Senior Director, Drug Development Services (Cardiometabolic)

Sr Director Therapeutic Area (Hepatology)- US- Remote

ICON is a global healthcare intelligence and clinical research organisation united by a mission to bring new medicines and treatments to patients faster.

As a values-driven organisation, integrity, collaboration, agility, and inclusion are at the heart of how we work and interact with each other, customers, patients and suppliers.

Senior Director, Drug Development & Consulting – Cardiometabolic

At ICON plc, we are driven by commitment to People, Clients, and Performance. We are seeking a strategic Cardiometabolic expert to join our Drug Development & Consulting team in a highly visible, client-facing role.

This position offers the opportunity to act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders across the industry, including CEOs, CMOs, and other Cardiometabolic Therapeutic Area Heads. You will deliver bespoke, asset-centric solutions while shaping Cardiometabolic drug development strategies across the full lifecycle.

The Role

This is a consultative and advisory role where you will serve as a key scientific partner to both external clients and internal teams. Often acting as the first technical point of contact, you will play a critical role in pre-sales activities, proposal strategy, and long-term partnership development within Cardiometabolic.

Key Responsibilities

Lead strategic Cardiometabolic drug development design, delivering tailored, asset-focused solutions across liver diseases including MASLD/MASH, alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, and other chronic and rare liver conditions like PBC, PSC, PFIC

Own end-to-end protocol development, including design, scientific review, and evaluation for Cardiometabolic clinical trials across Phases I–IV

Partner directly with senior client stakeholders (e.g., CMO, TA Heads, Clinical Development leadership) to provide expert guidance on Cardiometabolic development strategy and data interpretation

Act as scientific and strategic lead in proposal development, study strategy, and bid defense activities within Cardiometabolic

Build and maintain strong relationships with Cardiometabolic key opinion leaders (KOLs), advisory boards, and relevant regulatory authorities

Contribute to the development of Cardiometabolic-focused service offerings, supporting innovation and growth in liver disease drug development capabilities

Provide training, mentorship, and thought leadership in Cardiometabolic to internal teams and external partners

Participate in portfolio reviews, governance discussions, and scientific oversight of Cardiometabolic programs

Support operational teams with high-level scientific input, including investigator meetings and Cardiometabolic-specific study discussions

Represent the organization at Cardiometabolic congresses and scientific forums to promote clinical excellence and scientific leadership

What You Bring

Deep, recognized expertise in Cardiometabolic and liver disease drug development

Strong understanding of Cardiometabolic clinical trial design, biomarkers, endpoints (e.g., fibrosis staging, histologic and non-invasive markers), and evolving therapeutic landscapes (e.g., MASLD/MASH, alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), cirrhosis, immuno-Cardiometabolic approaches and antiviral therapies)

Proven ability to operate in a strategic, client-facing, consultative environment within pharmaceutical or clinical research settings

Experience engaging and influencing senior scientific and clinical stakeholders across industry and academia

Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex Cardiometabolic data into clear, actionable development insights

Collaborative, global mindset with strong cross-functional leadership capability

MD required, ideally with specialization or substantial clinical/research experience in Cardiometabolic diseases

Additional Information

20- 40% travel (domestic and international)

Opportunity to work in a highly visible, impact-driven role shaping the future of Cardiometabolic drug development

* *Actual compensation will be determined based on the candidate’s relevant experience, skills, education and training, geographic location, and other job-related factors .

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What ICON can offer you: Our success depends on the quality of our people. That’s why we’ve made it a priority to build a diverse culture that rewards high performance and nurtures talent.

In addition to your competitive salary, ICON offers a range of additional benefits. Our benefits are designed to be competitive within each country and are focused on well-being and work life balance opportunities for you and your family.

Our benefits examples include:

Various annual leave entitlements

A range of health insurance offerings to suit you and your family’s needs.

Competitive retirement planning offerings to maximize savings and plan with confidence for the years ahead.

Global Employee Assistance Programme, LifeWorks, offering 24-hour access to a global network of over 80,000 independent specialized professionals who are there to support you and your family’s well-being.

Life assurance

Flexible country-specific optional benefits, including childcare vouchers, bike purchase schemes, discounted gym memberships, subsidized travel passes, health assessments, among others.

Visit our careers site to read more about the benefits ICON offers.

At ICON, inclusion & belonging are fundamental to our culture and values. We’re dedicated to providing an inclusive and accessible environment for all candidates. ICON is committed to providing a workplace free of discrimination and harassment. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please let us know or submit a request here

Interested in the role, but unsure if you meet all of the requirements? We would encourage you to apply regardless – there’s every chance you’re exactly what we’re looking for here at ICON whether it is for this or other roles.

Are you a current ICON Employee? Please click here to apply