Associate Director, US Scientific Strategy & KOL Engagement – HIV Prevention

Job DescriptionAssociate Director, US Scientific Strategy & KOL Engagement – HIV PreventionJoin the US launch team for an investigational Phase III HIV prevention asset to lead scientific strategy & KOL engagement. Reporting to the future Director HCP Marketing Product Owner, this role will lead scientific engagement, thought-leader strategy, and be responsible for translating scientific insights into commercial and medical strategies that advance care for people who may benefit from PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis) and business objectives. This is a high-visibility role that will shape scientific advocacy, KOL (key opinion leader) engagement, speaker and congress strategy, and the integration of KOL insights into brand planning and cross-functional go-to-market activities.The ideal candidate for this role is someone with a demonstrated record of strong strategic thinking, ability to comprehend and translate complex scientific & clinical data and deliver results working cross-collaboratively and leading without authority.Primary ResponsibilitiesScientific Strategy for HIV PrEPLead development of scientific narrative for HIV prevention (PrEP) in partnership with Medical Affairs, Outcomes Research, Global Marketing, HCP Marketing, and other stakeholders.Advance scientific narrative by integrating into brand strategy and working with cross-functional teams to define and prioritize evidence needs that support clinical positioning, payer value, and future pipeline decisions; translate gaps into actionable evidence-generation and advocacy plans.Continuously monitor emerging science, guidelines, and competitive data; educate marketing and engagement teams on key developments and ensure the scientific narrative and materials are updated accordingly.Scientific Leader and Organization Identification & ProfilingOwn identification, mapping, and profiling of national, regional, and emerging scientific leaders, clinical experts, and relevant society contacts across the US HIV prevention ecosystem including HIV CommunityMaintain a prioritized, dynamic KOL landscape aligned to brand and portfolio objectives, and surface relationship- and insight-priorities to cross-functional partners.Strategic Scientific Engagement & PlanningDesign and execute strategic, compliance‑aligned engagement plans (advisory boards, external expert meetings, group input meetings, site visits, customer strategy sessions) that generate prioritized, actionable insights.Ensure engagements are explicitly linked to business questions and evidence needs; convert KOL input into clear recommendations for brand positioning, messaging, and evidence-generation priorities.Medical Education & Speaker DevelopmentLead development of omnichannel medical education aligned to the scientific narrative and brand priorities; ensure content meets educational and compliance standards.Build and manage a U.S. HIV PrEP speaker bureau: identify faculty, oversee onboarding and training, and ensure speakers consistently reflect approved scientific platforms and messaging.Congress & Scientific Meeting StrategyDevelop and lead congress strategies to maximize scientific impact and insights capture across national, regional, and specialty meetings, including sponsorships, programming, and satellite activities.Coordinate logistics and stakeholder participation to ensure seamless execution and capture of strategic learnings.Insight Generation & IntegrationCapture, synthesize, and operationalize real‑time qualitative and quantitative insights from KOL interactions, GIMs, speaker feedback, and field inputs.Partner with Data & Analytics and Medical Affairs to triangulate HCP insights with clinical, real-world, and outcomes data to inform brand strategy, evidence-generation plans, and commercial tactics—ensuring insights are documented, prioritized, and tracked to decision outcomes.Compliance, Quality & Vendor ManagementEnsure all scientific engagement, speaker, and congress activities comply with internal policies, industry codes, and regulatory requirements.Oversee external vendor and agency relationships, ensuring quality deliverables, timelines, and budget stewardship.QualificationsEducation: Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (MBA, MPH, PharmD, MD, MS, or equivalent) preferred.Required Experience & Skills:A minimum of 5 years of healthcare industry experience, including at least 3 years in strategic marketing or Scientific Leader facing roleStrong strategic acumen with proven ability to craft and advance compelling, evidence‑driven scientific narrativesDemonstrated success in building and maintaining high-quality scientific relationships and networks within a therapeutic area.Excellent verbal and written communication skills; comfortable delivering presentations to senior leadership and external experts.Strong cross-functional partnering skills and demonstrated ability to influence in a matrixed environment without direct authorityExperience managing external vendors/agency partners, with fiscal responsibility for budgets.Deep understanding of compliance and regulatory requirements governing scientific engagement and HCP-facing activities in the U.S.Flexibility and readiness to travel for congresses, advisory meetings, and field engagements (including occasional weekends/evenings).A growth mindset, strong collaboration and business agility.PreferredHIV Treatment or Prevention, or related public health experienceProduct launches and pre-launch commercialization activitiesProven self-starter with a hands-on, results-driven approach: proactively identifies opportunities, removes barriers, and delivers outcomes with minimal supervision.Ability to influence without authority and drive team towards common goalFamiliarity with omnichannel marketing and digital channel integration, as well as agile marketing processStrong track record of designing and executing speaker programs, advisory boards, and congress strategies that align with business and scientific obj