Director, Strategic Stakeholder Engagement(SSE)

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Position Overview

We are seeking a Director, Stakeholder Engagement (SSE) to lead strategic stakeholder initiatives for global healthcare clients. In this role, you will serve as a strategic leader, leveraging strong stakeholder engagement expertise (KOL identification and engagement, KOL-led medical education, patient advocacy initiatives, etc). Additionally, you’ll have the ability to seamlessly translate stakeholder initiatives into impactful medical communication programs — whether for commercial or medical affairs teams — when needed.

Through data-driven insights and a passion for innovation, you will help our clients navigate a complex healthcare ecosystem, ensuring they successfully engage the stakeholders that matter most to their strategic objectives.

Key Responsibilities

  • Stakeholder Engagement Strategy & Execution
  • Strategic Planning: Develop and execute comprehensive stakeholder engagement strategies aligned with client objectives, including KOL relationship-building and other stakeholder engagement activities.
  • Stakeholder Mapping & Analysis: Identify and prioritize key stakeholders and opinion leaders within specific therapeutic areas, using data-driven insights to optimize engagement.
  • Relationship Management: Cultivate and maintain high-value partnerships with healthcare professionals, professional & patient advocacy groups, and other key stakeholders to drive meaningful collaboration.
  • Meeting Leadership: Plan, facilitate, and provide strategic oversight for live or virtual meeting initiatives (e.g., advisory boards, speaker training), ensuring alignment with overarching stakeholder and organizational goals.
  • Medical Communications Collaboration
  • Integration of SSE & Medical Communications: Partner with cross-functional teams (scientific strategy, medical writing, client services, project management, and other functions) to ensure seamless pull-through of stakeholder engagement strategies into broader medical communications for commercial or medical affairs teams.
  • Scientific Expertise: Leverage your scientific or clinical background to ensure scientific accuracy and integrity, elevating stakeholder-facing materials and discussions.
  • Innovation & Thought Leadership: Monitor emerging trends in stakeholder engagement and medical communications, identifying opportunities for clients to stand out in a competitive market

    • .

  • Project & Client Leadership
  • Client Advisory: Serve as a trusted consultant to senior client stakeholders, recommending strategies that address corporate, commercial, or medical objectives.
  • Project Oversight: Lead complex, multi-stakeholder projects, managing scopes, budgets, timelines, and cross-functional collaboration for successful delivery.
  • Crisis & Reputation Management: Provide counsel during high-stakes scenarios (e.g., product launches, market changes), aligning engagement efforts with broader corporate, commercial, or medical strategies.
  • Team Development (If Required)
  • Mentorship & Coaching: If needed, mentor team members in best practices for stakeholder engagement and scientific communications.
  • Collaboration: Foster a culture of high performance and cross-disciplinary teamwork.
  • Measurement & Continuous Optimization
  • Data-Driven Insights: Establish and track KPIs for stakeholder engagement, using analytics to refine approaches and drive ROI.
  • Reporting & Recommendations: Regularly communicate status, insights, and strategic recommendations to clients and internal leadership, ensuring continuous improvement of stakeholder initiatives

Qualifications & Experience

  • Education:
  • Advanced degree (PhD, MD, PharmD) or equivalent in a life sciences or healthcare-related field strongly preferred. Bachelor’s degree with equivalent experience will be considered.
  • Stakeholder Engagement Expertise:
  • Demonstrated experience in stakeholder engagement within an agency or industry setting, with a proven track record in KOL mapping, advisory boards, and building relationships with professional and patient advocacy groups.
  • Medical Communications Acumen:
  • Knowledge of medical communications approaches and tactics, including KOL-led medical education and scientific communication initiatives.
  • Ability to integrate scientific and stakeholder insights into cohesive and impactful communication programs.
  • Strategic & Innovative Mindset:
  • Proven ability to develop creative, forward-thinking solutions for complex, multi-faceted challenges in healthcare.
  • Experience working across various therapeutic areas and understanding diverse market dynamics.
  • Leadership & Communication Skills:
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including leading client presentations and workshop facilitation.
  • Experience working with senior-level stakeholders, providing clear recommendations and influencing decisions.
  • Business Development & Growth Orientation:
  • Strong relationship-building skills that result in long-term client partnerships and potential new opportunities.
  • Ability to demonstrate the ROI of stakeholder engagement initiatives in both commercial and medical contexts.
  • Global Perspective:
  • Familiarity with international healthcare systems and environments is advantageous.
  • Experience managing cross-cultural stakeholder relationships is highly valued.
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Equal Opportunity

Klick embraces diversity and equal opportunity. We’re committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, ancestry, place of origin, color, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, or family status. If you require disability-related accommodation during the application or interview process, simply let us know and we’ll work with you to ensure you have a positive experience.