Planning to leverage your business, clinical, and scientific expertise to pursue an executive position in medical affairs, R&D, or biotechnology? A compelling resume for these fields has evolved far beyond a list of technical skills and hands-on roles.
Instead, you’ll need to prove your skill in bridging the gap among medical teams, executives, commercialization leaders, and marketing interests, incorporating a clear message of industry acumen and effectiveness (as well as revenue results).
Attract employers in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, biotech, or medical device industries by incorporating these elements into your leadership resume:
1 – Your strategic leadership capabilities.
Medical affairs or R&D executives, particularly Vice Presidents, combine commercial-side business meetings with a charter to supervise research strategy, manage clinical studies, and validate scientific claims supporting specific products.
As shown in this VP of Medical Affairs sample resume, you’ll need to explain how your leadership influence has created successful product rollouts, or fostered increased understanding between commercial and clinical groups.
In addition, you’ll want to describe strategic planning and forecasting activities that affect your division or company, including details of R&D roadmaps or technical studies related to market direction.
2 – Your revenue impact.
Often, the quality of research studies and the directives issued by executives can shape market adoption, and in turn, revenue.
Even though your expertise is grounded in a scientific or technical field, it’s important to show how your work created a percentage gain in market share – especially in cases where product quality is verified after facing market challenges.
Remember that figures carry the most weight in a leadership resume! If you can’t mention direct revenue numbers, consider describing the scope of your role in more general terms (such as “multimillion-dollar revenue”) to help quantify the results.
3 – Your clinical or scientific background.
Many medical affairs, R&D, or biotechnology leaders offer extensive technical expertise (such as a background in R&D, clinical practice, or medical school).
Employers such as major pharmaceutical firms usually seek clinical experience among executive staff, expecting to see prior jobs as Medical Scientist, Physician, Resident, or R&D Project Leader.
However, they’ll also look for your ability to interact with commercial-side leaders. Frame your clinical experience in simple, summarized terms, using a short listing of earlier titles (shown in the same example of a VP Medical Affairs Resume).
An Early Career section at the end of the resume can accomplish the same thing, allowing your clinical or hands-on biotech expertise to serve as a backdrop for recent executive leadership activities.
4 – The scope of your portfolio authority.
Some R&D or medical affairs leaders are required to manage an extensive product portfolio, with concurrent preparations for new-product launch and continual clinical trials.
This responsibility for the commercial viability of pharmaceuticals and drug delivery systems, including sales training and a clear grasp of each product’s market goals, should take center stage on your resume.
In addition, you’ll want to list white papers (reporting significant clinical trial findings or scientific research results) that you’ve authored, or publications that you’ve directed staff to produce. If the scope of your portfolio authority includes advising leadership teams of expected research study results, this influence is also a key item to include on your resume.
5 – Your promotional results.
A key responsibility for many leaders in scientific or medical fields, marketing and promotions are important factors in product acceptance and the company’s reputation.
Endorsements secured from industry leaders, assessments of market potential, or presentations to industry leaders on the product’s purpose should all be described in detail, including the revenue (direct or indirect) that occurred as a result.
In summary, a strong resume for biotech, medical affairs, or R&D must demonstrate your ability to balance the demands of both business and clinical interests – offering an array of personal, clinical/scientific, and commercial leadership pivotal to future employers.
Executive resume writer Laura Smith-Proulx is an award-winning Executive Resume Writer and former recruiter with a 98% success rate opening doors to prestigious jobs through compelling personal branding. The Executive Director of An Expert Resume, she partners exclusively with C-suite, VP, and Director candidates.
