Medical Director, Medical Affairs

The Senior Medical Director, Alixorexton, is a highly visible and business-critical role that is part of the Medical Strategy team within Alkermes Medical Affairs. This role leads medical affairs efforts for Alixorexton within our sleep medicine program, including oversight of medical activities to drive a successful product launch. Alixorexton is a novel orexin 2 receptor agonist being developed for the treatment of disorders of hypersomnolence and is our lead compound for our orexin biology platform. 

The incumbent will need to understand the business strategies and drivers underlying our Alixorexton program, translating those drivers into strategies and data generation and communication plans that contribute to a successful product launch, and ensure alignment of Alixorexton activities across our neuroscience portfolio. A successful candidate will demonstrate their ability to effectively collaborate and communicate with colleagues within Medical Affairs, with key cross-functional partners (e.g., Commercial, Clinical Development, Biostatistics), and frequently represent the function and the company to senior management as well as healthcare professionals.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a subject matter expert in sleep medicine, orexin biology, and Alixorexton data. Maintain an organizational awareness of the evolving sleep medicine treatment landscape, relevant pharmaceutical/biotech company pipelines, and evolving payer trends and needs

• Analyze and interpret scientific data, disease/treatment landscape, and external stakeholder evidence to identify challenges, opportunities, and strategic imperatives to communicate and demonstrate the value of Alixorexton

• Lead the medical affairs strategic planning and launch planning processes for Alixorexton and ensure alignment of the medical plans to Alkermes’ programmatic goals and objectives. Ensure execution of medical tactics associated with our strategic plans

• Lead the Alixorexton Medical Affairs Strategy Team and participate in key cross-functional program teams, including launch planning 

• Contribute to the scientific and medical communication planning process. Review and approve scientific publications, investigator-initiated study proposals, medical education grant initiatives, corporate communications and others

• Help design our areas of interest for independent investigator research proposals and collaborate with our Lifecycle Management team and Regulatory on the strategic direction and design of phase 3b and 4 studies that build the Alixorexton data package and lay the groundwork to future label updates

• Collaborate with other sleep medicine medical directors to establish medical education areas of focus and review CME grant applications

• Foster relationships with and solicit input from key medical opinion leaders, researchers, and relevant medical societies and patient advocacy organizations

• Collaborate with Health Outcomes Research and Patient Advocacy to represent the patient voice in our clinical development activities 

• Provide medical and scientific training and/or support to other staff internally across functions as needed

• Represent the Alixorexton medical team in front of senior leaders 

Qualifications

• Highly motivated self-starter who can work independently, manage complex issues, and relate to multiple internal and external stakeholders

• Experience working in a highly matrixed team environment and a demonstrated ability to lead through influence across the organization and at all vertical levels 

• Proven record of problem solving, excellent communication skills (written and verbal), and experience interacting with and presenting to senior management and key external stakeholders

• Doctorate in Medicine (MD) required. Prior experience or specialized training in sleep medicine or neuroscience considered a plus

• Strong track record within the biopharmaceutical industry, with a minimum of 5 years’ experience. Experience in Medical Affairs preferred

• Experience with peer-reviewed publications 

• Strong scientific background, creativity, flexibility

• Working knowledge of regulatory and compliance requirements 

OTHER:

• Willingness/ability to travel up to 25%, with both domestic and international travel expected

• This role is Hybrid (3 days per week in the Waltham, MA office)

Alkermes has recently adopted a hybrid working environment to support and meet the needs of employees and this role will operate in a flexible environment with 60% of time in the office and 40% from home. This position is eligible for the hybrid workplace model, requiring work to be completed onsite at our Waltham, MA office at least 3 days per week. This role is not eligible for fully remote work. 

The annual base salary for this position ranges from $290,000 to $340,000. In addition, this position is eligible for an annual performance pay bonus.  Exact compensation may vary based on skills, training, knowledge, and experience. Alkermes offers a competitive benefits package.  Additional details can be found on our careers website: www.alkermes.com/careers#working-here  

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Why join Team Alkermes?

Alkermes applies its decades of deep neuroscience expertise to develop medicines designed to help people living with complex and difficult-to-treat psychiatric and neurological disorders. A global biopharmaceutical company, headquartered in Ireland with U.S. locations in Massachusetts and Ohio, we seek to make a meaningful difference in the way people manage their diseases. We have a portfolio of proprietary commercial products for the treatment of alcohol dependence, opioid dependence, schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder and narcolepsy, and a pipeline of clinical and preclinical candidates in development for various psychiatric and neurological disorders.

We are proud to have been recognized as an employer of choice by many national organizations. In 2024 and 2025, we were certified as a Great Place to Work in the U.S. and named one of Massachusetts’ Top Places to Work by the Boston Globe, a Best Place to Work in Greater Cincinnati by the Cincinnati Business Courier and recognized as a Best Place to Work in BioPharma by Fortune Magazine. 

Alkermes, Inc. is an equal employment opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any qualified applicant or employee because of race, creed, color, age, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression and identity, disability, genetic information, veteran status, military status, application for military service or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal law.  Alkermes also complies with all work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act and IRCA.  Alkermes is an E-Verify employer.