Medical Affairs Director, Italy

Santhera Pharmaceuticals is a Swiss specialty pharmaceutical company focused on medical science and the development and commercialization of innovative pharmaceutical products for the treatment of rare neuromuscular diseases with high unmet medical need.

Join our team to contribute to providing treatment options for patients with rare diseases that severely impact the lives of affected children and adults. The role available is:

Medical Affairs Director, Italy

Scope of Work

The Medical Affairs Director, Italy reports directly to the General Manager of Italy, with a dotted line to the Head of Medical Affairs EU & ROW. This role is part of the Italian management team and collaborates closely with all functions based in Italy, as well as affiliated functions such as Clinical Development, Medical Affairs, Marketing, Commercial, Market Access, and others. The overall scope includes:

• Providing strategic, scientific, and medical leadership
• Line management of the medical team (if applicable)
• Developing and implementing Italy Medical Affairs plans aligned with global strategies
• Engaging with scientific leaders to raise awareness and foster exchanges
• Collaborating across countries and with HQ

Key Responsibilities

• Recruiting, developing, and maintaining a high-performing medical affairs team
• Identifying strategic medical activities supporting company goals
• Aligning Italy Medical Affairs and publication plans with global plans
• Planning and delivering medical communications, congresses, and educational activities
• Managing budgets and timelines
• Supporting local patient advocacy engagement
• Supporting market access projects related to value and reimbursement dossiers
• Contributing to HQ-led projects and ensuring compliance with SOPs and codes of practice
• Acting as the Italian compliance champion
• Collaborating with commercial colleagues and contributing to EU/global projects
• Reviewing and approving marketing and medical materials timely and compliant
• Representing the company at global projects

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific field; MD, PharmD, or equivalent advanced degree
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in medical affairs, especially in product launches and lifecycle management
• Knowledge of regulatory and compliance requirements in Italy
• Experience in rare diseases, R&D, or clinical work preferred
• Experience in neuromuscular diseases or related areas preferred
• Leadership experience with team management responsibilities
• Willingness to travel up to 50%

Required Competencies & Skills

• Strong relationship-building skills with KOLs and healthcare professionals
• Excellent planning and organizational skills
• Strategic vision with a business focus
• Proactive, results-oriented, and able to drive initiatives
• Native Italian speaker with excellent communication and presentation skills
• Ability to work independently and in a matrix environment
• Resilient, adaptable, and solutions-oriented

If you are interested in a multicultural, challenging, and innovative environment, and your profile matches our requirements, please apply online in English via LinkedIn or email us.

Note for agencies: Recruitment agencies are kindly requested to refrain from sending unsolicited CVs to Santhera.