Associate Director Medical Affairs | Consumer Healthcare

Reading (Hybrid)

STADA UK Thornton & Ross is on an exciting growth journey with more than 700 employees being fully committed to our purpose of Caring for People’s Health as a Trusted Partner. Together we are shaping the future of Thornton & Ross by living our values of Integrity, Entrepreneurship, Agility and One STADA.  If you want to work in an open culture where your uniqueness is valued, join our Team.

About the Role

As the Associate Director Medical Affairs, you will lead the medical strategy, governance and scientific activities for STADA UK's Consumer Healthcare portfolio. Acting as the senior medical lead, you’ll ensure commercial decisions, product claims and innovation initiatives are grounded in robust scientific evidence and aligned with regulatory and compliance requirements. Additionally, you’ll provide leadership across the broader Medical Affairs team, driving excellence and collaboration across both Consumer Healthcare and Specialty portfolios.

How You Will Make an Impact

1. Consumer Healthcare Medical Strategy
• Act as the medical lead for the Consumer Healthcare portfolio.
• Provide scientific leadership to support portfolio growth, innovation, and lifecycle management.
• Ensure medical perspectives are embedded in commercial and portfolio decision-making.
• Translate developments in self-care, pharmacy practice and relevant therapeutic areas into actionable business recommendations.
2. Scientific and Claims Governance
• Ensure all product claims are supported by robust scientific evidence.
• Provide medical review and approval of promotional and non-promotional materials.
• Develop claims substantiation strategies for new and existing products.
• Ensure compliance with PAGB, CAP Code, and internal procedures, acting as a trusted scientific advisor to internal teams.
3. Portfolio Development & Innovation
• Offer medical insights into product development, reformulation, and lifecycle management activities.
• Assess new product opportunities and portfolio expansion initiatives.
• Evaluate emerging scientific evidence and consumer trends to identify opportunities and risks.
• Support launch readiness activities for new products and line extensions.
4. Leadership & Team Development
• Lead and develop a team of Medical Affairs professionals (3–4 direct reports).
• Foster a high-performing, collaborative and accountable team culture.
• Drive the development of scientific capability and ensure clear objectives across the team.
5. Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Partner with Regulatory Affairs, Quality, Pharmacovigilance, Commercial and Portfolio teams.
• Provide medical support for regulatory submissions, safety assessments and product quality issues.
• Contribute to the development of effective customer-facing communications.
6. Operational Excellence
• Continuously improve Medical Affairs processes and ways of working.
• Ensure efficient use of resources and maintain high-quality delivery of medical activities.
• Drive accountability, simplicity, and execution excellence across the function.

What Makes You a Great Fit

• Degree in Medicine, Pharmacy, or Life Sciences.
• Significant experience in pharmaceutical or consumer healthcare Medical Affairs.
• Proven leadership in medical strategy and scientific activities, with experience managing and developing teams.
• Strong knowledge of UK regulatory frameworks, ABPI Code and PAGB Code.
• Desirable: Medical signatory experience, OTC or Consumer Healthcare background and exposure to specialty medicines.
• Strong scientific credibility and ability to translate complex science into business insights.
• Exceptional leadership, stakeholder management, and collaboration skills.
• Commercial awareness with the ability to balance scientific integrity and business objectives.
• Operational excellence in planning, prioritisation and execution.

How We Care for You

At STADA (Thornton & Ross) our purpose “Caring for people’s health as a trusted partner” motivates us every day. And what would be a better place than starting with our own employees. Which is why we give much in return:

• 💸 Competitive salary, car allowance and annual bonus scheme.
• 🗝 Salary Sacrifice Pension Scheme offering 8% employer contribution rates.
• ⌚ Hybrid working – we spend three days of your choice in the office, with the remaining days working at home.
• 🌴 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays with the potential to buy up to 5 additional days.
• 🏥 Private Health cover benefits
• 💸 Life Assurance cover
• 💉 Free winter flu jab.
• 🧠 Wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Programme and KYAN Wellbeing – offering free coaching and counselling services for you and your family.
• 🚲 Cycle to Work Scheme.
• 👪 Enhanced Family Leave.
• 🎉 Plus, many more employee benefits & celebration events.

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