DescriptionPosition Title: Chief Medical Officer (CMO)
Reporting to: President
Location: Strong preference for Chapel Hill, NC but will consider Boston, MA or New York, NY
Compensation: $320,000 per year, plus bonus potential
This position can be full-time or part-time if the right candidate has the desire to maintain independent medical practice or external clinical commitments. If part-time, the compensation will be prorated accordingly.
Job Summary:
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) serves as a clinical strategist, organizational leader, and a primary external market authority for Well. Reporting directly to the President (with operational alignment to the COO), this role sits at the intersection of clinical science, regulatory integrity, product innovation and commercial growth. The CMO provides executive clinical oversight, defines physical health strategy, partners with leadership to shape the platform vision, and serves as an essential external voice to support growth and clients. By establishing the evidence-based guardrails of our platform and safely integrating AI capabilities into our product strategy, the CMO ensures that Well's technology-driven approach delivers clinically sound improvements that health plans and jumbo employers trust.
Responsibilities
Clinical Oversight, Strategy & Operating Parameters
- Establish and maintain the specific medical parameters, standards of care, and evidence-based interventions for physical health conditions.
- Enforce Well's clinical boundaries, ensuring the platform and its digital workflows do not cross into diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice.
- Co-Chair Well's Clinical Advisory Board, cultivating strategic relationships with healthcare partners, external medical advisors, and other key network members.
- Develop and maintain robust clinical safety protocols for members in crisis, defining clear escalation pathways to external care networks.
- Stay abreast of the evolving regulatory landscape (including FDA digital health guidance and FTC rules) and proactively advise executive leadership on compliance implications.
Market Leadership & Growth Support
- Act as a credible public-facing expert and clinical voice representing the company to external stakeholders, including customers, C-suite prospects (CHROs, Benefits VPs, and CFOs), strategic partners, and the media.
- Partner directly with Growth, Client Success, and senior leaders to build trust with sophisticated buyers, providing the deep clinical domain expertise required to navigate high-stakes sales consultations.
- Author high-impact research and white papers to position Well as a leader in clinical rigor, and actively participate in client-sponsored clinical audits to demonstrate program validity.
Product Strategy & AI Innovation- Product Vision & Roadmapping: Serve as a core clinical advisor to the long-term product vision and roadmap, ensuring they are deeply rooted in clinical validity, behavioral science, and user safety.
- AI Integration & Strategy: Collaborate closely with product leaders to guide the strategic deployment of AI, ensuring models enhance member engagement and health outcomes without compromising clinical safety.
- Feature Conceptualization: Partner with product managers to translate complex medical guidelines into intuitive, scalable digital features and workflows that drive measurable health outcomes.
Clinical Governance & Leadership
- Report to the President and formulate high-level clinical strategy and provide clinical support for cross-functional initiatives.
- Support the VP, Clinical Programs and Behavior Change with clinical consultation on day-to-day pathways, content review, and escalations as needed.
Requirements- Advanced Clinical Credentials: Must hold an MD or DO degree with an active medical license (allowing for continued partial medical practice).
- Cross-Functional Executive Experience: Proven ability to work as a collaborative executive partner within a fast-paced environment; expert at influencing cross-functional outcomes (such as product alignment) through clinical authority and credibility.
- Digital Health & AI Literacy: Prior leadership experience within a high-growth health tech, managed care, or digital health environment. Must possess a strong understanding of SaaS product development lifecycles and experience guiding AI/machine learning applications in a clinical or wellness context.
- Regulatory Track Record: Practical knowledge of FDA and FTC regulatory frameworks for digital health, digital therapeutics, and AI-driven healthcare tools.
- Exceptional Market Orientation: Demonstrated comfort with high-stakes sales consultations, public speaking, client engagement, and writing for industry forums.
- The "Bilingual" Executive: Proven ability to translate complex health parameters and scientific evidence into a compelling commercial and strategic narrative for non-clinical business leaders.
- Time Commitment Balance: If Part-Time, the ability to reliably commit 20-25 hours per week to Well's strategic needs while successfully managing independent practice or external clinical commitments.