Director, Kite US Medical Affairs Business Strategy and Operations

Director, US Medical Affairs Strategy & Operations

Kite Medical Affairs Strategy and Operations function is responsible for driving operational excellence and medical effectiveness. This is achieved by working collaboratively within medical affairs and collaborating with cross‑functional stakeholders not limited to commercial, development, regional teams, and Gilead operational teams. Medical affairs Operations ensure the appropriate systems, tools and processes are in place to support and enhance Kite medical affairs business effectiveness.

The Medical Affairs Operations and Strategy Lead will serve as an instrumental partner and operational expert to support the successful execution of the US Medical Affairs strategy. This role involves overseeing cross‑functional projects, optimizing processes, and ensuring alignment between the organization’s medical, clinical, and cross functional objectives. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in Medical Affairs, operational excellence, and leadership, with the ability to drive innovative strategies and execute them with precision.

Position will be filled in Foster City, CA, El Segundo, CA, Thousand Oaks, CA, or Parsippany, NJ.

• Strategic Planning and Leadership:
  • Partner with senior leaders to develop and execute the Medical Affairs strategy in alignment with organizational objectives.
  • Lead the US annual planning process, including budget development, resource allocation, and goal setting.
  • Monitor and assess industry trends to anticipate challenges and opportunities for the Medical Affairs function.
• Governance and Operational Excellence:
  • Drive operational efficiency by streamlining processes, workflows, and systems within Medical Affairs.
  • Enhance and oversee metrics and KPIs to track performance, ensuring continuous improvement.
  • Develop and maintain US governance frameworks to support compliance, quality, and risk management.
  • Support the Medical Affairs system and technology roadmap to support 3‑year business objectives of Medical Affairs.
  • Support the assessment of future technologies for the department and help direct departmental implementation of new technologies.
  • Partner with IT to ensure project goals are in line with global business plans of action and project plans are tracked.
  • Partner with Finance to ensure US projects are managed with fiscal discipline and track to budget.
• Cross‑Functional
  
  Collaboration:
  • Serve as a key liaison between Medical Affairs and other functions (Commercial, Development, Manufacturing, etc.) to ensure alignment and coordination.
  • Facilitate effective communication and information sharing to drive seamless execution of medical strategies.
• Program and Project Management:
  • Oversee the implementation of strategic initiatives, ensuring delivery on time and within scope.
  • Manage cross‑functional project teams to execute high‑impact projects that support Medical Affairs priorities.
  • Enhance dashboards and reporting systems to track the progress of key initiatives.
• Business Insights and Analytics Support:
  • Work with commercial operations to leverage data and analytics to generate actionable insights that inform medical and business strategies.
  • Lead the country insight gathering process for roll‑up to global medical affairs including advisory boards.
• Key Leader on the US Medical Affairs leadership team:
  • Ensures with head of USMA – a high‑performing team to deliver operational and strategic excellence.
  • Embodies & fosters a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability within Medical Affairs.
  • Ensures effective & measurable outcomes for USMA team.

• Advanced scientific degree (MD, PharmD, PhD) and 8+ years of biotech/pharmaceutical industry experience
• Master’s Degree and 10+ years of biotech/pharmaceutical industry experience
• Bachelor’s Degree and 12+ years of biotech/pharmaceutical industry experience
• High School Degree and 16+ years of biotech/pharmaceutical industry experience

• Deep understanding of Medical Affairs business needs and requirements to identify best‑in‑class solutions
• Demonstrated success in developing effective creative solutions to complex problems
• Demonstrated…