Job Title: Lead Medical Writer

Department: Medical Writing


JOB PURPOSE          

Lead the medical writing team for accounts that require multiple writers to meet the content demands of customized medical communications initiatives, and/or lead multiple accounts.


JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

With minimal direction or supervision, responsible for assigned-client service: provide high-quality editorial oversight for all content including planning through review; maintain knowledge of project status (content development and review) to ensure editorial quality and successful completion of all client content projects; identify and develop new opportunities for projects (working with the account manager) and publications (working with the publications manager); interact with account manager, publications managers, and project managers to ensure adherence to timelines and deliverables.


RESPONSIBILITY/PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT

Content Development-Work closely with assigned project management team to ensure high-quality editorial implementation of all assigned-client programs.

  • Effectively provides the information people need to know to do their jobs and to feel good about being a member of the assigned-client project team
  • Provides medical writers information and direction so that they can draft accurate, high-quality editorial content; serves as a resource for questions
  • Assesses potential projects to provide an estimate of writing time required for completion
  • Reviews content for the assigned-client projects and ensures that content reflects clients’ objectives and preferences while staying on time and on budget
  • Cultivates and shares expertise in assigned therapeutic areas
  • Delegates tasks and decisions in a professional manner, sets clear objectives, and trusts people to perform
  • Shares responsibility and accountability for assigned-client projects
  • Consistently complies with Fishawack standard editorial procedures, including ethical standards


Communication-Effectively and proactively communicate with team members (editorial, project, client), authors/faculty, and vendors in areas related to project completion.

  • Ensures that information is communicated effectively within and across internal teams in a timely manner
  • Keeps project team and manager apprised of project(s) status (through weekly status meetings or routine email communications) and challenges encountered during the project (eg, changes in scope, delays in receiving comments) to ensure project completion on time and on budget
  • Proactively provides input to team members to enhance project outcomes
  • Prioritizes workload for medical writers on team
  • Offers to assist others in times of slow workloads and asks for assistance during times of heavy workloads


Business Development-Investigate, conceptualize, and strategize new medical communications projects and publications to support the assigned-client’s needs and opportunities.

  • Supports account manager’s efforts to identify and secure new business for assigned client in a timely manner
  • Understands scope of Fishawack’s capabilities and how to tailor Fishawack’s services to assigned-client’s needs
  • Effectively identifies opportunities for content development for assigned client


Company Representation-Represent the company at client meetings (e.g, advisory boards, speaker-training meetings, business development initiatives) in a professional manner.

  • Serves as onsite editorial resource and content expert in a professional manner
  • Reviews and revises program content, as needed in an accurate and timely manner
  • Prepares speakers for their presentations in a professional manner
  • Anticipates additional onsite needs and proactively prepares for these needs
  • Proactively assists project team; acts as a collaborative team member
  • Is prepared to discuss top-line information pertaining to content of business development meetings; educates internal, non-medical team members about content-related issues


CORE COMPETENCIES FOR THIS POSITION

(The behaviors, skills and practices required to accomplish the objectives of this position and in the daily conduct of business.)

  • Written Communications-Is able to write clearly and succinctly in a variety of communication settings and styles; can get messages across that have the desired effect
  • Timely Decision Making-Makes decisions in a timely manner, sometimes with incomplete information and under tight deadlines and pressure; able to make a quick decision
  • Informing-Provides the information people need to know to do their jobs and to feel good about being a member of the project team; provides medical writers information and direction so that they can draft accurate, high-quality editorial content; is timely with information
  • Delegation-Clearly and comfortably delegates both routine and important tasks and decisions; broadly shares both responsibility and accountability; tends to trust people to perform; lets team members finish their own work
  • Composure-Is cool under pressure; does not become defensive or irritated when times are tough; is considered mature; can be counted on to hold things together during tough times; can handle stress


CORE COMPETENCIES FOR ALL FISHAWACK POSITIONS

  • Client Focus-Is dedicated to meeting and exceeding the expectations and requirements of clients; gets first-hand client information and uses it for improvements in services; acts with clients in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with clients and gains their trust and respect
  • Functional/Technical Skills-Has the functional and technical knowledge, skills, and creativity to do the job at an extremely high level of accomplishment
  • Ethics/Values/Integrity/Trust-Adheres to an appropriate and effective set of core values and beliefs during both good and bad times; acts in line with those values; acts in a direct and truthful way; can present the unvarnished truth in an appropriate and helpful manner; admits mistakes; doesn’t misrepresent him/herself for personal gain


INTERACTIONS (EXTERNAL & INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS)

  • Clients
  • Authors/Thought Leaders/Experts
  • Vendors
  • Contract or Freelance Employees
  • All Employees


REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES

(To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and ability required.)


Education                                    

Required: 4 year post secondary education, or equivalent experience; Bachelor’s degree in the life sciences; PharmD or PhD highly preferred


Experience

  • 5+ years of medical writing experience
  • 5+ years of editorial process experience
  • 2+ years of experience with assigned-client’s projects


Special Knowledge/Skills

  • Proficiency in the use of MS Office, specifically Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
  • Proficiency in Internet and PubMed searches
  • Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, and as part of a team

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