Therapeutic Strategy Lead, Infectious Disease (ID) / Vaccine (Home or Office-based)

IQVIA™ is the leading human data science company focused on helping healthcare clients find unparalleled insights and better solutions for patients. Formed through the merger of IMS Health and Quintiles, IQVIA offers a broad range of solutions that harness the power of healthcare data, domain expertise, transformative technology, and advanced analytics to drive healthcare forward.

JOB OVERVIEW

Infectious Disease is a priority growth area for IQVIA with a growing number of business opportunities in the space that require a specific level of experience for early engagement and to create a winning strategy. We are looking for a Therapeutic Strategy Lead who is experienced in Infectious Disease (ID)/vaccine global clinical trial development and can support customer engagement and responses to proposals. To be successful in this role, it is important to understand vaccine and infectious disease clinical trial operations from Phase 1 to Phase 3 and apply operational strategies for seasonal indications. It is also beneficial to have an understanding of the various third-party vendors that are required to run studies in this area. There are several large opportunities and accounts upcoming in this space which require a higher level of engagement to win new business.

The ideal candidate is an experienced, consultative leader responsible for driving early engagement and proposals aligned with client needs in collaboration with the business development and other stakeholders. The Therapeutic Strategy Lead will drive solutions and help to develop and deliver proposals with market-leading solutions and capabilities. The TSL will serve as a therapeutic and operational strategy expert throughout the new business and program/project delivery lifecycle to increase IQVIAs therapeutic market share with early engagement and innovative strategic responses to proposals. The TSL also will be responsible for translating the therapeutic and operational strategy to the project teams once new business is awarded.

This pivotal role represents and demonstrates IQVIA’s credibility with clients, furthering the R&DS business by designing market-leading solutions to secure new projects. Drawing on dedicated proposal development, technical and scientific support, the TSL will be expected to lead cross-functional teams in designing such solutions and ensuring projects are set up to be successful from proposal development through to award. The TSL will take ownership of high-level client relationships for the specified engagements in close collaboration with the sales and account team, with ultimate responsibility for securing business, client satisfaction, project margin, and differentiating IQVIA.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Business Growth and Client Engagement:

• Leverage IQVIA medical, scientific, operational and data science experts to determine the optimal solution, project design and lead a cross-functional team in proposal development through to award
• Assigned to take ownership of developing client-centric solutions, designing both strategic and methodological approaches to ensure that IQVIA secures client projects
• Work with account team to pro-actively develop and shape new business opportunities, securing RDS projects from life sciences clients across the full portfolio of RDS offerings
• Partner with Sales and other functions to support an increase in the number of RFPs, decision rates, and award of strategic and tactical new business to increase market share and achieve annual Gross New Business targets.
• Contribute and support client meetings and partnership meetings to increase enterprise growth through therapeutic and operational strategy differentiation
• Actively support long term enterprise business growth through collaboration with the Centers of Excellence strategic growth plans.
• Champion and advocate the CORE-powered solutions and include existing and new innovative solutions as applicable and appropriate through the sales process. This may include, but is not limited to, stand-alone programs and projects, requests for information (RFI), capabilities, and early engagement. Increase the number of early engagements opportunities to drive growth with increase the potential of noncompetitive awards through early engagement

Strategy Development:

• As a leader of the pre-award strategy team, the TSL is accountable and responsible for creation of innovative, effective, and compelling therapeutic and operational strategies that client differentiate IQVIA from its competitors.
• Work with key internal stakeholders and pre/post-award teams to analyse information and data that enables development of efficient and feasible delivery solutions. This may include, but is not limited to, protocol feasibility and risk management, assessment and management of the competitive landscape, optimal country and site distributions,  site and patient recruitment strategies, monitoring and vendor strategies.
• Development and review of the project budget (labor and pass-through costs) associated with the proposed delivery strategy. The budget should be competitive and in line with the contribution margin targets and pricing strategy agreed with Sales, Project Leadership, and other stakeholders.
• Actively develop and contribute to proposal text. Ensure overall proposal document is tailored to the specific needs of the client. 
•  Actively support Sales in the preparation and conduct of client and bid defense meetings e.g. training and preparation of the assigned project team; provide specific content; ensure presentation focus and content effectively conveys project strategy and critical win themes. Attend and present at client meetings, or bid defense meetings, as required, (based on the strategy for selling the opportunity).  Work with Sales on follow-up actions as needed.

