Business Introduction
At GSK, we have bold ambitions for patients, aiming to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade. Our R&D focuses on discovering and delivering vaccines and medicines, combining our understanding of the immune system with cutting-edge technology to transform people’s lives. GSK fosters a culture ambitious for patients, accountable for impact, and committed to doing the right thing, making sure that we focus our efforts on accelerating significant assets that meet patients’ needs and have the highest probability of success. We’re uniting science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together.
Find out more:
Our approach to R&D
Please note: For candidates seeking to be located at our Stevenage site, this role will temporarily be based at Stevenage. However, the Company plans to relocate its offices to Cambridge, UK. The location of this role will therefore subsequently change to Cambridge, UK in accordance with timelines to be set by the Company. The relocation is currently proposed to take effect by early 2029.
Position Summary:
GSK is seeking to appoint a VP, Oncology Clinical Development Disease Area Head, reporting to the SVP, Head of Oncology Clinical Development. With accountability for the planning and implementation of the clinical development strategy across the Hematology portfolio, you will lead and contribute to strategic clinical positioning of early- and late-phase assets across their life-cycle with a cross-functional matrix team, at a pivotal moment for the organization as it sharpens its focus on pace, performance, portfolio delivery and bringing differentiated medicines to patients.
This role requires an experienced, cross-matrix senior leader capable of implementing and executing an integrated clinical strategy in support of the successful clinical development, translational research, regulatory filing and initial market launch of a growing portfolio of innovative and transformational Oncology therapies.
Key Responsibilities in Detail
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Clinical Development Strategy & Portfolio Leadership
Accountable for end-to-end clinical development of oncology assets from first-in-human (FTIH) studies through proof-of-concept studies, registrational trials, regulatory approval, and initial market launch, ensuring scientific rigor, speed, and quality of execution.
Shape and drive the scientific and clinical development strategy for assigned disease areas and assets, aligned with Oncology Tumor Team strategy and broader Oncology portfolio priorities.
Ensure deep integration of clinical, and disease-area expertise into preclinical and translational research activities to optimize asset positioning, biomarker strategy, and development strategy and decisions.
Evaluate, champion, and enable the use of novel approaches (e.g., AI/ML, innovative trial designs, external and real-world data sources) where they add clear scientific, operational, or decision-making value to clinical development.
Program Oversight, Governance & Visibility
Provide program-level oversight and leadership, while ensuring connectedness both cross functionally and across assets, maintaining visibility to progress, risks, dependencies, and trade-offs across the Oncology portfolio.
Serve as the senior clinical representative at key governance forums for assigned programs, ensuring strong clinical leadership, continuity, and high-quality decision-making.
Represent the Oncology Clinical Development organization internally and externally, including presenting at high-impact forums such as congress all-hands, senior leadership reviews, and advisory boards.
Lead scientific advisory boards and other external engagements to inform asset strategy, competitive positioning, and portfolio decisions, incorporating emerging science and external expert insight.
Cross-Functional Leadership & Connector Role
Co-lead asset development with matrix leadership partners, driving alignment across research, development, and commercialization planning, and ensuring cohesive execution against shared objectives.
Lead with an enterprise mindset: Act as a senior connector across functions, partnering closely with Oncology Research, Translational Research, Translational Medicine, Medical Affairs, Global Product Strategy, and
Confidential
Competitive Intelligence to drive integrated development and lifecycle planning.
Build and sustain strong internal and external partnerships to accelerate decision-making, resolve complexity, and optimize development outcomes in a matrixed environment.
People Leadership, Culture & Capability Building
Line-manage and mentor Clinical Development Leads, Clinical Science Program Leads, Medical Directors, and Clinical Scientists, with clear accountability for performance, development, engagement, and succession planning.
Provide clarity on roles, expectations, and career paths within Oncology Clinical Development, contributing to role definitions, capability frameworks, and targeted training strategies.
Foster a culture of empowerment, enterprise-level drug development, scientific excellence, inclusion, and collaboration, aligned with OneOncology values, while modeling strong, visible leadership.
Actively remove organizational barriers and enable teams to operate effectively and autonomously within a complex, global matrix environment.
Standards, Processes & Continuous Improvement
Contribute to the establishment and continuous evolution of clinical development standards, processes, and best practices across Oncology, ensuring consistency, quality, and regulatory readiness.
Ensure timely access to relevant external scientific and competitive intelligence (e.g., congress data, emerging science, competitor activity) to inform clinical development decisions and portfolio strategy.
Key Characteristics:
Expertise in Hematology/Oncology
- Therapeutic Knowledge: Comprehensive understanding of hematologic cancers, including disease biology, treatment paradigms, and unmet patient needs and opportunities.
- Clinical Development Excellence: Expertise in designing and executing clinical trials, including early-phase first-in-human and proof-of-concept studies and late-phase pivotal trials.
- Regulatory Acumen: Familiarity with regulatory requirements and processes across major health authorities (FDA, EMA, etc.).
- Scientific Credibility: Established track record of publications, presentations, or contributions to the oncology field.
1. Leadership and Strategic Vision
- Strategic Planning: Develop and execute a comprehensive clinical development strategy for hematalogic cancer programs.
- Cross-functional Leadership: Lead multidisciplinary teams, including clinical scientists, medical directors, regulatory affairs, and biostatistics professionals.
- Portfolio Oversight: Provide oversight for multiple drug candidates and clinical trials, ensuring alignment with corporate goals and therapeutic priorities.
