Director, Expert Insights and Delphi Methodology

Description

About the Hiring GroupRTI Health Solutions (RTI-HS), a wholly owned subsidiary of RTI International, is an independent and internationally recognized research organization. With offices in the US, UK, Spain, France, and Sweden, we provide healthcare consulting and research expertise to optimize decision making for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device products across the development and marketing lifecycle. Clients rely on our expertise, quality standards, and integrity to guide their product development and regulatory and market access strategies. Our various practice areas include Value, Access, and HEOR; Patient-Centered and Outcomes Research; Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Medical Communications; Global Business Operations; and Strategic Consulting and Growth. We are seeking a Director to join our Expert Insights team within Medical Communications. As Director, Expert Insights and Delphi Methodology, you will join an experienced, collaborative team that helps clients obtain, interpret, and communicate insights from clinicians, payers, HTA experts, patients, and other stakeholders. You will provide senior methodological and project leadership across Delphi and other consensus-development studies, advisory boards, steering committees, expert panels, and qualitative research. You will translate complex stakeholder input into clear findings, implications, recommendations, and scientifically rigorous deliverables that support medical affairs, clinical development, evidence communication, market access, and related business decisions. This role is suited to an experienced leader who can quickly take ownership of active Delphi work and provide expert leadership across ongoing projects This role’s location is flexible, UK, Spain, France or Sweden and remote working options are available What You'll DoIn this role, you will:Independently design and lead modified and classic Delphi studies and other expert elicitation of consensus exercises from protocol development through expert recruitment, questionnaire development, iterative rounds, analysis, consensus interpretation, and final reportingDefine and apply appropriate consensus criteria, stopping rules, analytical approaches, and methods for integrating quantitative results with qualitative rationaleDesign and lead virtual and in-person advisory boards, steering committees, expert panels, and other structured expert-engagement activitiesFacilitate or moderate discussions with clinicians, payers, patients, caregivers, health technology assessment stakeholders, and other expertsConduct and analyze qualitative interviews using rigorous, fit-for-purpose methodsAdvise clients and internal teams on the most appropriate methodology for insight-generation and consensus-development that is tailored to intended audiencesDevelop study protocols, analysis plans, interview and discussion guides, questionnaires, moderator materials, and other data-collection toolsTranslate stakeholder input and study findings into clear conclusions, implications, recommendations, and strategic narrativesDevelop and review scientifically accurate, audience-appropriate reports, executive summaries, manuscripts, abstracts, posters, congress materials, and client presentationsIdentify implications of expert insights for medical strategy, evidence communication, publication planning, stakeholder engagement, and market accessApply appropriate standards for scientific rigor, publication ethics, authorship, transparency, data integrity, and project documentationManage complex, multidisciplinary projects to agreed scope, quality, timelines, and budgets, including development of workplans, cost estimates, and risk-mitigation approachesServe as a senior client contact, build trusted relationships, anticipate needs, and provide clear methodological and strategic guidanceScope opportunities and develop proposals that align the research question, methodology, deliverables, schedule, and budgetContribute to business development through capabilities presentations, solution development, thought leadership, and expansion of client relationshipsCollaborate effectively with medical writers, scientific strategists, editors, project managers, analysts, and other cross-functional partnersBuild the team’s scientific profile through publication and presentation of work What You'll NeedAdvanced degree and at least 5 years of experience in medical communications, clinical research, epidemiology, public health, outcomes research, health services research, health policy, qualitative research, pharmaceutical sciences, or a related scientific disciplineExtensive, recent, hands-on experience independently designing and leading modified or classic Delphi studies, including protocol development, expert selection and recruitment, round development, analysis, consensus interpretation, and reporting all in adherence to current methodological guidelinesDemonstrated ability to assume leadership of active Delphi projects with limited methodological oversight or onboardingExperience leading virtual and in-person advisory boards, steering committees, expert panels, or comparable structured expert-engagement programsExperience designing, conducting, and analyzing qualitative research, including development of protocols, analysis plans, interview guides, questionnaires, and reportsStrong scientific writing, synthesis, and data-interpretation skills, with the ability to convert complex evidence and stakeholder input into concise, actionable communicationsExperience developing publication-quality reports, manuscripts, abstracts, posters, or presentations and familiarity with relevant ethical and reporting standardsExperience working directly with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or healthcare clients and providing senior-level methodological and strategic counselDemonstrated success managing complex projects, budgets, timelines, risks, and cross-functional teamsExperience scoping opportunities, writing proposals, and presenting capabilities or recommended approaches to clientsExcellent written, verbal, facilitation, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced, multitasking environmentDemonstrated ability to work independently, collaborate across disciplines, and coach or mentor colleaguesA record of peer-reviewed publication, conference presentation, or other relevant scientific thought leadershipDesirable, but not essential:Experience engaging a range of stakeholder types, including clinicians, payers, patients, caregivers, and health technology assessment representativesKnowledge of US or international healthcare, health technology assessment, pricing, reimbursement, or market access environmentsExperience connecting expert insights to Medical Affairs strategy, integrated evidence communication, publication planning, or stakeholder-engagement planningExperience using virtual engagement platforms, digital collaboration tools, and emerging technologies to support expert panels, qualitative research, insight analysis, and scientific communicationExperience supporting health technology assessment, reimbursement, regulatory, or evidence-submission activitiesExperience with additional research approaches, such as literature reviews, observational or retrospective analyses, patient-reported outcomes, utility assessment, or quality-of-life research

