National Sr. Director, Science & Medicine, Stroke & Brain Health Guidelines

Since our founding in 1924, we've cut cardiovascular disease deaths in half, but there is still so much more to do. To overcome today’s biggest health challenges and accelerate this progress, we need passionate individuals like you. Join our movement, be part of the progress, and help ensure a healthier future for all. You matter, and so does the impact you can make with us.

The American Heart Association has an excellent opportunity for a Senior Director, Science and Medicine, Stroke and Brain Health Guidelines.

The Senior Director, Science and Medicine, Stroke and Brain Health Guidelines is responsible for the strategic direction, operational management and oversight, and methodological excellence of the organization's Stroke and Brain Health clinical guidelines portfolio. This role oversees the American Heart Association Stroke and Brain Health guidelines development, maintenance, and modernization efforts that influence patient care and clinical decision-making. The Senior Director will lead a multidisciplinary team and oversee a complex portfolio of guideline projects.

Serving as a key member of the Stroke and Brain Health clinical guideline leadership team, the Senior Director oversees the full guideline lifecycle and serves as a trusted advisor to volunteer leaders, writing committees, and science leadership. The position drives innovation in guideline development, evidence surveillance, digital delivery, and emerging technologies while ensuring adherence to the highest standards of scientific rigor, transparency, and governance.

The Association offers many resources to help you maintain work-life harmonization through your changing needs and life situations. To help you be successful, you will have access to Heart U, our award-winning corporate university, as well as additional training and support, locally.

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• Lead the strategic planning, prioritization, and execution of the Stroke and Brain Health Guidelines portfolio.
• Provide guidance to science leadership on emerging scientific, clinical, and methodological trends.
• Oversee the full guideline lifecycle, including topic selection, scope development, evidence review, guideline production, publication, maintenance and support dissemination.
• Monitor portfolio performance, risks, timelines, and resource requirements, providing regular updates to science leadership.

• Ensure the scientific integrity, quality, and methodological rigor of all guideline products.
• Provide oversight of evidence synthesis, evidence grading, and recommendation development processes.
• Ensure adherence to organizational policies, conflict-of-interest requirements, governance standards, and best practices in evidence-based medicine.
• Champion continuous improvement and modernization of guideline development methodologies.

• Serve as the primary staff liaison to volunteer committees, guideline writing groups, oversight committees, and internal and external stakeholders.
• Build productive partnerships with physician leaders, researchers, and other stakeholders.
• Facilitate consensus-building and effective decision-making among multidisciplinary expert groups.

• Establish scalable processes that support efficient, high-quality guideline development and publication.
• Manage budgets, contracts, vendors, and operational resources supporting guideline activities.
• Advance innovation in living guidelines, evidence surveillance, computable guidelines, digital dissemination, clinical decision support, and AI-enabled workflows.
• Collaborate with publications, communications, implementation science, quality improvement, education, and digital product teams to maximize guideline reach and impact.

• Travel to American Heart Association annual meetings, oversight committee meetings, guideline writing committee meetings, and other meetings throughout the year nationally and/or internationally, as needed.

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience 
• Minimum 5 years of experience in evidence-based medicine and guideline development, and scientific leadership.
• Minimum 5 years of supervisory experience managing professional staff, complex programs, or multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated experience leading clinical practice guidelines, consensus statements, evidence reviews, or similar scientific initiatives.
• Strong expertise in evidence-based medicine, evidence synthesis, systematic reviews, and scientific publication processes.
• Experience managing complex portfolios, budgets, timelines, and stakeholder relationships.
• Proven ability to influence senior leaders, volunteer experts, and cross-functional teams.

• 7 years of experience in evidence-based medicine and guideline development, and scientific leadership.Advanced degree (MD, DO, PhD, PharmD, DNP, DrPH, MPH, or equivalent).
• Expertise in stroke, cerebrovascular disease, vascular neurology, brain health, cognitive health, rehabilitation, prevention, or related disciplines.
• Direct experience developing national or international clinical practice guidelines.
• Advanced knowledge of guideline methodology, and evidence grading frameworks
• Experience working within medical societies, professional associations, healthcare nonprofits, academic institutions, or government agencies.
• Experience supporting physician-led volunteer committees and nationally recognized expert panels.

The American Heart Association’s 2028 Goal: Building on over 100 years of trusted leadership in cardiovascular and brain health, by 2028 the Association will drive breakthroughs and implement proven solutions in science, policy, and care for healthier people and communities. The greatest discoveries in health must reach everyone where they are.

In accordance with local and state laws where applicable, qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment.

EOE/Protected Veterans/Persons with Disabilities