Principal Medical Writer
About Ogilvy
Ogilvy was founded in 1948 by David Ogilvy. David created a culture that deeply respects and cares about its people and clients. Our mission is to inspire people and brands to make an impact and we are committed to attracting, growing, and retaining the best talent in the industry.
Ogilvy Health UK is made up of healthcare communication specialists across the disciplines of medical education and communications; brain sciences; brand promotion; digital and social; strategic planning; public relations and creative/design. We believe we are like no other: we blaze new trails; we encourage a culture of creativity and innovation; we challenge, and we change; and we recognise and reward our team.
In medical education, our approach is founded on expertise that combines biomedical science, learning theory and behaviour change to create impactful medical and professional education.
We’re ‘Scientifically Grounded, Creatively Driven’.
About the Role
Are you a seasoned Principal Medical Writer with a passion for high-impact scientific communication? Do you thrive on translating complex data into compelling narratives that shape medical understanding?
We are seeking an exceptional Principal Medical Writer to join us. This is a pivotal role within a key publications account, offering the opportunity to lead the delivery of scientifically accurate and strategically effective content for significant global projects. You will play a crucial role in shaping scientific discourse and supporting the strategic objectives of our pharmaceutical clients.
As a Principal Medical Writer, you will be responsible for the end-to-end delivery of high-quality, scientifically rigorous publications and medical content. You will serve as a scientific lead, collaborating closely with clients, top-tier global healthcare professionals, and internal teams. A key aspect of this role involves mentoring and guiding junior writers, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous development within the team.
We're happy to consider UK based candidates on a remote working basis for this role.
What You’ll Do
- Lead the development and delivery of a broad range of high-science publications, including manuscripts, abstracts, posters, and congress materials.
- Translate complex scientific data, disease state information, and unmet needs into clear, concise, and strategically aligned content.
- Engage directly with Medical Directors and global specialist healthcare professionals (KOLs) to discuss scientific content and ensure accuracy and strategic alignment.
- Ensure all content adheres to the highest standards of scientific accuracy, ethical guidelines (e.g., GPP), and client-specific procedures.
- Provide scientific oversight and guidance to junior writers, reviewing their work and supporting their professional development.
- Maintain an in-depth understanding of the pharmaceutical industry, drug development processes (pre- and post-launch), and relevant regulatory landscapes.
- Utilise publications systems (e.g., Datavision) effectively for content management and compliance.
What You’ll Need
- Substantial experience in medical communications writing, with a concentrated background in publications
- In-depth understanding of a broad range of therapy areas, including disease specifics, treatment options, patient pathways, drug mechanisms of action, and complex scientific data.
- Proven ability to discuss complex scientific content confidently with Medical Directors and top-tier global specialist healthcare professionals.
- Comprehensive knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry and the drug development process in both pre- and post-launch environments.
- Demonstrable experience in delivering publications in line with internal and client procedures and processes.
- In-depth understanding of the publications process (GPP) and experience with relevant systems (e.g., Datavision).
- Track record of delivering scientifically accurate and strategically effective content for pharmaceutical company clients.
- Experience in writing high-science content on disease state, unmet need, and clinical data on behalf of top-tier Key Opinion Leaders, often for presentation at scientific congresses.
- Extensive experience in liaising with top-tier global clinicians and other healthcare professionals, always within permitted guidelines.
- Solid knowledge of and strict compliance with key guidelines, including the Sunshine Act and ABPI guidelines.
- Strong understanding of statistical analyses.
- Experience in rare disease and neurology therapy areas.
Benefits
- Private Medical Cover OR Monthly Leisure Allowance (£45!) OR Dental Cover
- 25 days annual leave, plus a day off for your birthday and a paid volunteering day
- Access to our excellent Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provided by Lifeworks
- Access to a range of fantastic resources in our L&D Academy
- A dedicated Culture Committee who keep us entertained throughout the year with a range of inclusive sociable events - we like to have fun!
- 1:1 coaching to support your personal and professional development
- A generous pension scheme, with contributions matched up to a total of 17.5% (i.e. you pay in 7%, Ogilvy Health pays in 10.5%)
- Take advantage of season ticket loans, cycle-to-work scheme, property rental assistance, and generous employee discounts.
Our ambition is to attract the very best diverse talent to Ogilvy, and to be the employer of choice in the UK. We want everyone to feel welcome when they join us, and once they’re here, for them to want to stay with us, grow their career, and to feel they belong with us.
We are an equal opportunity employer and we’re committed to creating an inclusive, welcoming environment for everyone who wants to work at Ogilvy. For us, diversity, equity and inclusion is integrated into everything that we do. We believe that for creativity to flourish, everything about how we work must have diversity at its core. Your race, colour, ethnic, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, have no bearing on our hiring decisions, but we encourage everyone to feel free to express their true selves in an environment we are consistently striving to make as inclusive as possible.
We aim to facilitate an accessible and positive application experience for all candidates. If you require any adjustments from us to support you through the process or expect to require any adjustments to working conditions to be able to best perform in the role, please let us know. We are happy to consider all reasonable adjustments.
If you live with a disability and you would like to take advantage of our offer of a guaranteed interview under the Disability Confident Scheme, please ensure you fill out our voluntary Equal Opportunities Questionnaire when applying.
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