National Laboratory Director

ROLE SUMMARY

The National Laboratory Director (NLD) plays a critical leadership role within Pfizer’s Commercial Diagnostics organization, serving as the primary strategic, technical, and operational interface between Pfizer Oncology and major U.S. national reference laboratories. This role is responsible for shaping and executing Pfizer’s national laboratory engagement strategy across key partners including Caris Life Sciences, Tempus, NeoGenomics, Foundation Medicine, LabCorp, and others.

The NLD ensures optimal access, performance, readiness, and utilization of biomarker testing critical to Pfizer’s oncology portfolio—enabling timely and accurate identification of patients who may benefit from Pfizer’s therapeutics. This role combines national account strategy, deep diagnostics expertise, cross-functional collaboration, and a strong understanding of lab operations, quality frameworks, biomarker methodologies, and pathology workflows.

The NLD will partner closely with the Commercial Diagnostics Leaders, ODLs, DSDs, OAG, Medical, Marketing, Market Access, and National Accounts to build a consistent and aligned diagnostic foundation across the national lab ecosystem, aligning with Pfizer’s precision-medicine ambitions and portfolio objectives.

Role Responsibilities

Strategic National Laboratory Leadership

• Lead the national strategy for Pfizer’s partnerships with major reference laboratories, focusing on expanding testing access, performance consistency, and biomarker adoption to support the full Pfizer Oncology portfolio.

• Serve as the national subject matter expert in pathology, molecular diagnostics, and emerging biomarker technologies (IHC, Flow, FISH, PCR, NGS, RNA-based assays, ctDNA, MRD, etc.).

• Develop national-level insights and translate them into actionable strategies for ODLs, DSDs, National Account Directors, and cross-functional internal stakeholders.

Operational Excellence & Diagnostic Performance

• Conduct national-level partner assessments to evaluate test availability, ordering workflows, validation status, turnaround times, reporting quality, and barriers to optimized test utilization.

• Identify, prioritize, and drive solutions to resolve barriers impacting biomarker testing—including operational, technical, regulatory, capacity, or workflow challenges.

• Support the validation, implementation, and scaling of new assay capabilities aligned to Pfizer’s biomarker strategies, launch readiness, and evolving pipeline needs.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Collaboration

• Operate as the central diagnostic leader and connection point between Commercial Diagnostics, OAG, Field Medical, Medical Outcomes & Analytics, Brand Marketing, Legal, and Market Access.

• Provide strategic national guidance to ODLs and DSDs, ensuring alignment between regional activities and national priorities.

• Represent Pfizer at national reference lab headquarters, executive stakeholder meetings, advisory boards, and partnership initiatives.

Education, Influence, and Scientific Leadership

• Educate national lab leadership, molecular directors, pathologists, and technical teams on emerging biomarkers relevant to Pfizer’s therapeutic areas.

• Deliver high-impact scientific discussions related to tumor biology, testing methodologies, validation expectations, and quality frameworks.

• Lead national best-practice forums, technical workshops, and educational initiatives to improve proficiency, accuracy, and consistency of biomarker testing.

Business Impact & National Account Partnership Expansion

• Identify and influence key decision pathways that govern test adoption, panel inclusion, reporting standards, and reflex testing algorithms across national labs.

• Evaluate opportunities to expand biomarker testing capabilities to increase compliant Pfizer revenue and support clinical adoption.

• Monitor national KPIs and partner performance metrics; proactively identify risks and implement corrective action plans.

Market Awareness & Continuous Landscape Monitoring

• Maintain a high level of awareness of diagnostic innovations, guideline updates, technology advancements, regulatory changes, and competitor testing movements.

• Provide national-level insight summaries and strategic recommendations to internal leadership to shape future diagnostic strategy and support portfolio success.

QUALIFICATIONS

Basic Qualifications

• 8+ years of diagnostic laboratory, molecular pathology, or related experience, with extensive account management, deep functional understanding of immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, NGS, FISH, PCR, and molecular oncology testing.

• Demonstrated leadership in partnering with national or large regional diagnostic organ