Job Description

Position Description

The Medical Scientific Liaison (MSL), Japan is part of the Japan Medical Affairs team in the Global Medical Affairs organisation. The overall purpose of Biomarin Medical Affairs is to drive BioMarin’s scientific strategy to enhance patients’ lives and health outcomes through appropriate evidence-based use of our medicines in real-world integrated clinical care.

Working under the direction of the Country Medical Director and collaboration with Medical Manager, Japan, the MSL, Japan is a key interface between Japanese Health Care Professionals, patients and Biomarin Medical Affairs. The primary focus of the role is to exchange with HCPs and patient organizations to enhance Biomarin’s insights and understanding of the healthcare system, patient care pathways and medical needs in Japan for their assigned disease area/s and to inform the translation of these insights and understanding into both global and Japan strategic medical plans and programs in collaboration with the Country Medical Director and Medical Manager, Japan and the Global Medical Lead and the Global Medical Unit Head. This position is a key conduit in providing medical information through scientific exchange in a fair-balanced manner and provision of clinical/scientific support for cross-functional stakeholders. Not only providing high quality science, but also the limitation of the data in context of the unmet medical needs has to be comprehensively discussed. This role will have primary initial responsibility focused on the Skeletal dysplasia, but responsibility may not be solely limited to this therapeutic/disease area.

Success in the role will be heavily dependent on developing and enhancing professional relationships with medical thought leaders. As such, the expectation is that the MSL, Japan will spend most of his/her time in the field developing relationships and exchanging with key health care professionals according to a strategic impact focused schedule and plan. Patient centricity and deep understanding of and interest in patients’ reality is core for every work. Having the rapid change of digital and communication and information technology, willingness to learn and try such new things is important component of success professional development.

This position will be required to provide operational support for development and execution of the Medical Affairs plans and programs and may also be required to provide support for clinical programs (including but not limited to post-marketing studies and external independent research requests), educational initiatives, regulatory and reimbursement activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Proactively identify, develop and maintain relationships with key HCPs and opinion leaders in Japan
• Collaborate with the Medical Director and Medical Manager, Japan to develop and execute an objective driven Key Opinion Leader visit plan and schedule aligned with the strategic medical plan objectives and activities
• Proactively exchange with HCPs and patient organisations to generate and gather insights and understanding of the patient care pathways and medical needs in Japan for their assigned disease area/s
• Communicate insights to with the Medical Director and Medical Manager, Japan, to inform their translation of the insights and medical needs into strategic medical plans and programs in alignment with the Regional Brand/Launch Team/s
• Provide medical and scientific information to external medical specialists and healthcare professionals, in collaboration with Global Medical Information
• Coordinate and/or support medical scientific and educational events, advisory boards and initiatives in Japan according to the medical plans and in collaboration with the Japan and APAC Medical Affairs
• Deliver scientific presentations as needed
• Assist Japan and Global Medical Affairs in relation to external research and publication requests
• Support various patient advocacy, regulatory and reimbursement activities as necessary
• Demonstrating strong Patient Centricity and interest and willingness to understand patients’ reality is the “must”
• Ensure that all interactions and activities comply with BioMarin’s business guidance, policies, and SOPs

Education

• A medical degree or tertiary qualification in a medical or allied medical or related scientific discipline is required (min. masters or higher degree preferred)
• Native Japanese with fluency in English language is required

Experience

• At least 3 years of prior working experience in medical affairs in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry is required
• Work experience in clinic or hospital, i.e., pharmacists, nurses or lab technician is a plus
• Experience in clinical research is a plus
• Experience in a field-based medical affairs/MSL role is highly desired, but relevant industry experience may be acceptable

• Experience within rare diseases is a plus

Key Skills

• Ability to interpret and communicate scientific research, data and information
• Strategic thinking
• Self-initiative
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Strong communication and presentation skills, problem solving and time management skills, learning agility
• Ability to work independently and within a collaborative team environment
• Ability to travel up to 80% of the time
• Ability to work remotely/virtually as may be required