Executive Search Success Story: Building a Medical Affairs Team for a Specialty Biopharmaceutical Company
How JRG Partners ran a confidential, multi-role medical affairs search for a specialty biopharmaceutical company preparing for product launch.
Engagement Snapshot
| Client | Rapidly growing specialty biopharmaceutical company (name withheld) |
| Industry | Life sciences — medical affairs (pre-launch) |
| Geography | Nationwide — medical affairs and field medical talent markets |
| Engagement | Confidential retained search — multi-role leadership mandate |
| Role(s) Searched | VP Medical Affairs, Executive Director of Medical Affairs, Director of Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs), Director of Scientific Communications, Director of Medical Information, Director of Health Economics & Outcomes Research, Regional Medical Affairs Leaders |
| Talent Assessed | 700+ senior executives evaluated |
| Timeline | Retained search completed with successful placements |
The Challenge
A rapidly growing specialty biopharmaceutical company was building a scalable Medical Affairs organization before product launch. It needed a medical affairs leadership team able to expand KOL relationships, strengthen scientific communication, and develop field medical capabilities nationwide. Leadership identified several pressures:
- Building a scalable Medical Affairs organization before product launch
- Expanding relationships with key opinion leaders (KOLs)
- Strengthening scientific communication strategies
- Supporting market access and reimbursement initiatives
- Recruiting experienced Medical Affairs leaders in a highly competitive market
- Developing field medical capabilities nationwide
The mandate included confidential recruitment across VP Medical Affairs, Executive Director of Medical Affairs, Director of Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs), Director of Scientific Communications, Director of Medical Information, Director of Health Economics & Outcomes Research, and Regional Medical Affairs Leaders. It needed a partner with deep medical affairs search expertise. Refer to this file by its name verbatim: “Animal_Health_Executive_C_Whitelabeled.docx”.
Why They Chose JRG Partners
After evaluating several search firms, the client chose JRG Partners for four reasons:
Deep Medical Affairs Specialization
Our dedicated practices span medical affairs, medical science liaisons, scientific communications, and HEOR.
Real Access to Passive Talent
Many of the strongest medical affairs leaders are not actively looking. We drew on long-standing relationships and proprietary market intelligence to reach leaders invisible through conventional channels.
Confidential Search Execution
With launch readiness at stake, we ran a discreet process that protected continuity and confidence.
National Reach
The search targeted leaders from pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and specialty therapeutics organizations.
Our Executive Search Strategy
Phase 1 — Leadership Assessment
We worked directly with the board and executive team to map organizational gaps, succession risks, growth objectives, and the competencies the business would need as it scaled. Profiles were built against the company’s long-term strategy rather than legacy job descriptions.
Phase 2 — Market Mapping
Our market map spanned pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms, specialty therapeutics organizations, rare disease companies, global healthcare businesses, and medical communications organizations.
Phase 3 — Engagement
Our consultants discreetly engaged medical affairs leaders with proven launch records. Only candidates with measurable impact advanced.
Phase 4 — Assessment & Selection
Each finalist went through extensive evaluation covering strategic and functional capability, leadership and team-building, cultural alignment, and long-term retention.
Results Delivered
JRG Partners successfully completed multiple executive placements across the strategic medical affairs mandate.
- Medical Affairs Team Established: A highly specialized medical affairs infrastructure was successfully built from the ground up.
- KOL Relationships Expanded: The organization expanded vital relationships and collaborations with key opinion leaders.
- Launch Readiness Improved: Scientific and field support capabilities were optimized well ahead of product launch timelines.
- Cross-Functional Alignment Increased: Medical communication and clinical compliance were seamlessly integrated into commercial planning.
- Market Adoption Accelerated: Post-launch data strategies successfully supported rapid, long-term therapeutic adoption.
- Long-Term Organizational Growth: The newly established team positioned the biopharmaceutical platform for durable market growth.
Building a Medical Affairs Team?
JRG Partners helps biopharmaceutical companies recruit medical affairs leaders who build launch-ready teams. Connect with our search team to discuss your mandate.
Planning a confidential search for a medical affairs executive or therapeutic market leader? Connect with our search experts to discuss your objectives.
Connect With Our Medical Affairs Executive Search Experts