Director, Thought Leader Engagement (TLEL)
- United States - New York - New York City
- United States - Remote
Role Summary
The Director, Thought Leader Engagement (TLEL) is responsible for partnering with marketeers to develop and execute a best-in-class, compliant engagement strategy with national and regional Thought Leaders / Opinion Leaders (OLs) to advance Pfizer’s or Specialty Care’s legitimate business objectives (branded and unbranded) across the Gastroenterology (GI) franchise.
This role serves as the primary commercial liaison to identify OLs, creating consistent and high-quality One Pfizer experiences while gathering insights that inform brand, franchise, and customer engagement strategies. The Director will partner closely with Marketing, Medical Affairs, Sales Leadership, Market Access, and other cross-functional colleagues to ensure engagement plans are integrated, strategic, and aligned to business priorities.
Key Responsibilities
Thought Leader Engagement & Strategy
- Partner with marketeers to develop and execute a strategic OL engagement plan aligned to brand and GI franchise objectives.
- Support and inform OL engagement strategy development, and execute approved engagement plans in alignment with cross-functional owners.
- Map the OL community to identify new/emerging OLs based on brand strategies.
- Map connections and relationships within the Gastroenterology OL community to inform potential engagement strategies and channels.
- Support the development and execution of individualized OL engagement approaches.
- Establish, maintain, and strengthen long-term relationships with national and regional Thought Leaders / Opinion Leaders.
- Serve as the primary commercial point of contact for assigned OLs, ensuring a consistent and coordinated Pfizer presence.
- Deliver a One Pfizer experience by aligning engagement activities across functions.
- Identify ways to advance and expand engagement with OLs through innovative initiatives, including digital and novel engagement models.
Insight Generation & Application
- Lead insight gathering to support Gastroenterology brand and other Pfizer objectives through 1:1 engagements and small group meetings.
- Capture, synthesize, and share insights on OL expertise and experience, brand perceptions, treatment patterns, unmet needs, and market dynamics that are capable of being turned into actionable commercial recommendations.
- Maintain consistent documentation of insights to support longitudinal understanding of relationships, enable knowledge sharing, and inform future engagement.
- Inform the development and execution of HCP and customer engagement strategies.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner closely with Marketing, Medical Affairs, Sales, Market Access, and other internal stakeholders to align OL engagement with broader commercial and medical plans.
- Support brand and franchise planning through OL insights and strategic input.
- Collaborate with global and regional colleagues, as appropriate, to align engagement approaches.
Congress, Meetings & Engagement Metrics
- Support Marketing and Medical in developing OL engagement approaches for national and regional congresses and meetings through insights, including recommendations and coordination.
- Plan and coordinate OL interactions at meetings in partnership with brand teams.
- Establish and track engagement metrics, including post-engagement evaluations and performance against objectives.
- Maintain up-to-date OL lists and track engagement activity.
Compliance & Governance
- Ensure all OL engagements are conducted in accordance with company policies and compliance standards.
- Partner with marketing project owner, legal, and compliance teams to ensure consistent and appropriate engagement practices.
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
- Approximately 8–10+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, or related healthcare industries.
- Experience in commercial, medical affairs, marketing, sales leadership, strategy, or customer engagement roles.
- Proven ability to build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with external Thought Leaders and internal stakeholders.
- Demonstrated success working in a cross-functional, matrixed environment with influence-based leadership.
- Strong analytical capabilities with the ability to translate customer insights into actionable strategies.
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and presentation skills.
- Ability to travel approximately 50%, including evenings and weekends as required.
Preferred Qualifications
- Gastroenterology experience.
- Experience designing and executing Thought Leader or Opinion Leader engagement programs.
- Science or clinical background.
Core Capabilities & Leadership Attributes
- Strategic thinker with strong business acumen.
- High emotional intelligence and executive presence.
- Ability to influence without authority.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Demonstrated creativity and problem-solving orientation.
- Comfortable navigating a highly regulated environment.
Candidate demonstrates a breadth of diverse leadership experiences and capabilities including: the ability to influence and collaborate with peers, develop and coach others, oversee and guide the work of other colleagues to achieve meaningful outcomes and create business impact.
Other Job Details
- Last Date to Apply for Job: October 19, 2026
- NOT Eligible for Relocation Package
- Location: Remote (U.S. East Coast preferred). Candidates must be located within or willing to work East Coast business hours.
