Title:  Associate Director, Medical

Location: Riyadh – Saudi Arabia

Job Type: [Full-time]

Hashtag: #LI-NA2

About Us

For over 45 years, Hikma Pharmaceuticals has been putting better health within reach, every day, by creating high-quality medicines and making them accessible to those who need them. We are helping to shape a healthier world that enriches all our communities, and our global team of 9,500+ empowered employees are central to this mission.

As a trusted and reliable partner of over 800 high-quality generics, specialty and branded pharmaceutical products, we are driven to improve access to medicine. Through our 29 manufacturing plants, 9 R&D centers across the MENA, North America and Europe, our footprint allows us to play a critical role in serving patients. 

Description:

We are looking for a talented [Associate Director, Medical Affairs – Biotechnology (MENA)] to join us. At Hikma you’ll be supported by a culture of progress and belonging where people are encouraged to develop, wellbeing is prioritised and our inclusive approach values contributions from all. We’re seeking candidates who embody our values: Innovative, driven to keep learning; Caring, genuinely compassionate in their work; and Collaborative, eager to solve problems together.

If you want to be part of a team that cares about impact, this is the place for you. The Associate Director, Medical Affairs – Biotechnology (MENA) is responsible for leading the regional medical affairs function across the Middle East and North Africa region for the biotechnology portfolio. The role provides strategic medical leadership to support product lifecycle management, scientific engagement, evidence generation, market access initiatives, and successful commercialization of the portfolio.

The Associate Director will lead and develop a team of Field Medical Advisors (FMAs) across the region while ensuring the development and execution of integrated medical strategies aligned with business objectives, patient needs, and compliance requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

Medical Strategy and Leadership

• Develop and execute regional medical affairs strategies for the biotechnology portfolio in alignment with corporate objectives and country-specific needs.
• Lead the development of annual medical plans, including scientific engagement, evidence generation, publication strategy, congress activities, and medical education initiatives.
• Provide medical leadership and scientific expertise to cross-functional teams including Commercial, Market Access, Regulatory Affairs, Pharmacovigilance, and Business Development.
• Ensure medical strategies support product differentiation, optimal positioning, and long-term brand growth.
• Identify unmet medical needs and emerging healthcare trends to inform future strategic planning and lifecycle management opportunities.
• Contribute to launch readiness and commercialization strategies for new products and indications.

Field Medical Excellence

• Lead, coach, and develop a regional team of Field Medical Advisors.
• Establish performance objectives and ensure effective execution of field medical activities across MENA markets.
• Drive excellence in scientific engagement with healthcare professionals, key opinion leaders (KOLs), academic institutions, and healthcare authorities.
• Monitor field insights and transform scientific intelligence into actionable business recommendations.
• Ensure consistent scientific messaging and high-quality medical interactions across all countries.

Scientific Engagement and Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strategic relationships with regional and local KOLs, investigators, scientific societies, and healthcare institutions.
• Lead scientific advisory boards, expert meetings, and medical education initiatives.
• Support investigator-initiated studies (IIS), real-world evidence (RWE) projects, and collaborative research programs.
• Represent the company at regional and international scientific congresses and professional meetings.

Evidence Generation and Medical Information

• Lead the development and execution of evidence-generation plans, including observational studies, registries, and real-world evidence initiatives.
• Review and approve medical content, scientific materials, and educational programs.
• Ensure timely and accurate responses to medical information requests.
• Support publication planning and dissemination of scientific data.

Compliance and Governance

• Ensure all medical activities are conducted in accordance with company policies, local regulations, industry codes, and compliance standards.
• Maintain high standards of scientific integrity, patient focus, and ethical conduct.
• Ensure appropriate review and approval processes for all medical initiatives and materials.

Qualifications:

We are looking for candidates whose experience and skills align closely with the qualifications outlined below:

Education

• MD, PharmD, PhD, or Master's Degree in Pharmacy
• Advanced scientific or business qualification is an advantage.

Experience

• Minimum 8–10 years of pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry experience.
• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in Medical Affairs leadership roles.
• Proven experience managing Field Medical teams across multiple countries.
• Experience in product launches and lifecycle management within the MENA region is preferred.
• Experiances in Saudi market is preferred.

Key Competencies

• Strategic Thinking and Business Acumen
• Scientific Leadership
• People Development and Coaching
• Stakeholder Engagement and Influencing Skills
• Cross-functional Collaboration
• Medical Governance and Compliance
• Evidence Generation and Data Interpretation
• Communication and Presentation Skills
• Results Orientation

Learn more about Hikma in KSA hikma-ksa-factsheet-aug-2025-en.pdf