Director - Strategic Thought Leader Engagement

Our Company
Dermsquared^® is the leading education, information, and services platform for dermatology professionals to elevate patient care. We serve our community of HCPs by providing practical clinical and non-clinical content through digital and in-person connections​. We provide our community with solutions to serve their patients through onsite and digital educational content based on the newest and best therapies and techniques from respected thought leaders in the field of dermatology as well as services to enhance their career trajectories. Our offerings have been proven to enhance clinician confidence, demonstrated by our exceptional audience and partner retention rates for our ecosystem. For more details on our portfolio, visit our website at dermsquared.com. 

The Essentials

This opportunity is only for those looking for a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment who bring a track record of both consistent results and a way of working admired by their partners.

• Vision - the ability to zoom out, take a point of view on “What does good look like” and passionately communicate this across and outside the organization
• Strategic problem solving - the ability to define how to get to the vision by breaking the opportunity or problem down to simple and executable strategies
• Accountability and collaboration - the ability to take ownership and be accountable for the outcome and motivate others to work effectively across the organization and set clear expectations
• Personal grit - the willingness and ability to dive into executional details when needed

Job Description
Title: Director – Strategic Thought Leader Engagement  
Reporting to: Chief Operating Officer
Location: Remote (Eastern or Central US)

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Accountability

The Director – Strategic Thought Leader Engagement is responsible for building, nurturing, and managing a dynamic network of key opinion leaders (KOLs), rising experts, and clinical influencers in the field of dermatology. This individual will develop and maintain the connective tissue between leading voices in dermatology and our internal teams, ensuring that our programs, solutions, and strategic projects are informed, inspired, and driven by real-world expertise.

The role will serve as a “player-coach,” requiring agility to build an overall KOL engagement strategy for the business and operationalize it on the ground as we grow this capability. This role will focus on how Dermsquared at scale can foster long-term partnerships with experts, co-create meaningful opportunities for collaboration, and cultivate a vibrant thought leader community that shapes the future of dermatology and continues to make Dermsquared the indispensable resource for the dermatology community. 

Responsibilities

Strategic Community Building & Expert Engagement Strategy

• Develop and refine an overall strategic KOL community engagement plan to have a playbook to scale deep and meaningful relationships with KOLs and other experts. 
• Craft meaningful value propositions for KOLs to contribute their insights, grow their influence, and connect with peers.
• Map, tier, and segment the dermatology expert landscape to ensure holistic representation across sub-specialties, regions, and perspectives.
• Facilitate strategic touchpoints with experts, including roundtables, expert panels, fireside chats, podcasts, and networking opportunities.

KOL Identification & Relationship Building

• Proactively identify and engage established and emerging voices in dermatology across academic institutions, private practice, professional societies, and digital platforms.
• Create personalized engagement plans for high impact thought leaders to involve them in editorial projects, educational initiatives, and thought leadership activities.
• Build and maintain trusted, ongoing relationships with KOLs and experts to foster a collaborative, inclusive network that supports the company’s mission.

Content Strategy Support

• Partner with editorial, medical, and digital teams to integrate KOL insights into the planning and development of content—such as articles, video series, interviews, newsletters, and social campaigns.
• Help shape editorial themes and topic pipelines based on ongoing conversations with the expert community and key trends in dermatology.
• Serve as a clearinghouse of experts by facilitating introductions and connections between KOLs and internal content creators, editors, and strategists. Partner with internal teams to match KOLs with company needs.

Congress and Event Activation

• Attend major dermatology meetings to deepen relationships, identify rising experts, and gather insights on evolving topics.
• Organize and support KOL-driven activities at events, such as expert meetups, interviews, commentary, or post-conference discussions.
• Act as a visible representative of the company within the dermatology community. 

Internal Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with business development, content creation, product, and marketing teams to align KOL engagement with broader company initiatives and brand goals.
• Share regular updates, feedback, and insights from the field to inform internal strategy and planning.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, health communication, or related field; advanced degree (e.g., PhD, MD, PA/NP, PharmD, or Master’s) is a plus.
• 3+ years of experience in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical publishing, healthcare engagement, or a similar role involving relationship-building with healthcare professionals, such as professional affairs.
• Experience strategizing, developing, and managing enterprise-level plans
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a talent for building genuine, lasting professional relationships.
• Comfortable working independently and collaboratively across departments in a fast-paced, content-rich environment.
• Willingness to travel (up to 50%) for events, meetings, and expert engagements.

Preferred Attributes

• Strong familiarity with the dermatology landscape—including clinical trends, influential voices, and key issues shaping the field.
• Deep curiosity about dermatology and healthcare education.
• Established network of contacts in dermatology (academic, clinical, or influencer circles).
• Experience working with physicians, researchers, and other clinicians in content, communications, or education settings.
• Comfortable speaking and collaborating with senior clinical experts and rising thought leaders alike

Salary Commensurate with Experience plus Benefits