The Director, KOL Engagement will lead KOL relationship strategies, develop engagement initiatives, and ensure compliance during Scholar Rock's first U.S. launch.
Scholar Rock is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and delivers life-changing therapies for people with serious diseases that have high unmet need. As a global leader in the biology of the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) superfamily of cell proteins and named for the visual resemblance of a scholar rock to protein structures, the clinical-stage company is focused on advancing innovative treatments where protein growth factors are fundamental. Over the past decade, the company has created a pipeline with the potential to advance the standard of care for neuromuscular disease, cardiometabolic disorders, cancer, and other conditions where growth factor-targeted drugs can play a transformational role.
Scholar Rock is the only company to show clinical proof of concept for a muscle-targeted treatment in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). This commitment to unlocking fundamentally different therapeutic approaches is powered by broad application of a proprietary platform, which has developed novel monoclonal antibodies to modulate protein growth factors with extraordinary selectivity. By harnessing cutting-edge science in disease spaces that are historically under-addressed through traditional therapies, Scholar Rock works every day to create new possibilities for patients. Learn more about the company’s approach at ScholarRock.com and follow @ScholarRock and on LinkedIn.
Summary of Position:
The Director, KOL Engagement (US) will play a critical role in building and sustaining deep, trusted relationships with key opinion leaders (KOLs) in advance of and through Scholar Rock’s first U.S. commercial launch. This role will be accountable for developing and executing the U.S. KOL engagement strategy and plan for apitegromab, ensuring meaningful, compliant interactions that generate insight, foster advocacy, and support launch readiness.
This individual will work cross-functionally with Medical Affairs, Marketing, Sales, Market Access, and Field teams to design and deliver high-impact KOL engagement initiatives, including peer-to-peer programs, advisory boards, congress engagement, and innovative engagement formats. The role will serve as a connective tissue across functions, ensuring alignment, coordination, and consistency in how Scholar Rock engages with the external expert community.
This is a high-impact, highly collaborative role with the opportunity to shape Scholar Rock’s external scientific and clinical relationships as the company enters commercialization.
Position Responsibilities:
KOL Strategy & Engagement Planning
- Develop and own the U.S. KOL engagement strategy and annual engagement plan, aligned with brand strategy, medical priorities, and launch objectives.
- Identify, segment, and prioritize KOLs across key specialties and practice settings relevant to SMA.
- Establish clear objectives, success metrics, and engagement principles to guide compliant, meaningful KOL interactions.
Execution & Program Leadership
- Lead the planning and execution of KOL engagement tactics, including:
- Peer-to-peer programming
- Advisory boards and insight-generating forums
- Congress engagement and scientific meetings
- Innovative and creative engagement formats designed to deepen relationships and dialogue
- Ensure excellence in program design, execution, and follow-up, with a strong focus on insight capture and learning.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner closely with Medical Affairs to ensure alignment on scientific exchange, insight generation, and appropriate roles and responsibilities.
- Collaborate with Marketing and Sales to align KOL engagement with brand strategy and field needs, while maintaining clear compliance boundaries.
- Work with Field teams to support coordinated, high-quality KOL interactions at the regional and local level.
- Serve as a central point of coordination to ensure consistent messaging, engagement cadence, and experience for KOLs.
Insights & Continuous Improvement
- Capture, synthesize, and share insights from KOL engagements to inform brand strategy, launch readiness, and ongoing optimization.
- Support the development of feedback loops to ensure learnings are incorporated across commercial and medical teams.
- Continuously assess engagement effectiveness and evolve approaches based on insights and best practices.
Operational Excellence & Compliance
- Ensure all KOL engagement activities are conducted in full alignment with regulatory, legal, and compliance requirements.
- Partner with internal stakeholders to support promotional review, contracting, and fair market value processes as needed.
- Manage external vendors and agency partners supporting KOL engagement initiatives.
Candidate Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
- 8–10+ years of experience in pharmaceutical or biotechnology roles involving KOL engagement, medical education, marketing, or field leadership.
- Demonstrated experience developing and executing KOL engagement strategies in specialty or rare disease environments.
- Strong understanding of the U.S. healthcare landscape and the role of KOLs in shaping clinical practice.
- Proven ability to work effectively across medical, commercial, and field teams in a matrixed organization.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills.
- Strong organizational and project-management capabilities.
- High level of integrity with a solid understanding of compliance requirements.
- Entrepreneurial mindset with comfort operating in a first-launch, high-growth environment.
- Willingness to travel as needed (anticipated up to ~30%).
Scholar Rock is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
Scholar Rock Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA Office
301 Binney St, , Cambridge, Massachusetts , United States, 02142
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