At uniQure, we are delivering on the promise of gene therapy and delivering hope for patients facing urgent unmet medical needs. Every role in our organization carries profound purpose; whether you're in research, operations, access, or support, your contributions impact patients. We're seeking passionate professionals who thrive in high-stakes environments, uphold rigorous quality standards, and share our relentless commitment to transforming the lives of patients. Join us in making the impossible possible, where your expertise becomes a catalyst for life-changing treatments.
The Medical Director, UK is a senior medical and scientific leadership role. This role will serve as the key medical expert and external scientific face of uniQure in the United Kingdom, focused on building the medical foundation for the uniQure portfolio. Reporting to the SVP, Medical Affairs, this role requires a physician-leader who combines deep scientific expertise with the entrepreneurial drive to establish uniQure's credibility and relationships in the UK. We anticipate this role will require up to 30% travel, including to our US and European offices.
Key result areas (major duties, accountabilities and responsibilities)
1. Scientific & Medical Leadership
Qualifications & Skills
The Medical Director, UK is a senior medical and scientific leadership role. This role will serve as the key medical expert and external scientific face of uniQure in the United Kingdom, focused on building the medical foundation for the uniQure portfolio. Reporting to the SVP, Medical Affairs, this role requires a physician-leader who combines deep scientific expertise with the entrepreneurial drive to establish uniQure's credibility and relationships in the UK. We anticipate this role will require up to 30% travel, including to our US and European offices.
Key result areas (major duties, accountabilities and responsibilities)
1. Scientific & Medical Leadership
- Serve as the senior medical and scientific expert for uniQure’s lead clinical program (an investigational gene therapy) in the UK, providing authoritative scientific input to internal and external stakeholders.• Develop and execute the UK Medical Affairs plan in alignment with global strategy.
- Provide UK specific medical insights to cross-functional teams including Market Access, Commercial, Regulatory, and Clinical Development.
- Maintain deep and current disease expertise, in the evolving clinical and research landscape, and the emerging gene therapy treatment paradigm in the UK.
- Represent uniQure at scientific congresses, symposia, advisory boards, patient meetings and Huntington's disease professional networks in the UK.
- Identify, map, and begin cultivating relationships with therapy area disease KOLs, neurologists, neurosurgeons, specialist centres, and patient advocacy organisations across the UK.
- Engage clinical networks and academic research centres in fair, balanced, and evidence-based scientific exchange.
- Lead medical affairs launch-readiness activities in the UK.
- Partner with Market Access and HEOR teams to build the clinical and medical narrative in preparation for NICE evaluation and NHS England Specialised Commissioning submissions.
- Help shape the UK Medical Affairs infrastructure — processes, systems, SOPs, and governance frameworks.
- Ensure all UK medical affairs activities are conducted in full compliance with ABPI Code of Practice, MHRA regulations, and uniQure internal SOPs.
- Provide medical review and sign-off for promotional and non-promotional materials for the UK market, acting as the nominated medical signatory.
- Support the UK medical information function, ensuring timely and accurate responses to unsolicited medical enquiries from healthcare professionals.
- Own the UK Medical Affairs budget, including activity-level planning, forecasting, tracking, and reporting.
- Manage vendor and agency relationships relevant to UK medical activities, ensuring delivery against plan.
Qualifications & Skills
- Medical degree (MBChB, MBBS, or equivalent) with current or prior GMC registration
- Postgraduate qualification or higher degree (PhD, MD, MRCP, or equivalent specialist qualification) is highly desirable.
- Final ABPI Signatory status preferred
- Specialty training or clinical experience in neurology, rare diseases, and movement disorders is strongly preferred.
- Minimum 8 years of experience in Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, or related role within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
- Pre-launch and launch experience in gene therapy, neurology, or advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) is strongly advantageous.
- Proven knowledge of the UK healthcare environment, including NHS structures, NICE processes, HTA submissions, and NHS England Specialised Commissioning.
- Experience engaging KOLs, academic medical centres, and patient advocacy organisations in the UK.
- Experience managing a Medical Affairs budget, including activity planning and spend tracking.
- Comfort operating in a start-up or build-out environment with the ability to work independently and establish new ways of working.