Responsibilities

In this role, you will:Independently design and lead modified and classic Delphi studies and other expert elicitation of consensus exercises from protocol development through expert recruitment, questionnaire development, iterative rounds, analysis, consensus interpretation, and final reportingDefine and apply appropriate consensus criteria, stopping rules, analytical approaches, and methods for integrating quantitative results with qualitative rationaleDesign and lead virtual and in-person advisory boards, steering committees, expert panels, and other structured expert-engagement activitiesFacilitate or moderate discussions with clinicians, payers, patients, caregivers, health technology assessment stakeholders, and other expertsConduct and analyze qualitative interviews using rigorous, fit-for-purpose methodsAdvise clients and internal teams on the most appropriate methodology for insight-generation and consensus-development that is tailored to intended audiencesDevelop study protocols, analysis plans, interview and discussion guides, questionnaires, moderator materials, and other data-collection toolsTranslate stakeholder input and study findings into clear conclusions, implications, recommendations, and strategic narrativesDevelop and review scientifically accurate, audience-appropriate reports, executive summaries, manuscripts, abstracts, posters, congress materials, and client presentationsIdentify implications of expert insights for medical strategy, evidence communication, publication planning, stakeholder engagement, and market accessApply appropriate standards for scientific rigor, publication ethics, authorship, transparency, data integrity, and project documentationManage complex, multidisciplinary projects to agreed scope, quality, timelines, and budgets, including development of workplans, cost estimates, and risk-mitigation approachesServe as a senior client contact, build trusted relationships, anticipate needs, and provide clear methodological and strategic guidanceScope opportunities and develop proposals that align the research question, methodology, deliverables, schedule, and budgetContribute to business development through capabilities presentations, solution development, thought leadership, and expansion of client relationshipsCollaborate effectively with medical writers, scientific strategists, editors, project managers, analysts, and other cross-functional partnersBuild the team’s scientific profile through publication and presentation of work

Qualification

Advanced degree and at least 5 years of experience in medical communications, clinical research, epidemiology, public health, outcomes research, health services research, health policy, qualitative research, pharmaceutical sciences, or a related scientific disciplineExtensive, recent, hands-on experience independently designing and leading modified or classic Delphi studies, including protocol development, expert selection and recruitment, round development, analysis, consensus interpretation, and reporting all in adherence to current methodological guidelinesDemonstrated ability to assume leadership of active Delphi projects with limited methodological oversight or onboardingExperience leading virtual and in-person advisory boards, steering committees, expert panels, or comparable structured expert-engagement programsExperience designing, conducting, and analyzing qualitative research, including development of protocols, analysis plans, interview guides, questionnaires, and reportsStrong scientific writing, synthesis, and data-interpretation skills, with the ability to convert complex evidence and stakeholder input into concise, actionable communicationsExperience developing publication-quality reports, manuscripts, abstracts, posters, or presentations and familiarity with relevant ethical and reporting standardsExperience working directly with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or healthcare clients and providing senior-level methodological and strategic counselDemonstrated success managing complex projects, budgets, timelines, risks, and cross-functional teamsExperience scoping opportunities, writing proposals, and presenting capabilities or recommended approaches to clientsExcellent written, verbal, facilitation, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced, multitasking environmentDemonstrated ability to work independently, collaborate across disciplines, and coach or mentor colleaguesA record of peer-reviewed publication, conference presentation, or other relevant scientific thought leadershipDesirable, but not essential:Experience engaging a range of stakeholder types, including clinicians, payers, patients, caregivers, and health technology assessment representativesKnowledge of US or international healthcare, health technology assessment, pricing, reimbursement, or market access environmentsExperience connecting expert insights to Medical Affairs strategy, integrated evidence communication, publication planning, or stakeholder-engagement planningExperience using virtual engagement platforms, digital collaboration tools, and emerging technologies to support expert panels, qualitative research, insight analysis, and scientific communicationExperience supporting health technology assessment, reimbursement, regulatory, or evidence-submission activitiesExperience with additional research approaches, such as literature reviews, observational or retrospective analyses, patient-reported outcomes, utility assessment, or quality-of-life research