- Innovation: Champion novel approaches to drug development, including biomarker-driven strategies, precision medicine, and immuno-oncology therapies.
3. Operational Excellence
- Budget and Resource Management: Manage financial and personnel resources efficiently to meet clinical development milestones.
- Risk Management: Identify, mitigate, and manage risks in clinical programs (e.g., safety issues, trial delays, data challenges).
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Leverage clinical trial data and real-world evidence to inform program direction and strategy.
4. Collaborative and Influential
- Internal Collaboration: Foster strong relationships with internal stakeholders, including R&D leadership, commercial teams, and research units.
- External Partnerships: Build and maintain partnerships with external collaborators, such as academic institutions, contract research organizations (CROs), and patient advocacy groups.
- Communication Skills: Effectively communicate complex scientific and strategic concepts to diverse audiences, including executive leadership and external stakeholders.
5. Patient-Centric Focus
- Unmet Needs: Prioritize addressing critical unmet needs for patients with hematologic cancers through innovative treatments.
- Patient Engagement: Support initiatives to engage patients and integrate their perspectives into clinical development programs.
- Equity in Access: Ensure clinical trials are designed to be accessible and inclusive for diverse patient populations.
6. Leadership Attributes
- Visionary Leadership: Inspire teams with a clear vision and passion for advancing oncology therapeutics.
- Mentorship: Provide guidance and mentorship to team members, fostering professional growth and development.
- Adaptability: Demonstrate flexibility in responding to evolving scientific, regulatory, and market dynamics.
- Results-Oriented: Focus on achieving measurable outcomes that drive progress in GSK's oncology portfolio.
7. Core Values Alignment
- Integrity: Uphold GSK’s core values, ensuring ethical conduct in all aspects of clinical development.
- Innovation: Champion GSK’s commitment to innovation in oncology research and development.
- Collaboration: Foster teamwork and inclusivity consistent with GSK’s culture.
Why You?
This role is offered as a hybrid position based with regular on-site presence expected (typically a minimum of 2–3 days per week) in an office in the US (Collegeville, PA or Waltham, MA), the UK (London or Stevenage/eventual move to Cambridge) or Zug/Baar Onyx, Switzerland. You will join an inclusive team that values openness, curiosity and practical problem solving. We want leaders who are motivated to make a measurable difference for patients and who thrive in complex, collaborative environments.
Basic Qualification
We are seeking professionals with the following required skills and qualifications to help us achieve our goals:
- Medical degree with board certification or eligibility in oncology
- At least 10 years clinical development experience leading global clinical development programs in hematology and oncology in the pharmaceutical industry, academia, or combined.
- Senior clinical and scientific leadership in early- and late-phase oncology drug development, including FTIH through registrational trials and launch readiness.
- Proven track record designing and delivering late-phase clinical trials and regulatory submissions.
- Experience leading geographically dispersed teams and complex multi-stakeholder programs.
Preferred Qualification
If you have the following characteristics, it would be a plus:
- Clinical background in hematologic malignancies or hematology subspecialty.
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Strong ability to translate science and translational insight into differentiated clinical development strategies across disease areas and portfolios.
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Proven capability to operate as an enterprise drug developer at portfolio level, balancing priorities, risk, and resources while maintaining asset-level rigor and accountability.
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Credibility and effectiveness representing Clinical Development at senior governance forums, with strong executive presence and influence.
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Advanced cross-functional and matrix leadership skills, with a natural connector mindset across research, development, medical, commercial, and precision medicine partners.
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Openness to and fluency with innovative development approaches (e.g., AI/ML, novel trial designs, external and real-world data) where they add value.
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Demonstrated strength in leading and developing senior clinical leaders, with accountability for performance, succession planning, and capability building.
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Commitment to fostering a culture of scientific excellence, empowerment, inclusion, and continuous improvement in a complex global environment
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Apply
If this role speaks to your experience and ambitions, please apply. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and lived experiences. We are committed to inclusion and to creating a workplace where people can be themselves and do their best work. Join us to help shape medicines that could make a real difference for patients.
Skills
Business Acumen, Clinical Data Interpretation, Clinical Trial Designs, Digital Fluency, Drug Development, Drug Regulatory Affairs, Executive Presence, Hematology and Oncology, Innovative Leadership, Line Management, Scientific Presentations, Strategic Direction
• If you are based in Cambridge, MA; Waltham, MA; Rockville, MD; or San Francisco, CA, the annual base salary for new hires in this position ranges $340,500 to $567,500. The US salary ranges take into account a number of factors including work location within the US market, the candidate’s skills, experience, education level and the market rate for the role. In addition, this position offers an annual bonus and eligibility to participate in our share based long term incentive program which is dependent on the level of the role. Available benefits include health care and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, paid holidays, vacation, and paid caregiver/parental and medical leave. If salary ranges are not displayed in the job posting for a specific country, the relevant compensation will be discussed during the recruitment process.
Please visit GSK US Benefits Summary to learn more about the comprehensive benefits program GSK offers US employees.
Why GSK?
Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.
GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. We aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade, as a successful, growing company where people can thrive. We get ahead of disease by preventing and treating it with innovation in specialty medicines and vaccines. We focus on four therapeutic areas: respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases – to impact health at scale.
People and patients around the world count on the medicines and vaccines we make, so we’re committed to creating an environment where our people can thrive and focus on what matters most. Our culture of being ambitious for patients, accountable for impact and doing the right thing is the foundation for how, together, we deliver for patients, shareholders and our people.
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