, consulting strength, and commercial acumen to solve complex challenges across medical strategy, portfolio planning, field enablement, and AI-enabled Medical Affairs. The role spans both client delivery and internal business building, with approximately 50% of time focused on each, depending on business priorities and client needs.

We welcome candidates from across the United States. Given the global nature of the team and regular cross-region collaboration, candidates in the Eastern Time Zone or nearby time zones may find the working hours especially well aligned.

• Lead and deliver strategic advisory engagements across Medical Affairs and Medical Excellence for life sciences clients.
• Shape and deliver solutions related to medical strategy, portfolio planning, field enablement, operating models, and AI-enabled Medical Affairs.
• Support Neo Optima’s growth by contributing to capability building, strategic initiatives, thought leadership, and field enablement.
• Assess current-state client capabilities and identify opportunities to improve effectiveness, scalability, and business impact.
• Develop practical, actionable roadmaps to enhance Medical Affairs strategy, operations, and execution.
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to support solution development, proposals, and strategic client discussions.
• Lead complex work streams independently while managing multiple priorities, stakeholders, and deadlines.
• Translate scientific and technical insights into clear, client-ready recommendations and deliverables.
• Contribute to the development of reusable methodologies, tools, and best practices across Neo Optima and VEA.
• Provide guidance to less-experienced team members and help drive consistent, high-quality delivery.

#LI-AT2

• Bachelor’s degree in health economics, pharmacy administration, biostatistics, health services research, clinical epidemiology, public health, life sciences, or a related field, or equivalent experience.

• Master’s degree in health economics, epidemiology, public health, pharmacy, medicine, biostatistics, or a related field, or equivalent experience.

• Certification in epidemiology or public health research
• Certification in health economics and outcomes research
• Certification in medical writing or scientific communications

• 6+ years of experience in one or more of the following:
  • Medical Affairs
  • Medical Excellence
  • Health outcomes research
  • Epidemiology
  • Health economics
  • Scientific consulting
  • Medical writing
  • Market access evidence
  • Related life sciences or consulting disciplines

• Experience leading or supporting strategic consulting engagements for pharmaceutical, biotech, or life sciences organizations
• Experience improving Medical Affairs capabilities, operations, field models, or organizational effectiveness
• Experience developing and presenting client-ready recommendations and strategic deliverables
• Experience supporting proposal development, concept papers, and client solution design

• Strong knowledge of health outcomes research, epidemiology, and observational study design principles
• Understanding of health economics concepts, including value demonstration, evidence generation, and economic model development
• Knowledge of systematic literature reviews, evidence synthesis methods, and scientific publication…