[Hiring] Senior Director/Director, Strategy & Planning - Real World Late Phase/Real World Evidence @Syneos Health

Role Description

Own pre-award strategy and commercial leadership for assigned RWLP managed accounts, including:

• RFP/RFI strategy
• Service model definition
• Functional scope
• Budget structures
• Vendor strategy

Lead bid defense meetings and capabilities presentations.

Lead the transition from pre-award to delivery by partnering with project delivery teams to ensure a clear handoff of:

• Strategy
• Assumptions
• Risks
• Scope
• Timelines
• Budget expectations

Serve as the strategic account leader post-award, maintaining strategic oversight of portfolio performance and governance while partnering with delivery leadership to ensure alignment with approved strategy and commercial intent.

Lead client-facing strategic conversations related to RWLP standards, evidence strategy, and evolving operational approaches; sustain senior-level sponsor relationships through routine governance and strategic planning discussions.

Provide ongoing strategic guidance during study conduct, acting as a consultant to project teams to support:

• Complex problem-solving
• Risk assessment
• Development of integrated solution options across functions, vendors, and partners

Maintain strategic awareness of account performance, including participation in BU or departmental reviews as needed, to:

• Proactively identify risks or opportunities
• Support issue resolution from a strategy perspective
• Position accounts for growth

Align and influence matrixed teams across functions and business units to support integrated commercial and account strategies; share insights, lessons learned, and best practices to inform future pursuits and portfolio expansion.

Set and reinforce strategic quality expectations for assigned accounts; maintain awareness of quality risks, CAPAs, and QIs to ensure issues are understood and appropriately escalated.

Maintain awareness of vendor and partner integration, including strategic risk considerations related to third-party services and cross-BU delivery models.

Support account growth and partnership expansion by identifying opportunities for:

• Extensions
• Hybrid clinical–RWLP approaches
• Repeat work
• Preferred partnership models

May have line management responsibilities.

Travel up to 25%.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences or related field OR a four-year degree combined with relevant RWLP and operational experience required
• Advanced or professional degree preferred (e.g., MS, MPH, PhD, MD, MBA)

Requirements

• 10–12 years of total relevant experience, which may include RWLP and/or full-service study or portfolio experience, with a minimum of 6–8 years of direct RWLP/RWE experience included within that total.
• Experience in real world late phase research within a CRO and/or pharmaceutical environment
• Strong experience with proposal development, budget development, and bid defense activities
• Demonstrated experience supporting complex client portfolios, including vendor and partner engagement
• Strong understanding of peri- and post-approval study strategy, design, and operational considerations across interventional, observational, and hybrid study types
• Experience presenting to senior-level stakeholders, delivering training or enablement, and communicating complex concepts to diverse audiences
• Experience with hybrid, decentralized, or virtual study models preferred
• Experience partnering with stakeholders to define and evolve operational processes and procedures as RWLP/RWE requirements and delivery models change
• Experience evaluating and selecting vendors and partners that complement and enhance service offerings
• Ability to identify process gaps and emerging needs for updated procedures
• Familiarity with leveraging emerging technologies and digital tools (e.g., generative AI) to drive efficiency and scalability
• Demonstrated experience serving as a subject matter expert (SME) internally and externally
• Experience representing the organization externally through participation in industry conferences, panels, webinars, podcasts, or similar forums

Benefits

• Passionate about developing our people through career development and progression
• Supportive and engaged line management
• Technical and therapeutic area training
• Peer recognition and total rewards program
• Commitment to building an inclusive culture