The annual base salary for this position ranges from $176,600.00 to $294,300.00. In addition, this position is eligible for participation in Pfizer’s Global Performance Plan with a bonus target of 20.0% of the base salary and eligibility to participate in our share based long term incentive program. We offer comprehensive and generous benefits and programs to help our colleagues lead healthy lives and to support each of life’s moments. Benefits offered include a 401(k) plan with Pfizer Matching Contributions and an additional Pfizer Retirement Savings Contribution, paid vacation, holiday and personal days, paid caregiver/parental and medical leave, and health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage. Learn more at Pfizer Candidate Site – U.S. Benefits | (uscandidates.mypfizerbenefits.com). Pfizer compensation structures and benefit packages are aligned based on the location of hire. The United States salary range provided does not apply to Tampa, FL or any location outside of the United States.

This role is posted in multiple locations. If you are applying for the role in an secondary job posting location where pay transparency regulations apply, your Talent Advisor will share the local pay information with you during the first interview.


Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility.
Candidates must be authorized to be employed in the U.S. by any employer.
U.S. work visa sponsorship (such as TN, O-1, H-1B, etc.) is not available for this role now or in the future.
Sunshine Act
Pfizer reports payments and other transfers of value to health care providers as required by federal and state transparency laws and implementing regulations. These laws and regulations require Pfizer to provide government agencies with information such as a health care provider’s name, address and the type of payments or other value received, generally for public disclosure. Subject to further legal review and statutory or regulatory clarification, which Pfizer intends to pursue, reimbursement of recruiting expenses for licensed physicians may constitute a reportable transfer of value under the federal transparency law commonly known as the Sunshine Act. Therefore, if you are a licensed physician who incurs recruiting expenses as a result of interviewing with Pfizer that we pay or reimburse, your name, address and the amount of payments made currently will be reported to the government. If you have questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact your Talent Acquisition representative.
EEO & Employment Eligibility
Pfizer is committed to equal opportunity in the terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability or veteran status. Pfizer also complies with all applicable national, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act and IRCA. Pfizer is an E-Verify employer. This position requires permanent work authorization in the United States.
Pfizer endeavors to make www.pfizer.com/careers accessible to all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process and/or interviewing, please email disabilityrecruitment@pfizer.com. This is to be used solely for accommodation requests with respect to the accessibility of our website, online application process and/or interviewing. Requests for any other reason will not be returned.
To learn more about acceptable and prohibited uses of AI during the recruitment process, please review our candidate AI-use guidelines available on Pfizer Careers.
Marketing and Market Research
Breakthroughs that change patients’ lives
Research confirms what intuition tells us: that purpose-driven companies perform better, are more innovative, attract and retain the best people, and know how to unleash the power of those people. Pfizer’s purpose—Breakthroughs that change patients' lives—fuels everything we do and reflects our passion for building on our legacy as one of the greatest contributors of good to the world.
Each word in our purpose has meaning and reflects the value we strive to bring to patients and society:
“Breakthroughs” - These are the innovations, scientific and commercial, that we seek to deliver every day. All colleagues, regardless of role, level or location, strive for breakthroughs every day.
“Change” - We want to do more than simply improve patients’ medical conditions; we want to dramatically change their lives for the better.
“Patients’ lives” - We consider not only patients, but everyone they touch—including their families, caregivers, and friends—and everything they love to do. It’s an intentionally holistic view.
Our purpose ensures that patients remain at the center of all we do. We live our purpose by sourcing the best science in the world; partnering with others in the healthcare system to improve access to our medicines; using digital technologies to enhance our drug discovery and development, as well as patient outcomes; and leading the conversation to advocate for pro-innovation/pro-patient policies.
Every decision we make and every action we take is done with the patient in mind—and to nurture an environment where breakthroughs can thrive.
Benefits at Pfizer
Pfizer offers competitive compensation and benefits programs designed to meet the diverse needs of our colleagues. Our Pay for Performance Philosophy and Practices reward colleagues based on the contributions they make to our business.
Our Competitive Benefits Programs help our colleagues by:
- Promoting Health and Wellness to help colleagues maintain and improve their physical and mental wellbeing. Pfizer offerings include health and disability insurance, preventative health programs, medical screenings, free or reduced-cost vaccinations, discounts on Pfizer products, mental health support, nutrition and fitness counseling and more.
- Strengthening Colleagues’ Financial Security by providing company contributions to retirement plans, life insurance and financial planning education to help colleagues achieve their financial goals.
- Providing Benefits and Time off for the Moments that Matter to ensure Pfizer colleagues have the time away from the office to recharge, recover and return to work as the best version of themselves. Vacation, Holiday time and Sick time are just the beginning, with a 12 week parental leave policy for both parents of a new born, 10 day of caregiver leave for those times when your family needs you whether it’s a child, spouse or parent, bereavement leave, and additional country-specific programs.
- And so much more, depending on your country and site, Pfizer offers childcare facilities or discount programs, on-site health and/or fitness centers, movement and mindfulness solutions, “Log in for your Day” work flexibility and so much more.
For U.S. based jobs, view an overview of Pfizer’s U.S. benefits program (opens in a new window)