Principal Medical Writer

We transform the fortunes of our clients’ businesses by placing them at the centre of our strategy, and using cutting edge insight from consumer advertising to give them the competitive edge.

Our challenger mindset and extensive range of capabilities means we can build the team that's right for your challenge, whether you are focused on KOLs, ROI, or AI.

We can speak to HCPs, patients, payers, or the public. Whoever's perspective you need to change.

The Role

The Principal Medical Writer is a senior scientific communications professional responsible for delivering high-quality medical content across key accounts while line managing and coaching more junior team members.

Combining deep scientific knowledge with strong storytelling, leadership, and AI-expertise, this role balances hands-on content creation with people management, editorial review, and operational innovation.

Reporting to the Department Head, who drives overall scientific strategy, this role works alongside an existing Principal Medical Writer to elevate team capability, project execution, and quality across accounts.

We are looking for an ambitious and highly organised individual who is articulate, curious, proactive and thrives in a fast-paced environment across a range of projects.

Duties And Responsibilities

Scientific project delivery & account leadership

• Lead the development of high-quality promotional HCP-facing communications, scientific platforms, congress materials, slide decks, and digital content.
• Interpret complex scientific and clinical data into clear, accurate, and engaging narrative platforms.
• Act as the lead writer on key assigned accounts, serving as a trusted scientific contact for clients and internal teams.
• Contribute scientific expertise to pitches, client workshops, and strategic discussions.

Editorial quality and regulatory compliance

• Provide senior-level editorial oversight, reviewing and marking up work from junior writers to ensure scientific accuracy, strategic alignment, and to maintain agency standards.
• Ensure all deliverables strictly adhere to relevant industry codes of practice and internal QC processes, utilising agency and client approval systems (Ziflow and Veeva)
• Deliver constructive, actionable feedback to elevate team writing standards and scientific rigour.

AI enablement and operational innovation

• Utilise suitable AI tools to optimise writing workflows, accelerate project delivery, and elevate work quality across tasks such as research, reference finding, editorial checking and exploring messaging options (where appropriate)
• Guide and oversee the writing team in using AI tools appropriately, ethically, and safely while maintaining strict scientific accuracy.
• Keep abreast of developments in AI technologies, tools, and best practices relevant to medical communications.

Line management and people development

• Line manage more junior medical writers, providing ongoing coaching, conducting regular 1:1 check-ins, performance reviews, and career development planning.
• Support the onboarding, integration, and day-to-day mentoring of new team members.

Resourcing & commercial support

• Partner with the Department Head and existing Principal Medical Writer to monitor team capacity, resource allocation, and workload balance.
• Partner with Account Management to scope deliverables, estimate medical writing effort/hours, and inform client proposals.
• Collaborate seamlessly with Creative, Digital, and Client Services teams to turn strategic briefs into integrated agency outputs.

Role Specific Skills Required

• Extensive medical advertising/communications agency experience, with direct experience developing promotional HCP content.
• Proven hands-on experience using AI tools to streamline medical writing, research and source/fact checking.
• Proven experience line managing, coaching, or directly supervising junior colleagues.
• In-depth knowledge of pharmaceutical compliance codes and hands-on experience navigating medical, legal, and regulatory (MLR) review workflows, as well as Veeva.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex scientific deliverables independently from brief to completion.
• Strong critical appraisal and editing skills, with a track record of constructively elevating others' work.

About You

• A passion for all things creative and advertising
• Resilience to keep going in a fast paced environment
• Thrive on working in a high energy and fast paced environment, where no two days are the same
• Be proactive with a can-do attitude - be eager to get your sleeves rolled up and learn
• Strive for excellence - be proud of your work and have meticulous attention to detail
• Friendly and approachable
• Build rapport and able to quickly establish excellent working relationships
• Live and breathe the agency’s values
• Strives for excellence
• Can do attitude
• Approachable and personable
• Builds rapport and is able to quickly establish excellent working relationships
• Team player

Vccp De&I Statement

We believe that DE&I is about creating a strong culture of inclusion within our agency, where everyone can thrive and be their authentic self. VCCP is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or ethnicity. If you require any adjustments during the application or interview process, please let us know via [email protected].

Criminal Records Information

As part of our onboarding process, you will be required to complete a Criminal Records Declaration regarding any unspent convictions. For roles in finance, HR, Legal, IT or senior management, we may be required to verify your declaration with a basic DBS check, as well as an Adverse Finance and ID check.

**Please note, we try to respond to as many applications as possible but, if you do not hear from us within two weeks of submitting your application, please assume we are unable to proceed with your application for this specific role. Thank you for your interest in VCCP**