Strategy Translation and Post Award Support

• Translate the sold strategy to the delivery team and be an available resource for the delivery team when changes to strategy are required.
• Guide and mentor assigned Project Leader through a comprehensive handover of the project strategy and facilitate their understanding so that they can confidently present the project strategy to the client (in prep for bid defense or upon award if no defense) and internal stakeholders.  Ensure project leadership owns the strategy and CORE-powered solutions after the strategy handover meeting.  This may extend to other assigned team members depending on the complexities and/or nuances of the strategy being outlined.  
• Provide post award strategy guidance and support to delivery teams if in-flight studies require changes to strategy

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Remain up to date with knowledge and information that supports effectiveness as a Therapeutic Strategy Lead e.g. understanding IQVIA’ services, tools and product offerings, status and trends in assigned TA(s), innovations and advances in clinical trial methodology, and business intelligence.
• Broad protocol and therapeutic knowledge
• Strong understanding of other IQVIA departments and functions
• Proven ability to make decisions with limited information, bringing clarity to disparate information to inform actions and drive results
• Experience working productively in a pressurized environment, managing competing priorities and maintaining a positive outlook at work; handles criticism well and learns from it
• Comprehensive global knowledge, awareness, and practical understanding of the biopharma industry, drug development lifecycle and operational clinical trial delivery
• Robust and current knowledge of scientific, clinical, regulatory, commercial and competitive landscape in applicable therapeutic area
• In depth knowledge of, and skill in applying, applicable clinical research regulatory requirements; e.g. Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines
• Demonstrated ability to understand client needs, have difficult conversations with internal/external stakeholders and clients, negotiate solutions and understand impacts on the overall offering
• Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, including good command of English language (both written and spoken)
• Strong leadership skills, ability to work with minimal supervision, and lead a virtual team in a matrix organization. 
• Innovative and strategic thinker
• Strong business acumen including confidence with financial considerations, excellent negotiation and influencing skills, and comfort working in both sales and operational environments
• Flexible and able to work in situations where specifications may or may not be well defined and willing to support work in other therapeutic areas when required
• Confident and capable in the use of technology, applications, and other media e.g. databases and internet to research new opportunities, maintain currency of therapeutic and operational knowledge, and competitive landscape.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a wide network of individuals e.g. co-workers, managers and clients
• Effective mentoring and training skills, fostering learning and knowledge sharing with colleagues

MINIMUM REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in life sciences, advanced degree preferred, with specialization in one or more therapeutic areas and 12 years global clinical research relevant experience, including hands-on operational delivery and/or drug development experience; or equivalent combination of education, training and experience
• Proven track record in operational delivery and/or drug development involvement

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

May require frequent travel

Join Us

Making a positive impact on human health takes insight, curiosity, and intellectual courage. It takes brave minds, pushing the boundaries to transform healthcare. Regardless of your role, you will have the opportunity to play an important part in helping our clients drive healthcare forward and ultimately improve outcomes for patients.

Forge a career with greater purpose, make an impact, and never stop learning.

IQVIA is an EEO Employer - Minorities/Females/Protected Veterans/Disabled

IQVIA, Inc. provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities.  Applicants who require reasonable accommodation to submit an application for employment or otherwise participate in the application process should contact IQVIA’s Talent Acquisition team at workday_recruiting@iqvia.com to arrange for such an accommodation.