Vice President, Regulatory Strategy and Innovation

Cleerly$280K — $300K *
US-AnywhereRemote in United States
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • B.S. or higher degree in a Life Science, Engineering, or related discipline; JD preferred.
  • Minimum 15+ years of progressive Regulatory Affairs experience, especially in SaMD and AI/ML technologies.
  • 7-10 years of leadership experience managing multi-level teams.
  • Experience with global regulatory strategy under EU MDR across various markets, specifically Class II/III cardiovascular devices.
  • Proven engagement with global regulatory authorities.

Responsibilities

  • Define and execute long-term regulatory strategy aligned with corporate growth and portfolio expansion.
  • Architect regulatory strategies for AI algorithm development distinct from core platforms.
  • Lead regulatory assessments for new clinical workflows that integrate diagnostic imaging and treatment planning.
  • Operationalize international market access strategies, harmonizing technical documentation.
  • Establish and approve regulatory policies ensuring compliance and consistency enterprise-wide.
  • Engage as a key advisor for executive leadership regarding regulatory risk and strategic opportunities.

Benefits

  • Work remotely with access to offices in major cities.
  • Opportunity to shape a forward-looking regulatory function within a high-growth company.
  • Chance to collaborate with a team of world-class leaders across various disciplines.
  • Be part of a pioneering organization setting new standards in healthcare diagnostics.
  • Participation in a culture that values ethical leadership and integrity.
Full Job Description
About the Opportunity

Cleerly is entering a pivotal phase of growth. As we scale to a broader commercial footprint, we are seeking a Vice President of Regulatory Strategy and Innovation to serve as a strategic partner, reporting to the Chief Regulatory Officer.

In this role, you will be responsible for defining and operationalizing the long-term regulatory vision for Cleerly, ensuring that regulatory strategy is fully integrated into enterprise planning, portfolio prioritization, and global expansion.

You will move beyond the execution of submissions to architect the global regulatory infrastructure required for a high-growth, AI-driven medical technology company. You will position Regulatory Affairs as a strategic enabler of innovation, competitive differentiation, and sustainable global compliance.
About the Team

You will join a high-performing RA/QA organization transitioning from a submission-focused model to a strategy-led, enterprise-integrated function. We navigate novel regulatory pathways for AI-enabled diagnostic and interventional planning tools deployed in high-stakes clinical environments.

The Regulatory function at Cleerly plays a central role in shaping product strategy, risk management, claims governance, and global market access. This position will further elevate Regulatory as a proactive, forward-looking function aligned with the RAPS Regulatory Competency Framework and executive-level leadership expectations.
Position Summary

As Vice President, Regulatory Strategy and Innovation, reporting to the Chief Regulatory Officer, you are accountable for defining the enterprise-wide regulatory strategy and ensuring sustained global compliance across Cleerly's product portfolio.

You will lead the evolution of Regulatory Affairs from a high-performing operational team to a digitally enabled, intelligence-driven strategic function. This includes establishing scalable systems, modern regulatory infrastructure, and forward-looking governance models that support AI innovation, modular software architectures, and global expansion.

This role operates at the functional leadership level, with direct impact on Cleerly's competitive positioning, enterprise risk posture, and long-term market strategy
Core Responsibilities

Strategic Regulatory Leadership
  • Enterprise Vision: Define and execute the long-term regulatory strategy aligned with corporate growth objectives and portfolio expansion.
  • Portfolio Architecture: Architect regulatory strategies enabling independent iteration of AI algorithms distinct from core platforms, defining regulatory logic for modular systems (AI engines, reporting engines, workflow tools).
  • New Clinical Frontiers: Lead regulatory assessments supporting expansion into broader clinical workflows bridging diagnostic imaging and treatment planning.
  • Global Market Strategy: Operationalize market access beyond the U.S. (EMEA, GCC), harmonizing technical documentation under an "assess once, submit many" framework.
  • Policy & Governance Ownership: Establish and approve regulatory policies, standards, and governance models that ensure enterprise-wide compliance and consistency.
  • Executive Advisory Role: Serve as a key advisor to executive leadership on regulatory risk, emerging policy trends, and strategic expansion opportunities..

Regulatory Operations, Digital Transformation & Intelligence
  • Regulatory Infrastructure Modernization: Lead implementation and optimization of Regulatory Information Management (RIM) systems and integration with eQMS platforms.
  • AI-Enabled Regulatory Intelligence: Develop internal regulatory intelligence capabilities leveraging AI to monitor evolving global regulations (FDA, EU MDR, EU AI Act, IMDRF) and proactively assess impact.
  • Claims Governance: Ensure commercial claims remain defensible, traceable to cleared indications, and aligned with global regulatory requirements.
  • Continuous Improvement: Establish scalable processes, KPIs, and performance metrics to enhance regulatory efficiency, transparency, and predictability.
  • Budget & Resource Stewardship: Develop and manage departmental budgets and long-range resource planning aligned with corporate growth.

External Relations & Industry Influence
  • Health Authority Engagement: Serve as primary executive representative before global regulatory authorities on high-impact strategic matters.
  • Industry Leadership: Engage in industry forums and policy discussions influencing regulatory frameworks for AI/ML-enabled medical devices.
  • Regulatory Foresight: Analyze societal, economic, and policy trends to proactively inform Cleerly's regulatory and business strategies.

Talent Strategy & Organizational Leadership
  • Organizational Development: Build and mentor a high-performing leadership team (Directors and Senior Managers).
  • Talent Strategy: Partner with HR to develop succession planning, retention strategies, and executive-level capability development.
  • Cross-Functional Enterprise Leadership: Lead initiatives requiring alignment across Regulatory, Engineering, Product, Clinical Affairs, Marketing, and Legal.
  • Culture of Ethical Leadership: Reinforce a culture grounded in integrity, transparency, and regulatory excellence consistent with enterprise-level expectations.
Requirements
  • Education and Certification
    • B.S. or higher degree in a Life Science, Engineering, or related discipline.
    • JD preferred.
    • Regulatory Affairs Certification (RAC) highly preferred.
  • Experience
    • Minimum 15+ years of progressive Regulatory Affairs experience, including significant expertise in SaMD and AI/ML-enabled medical technologies.
      • Experience with Class II/III cardiovascular devices strongly preferred.
    • Minimum 7-10 years of leadership experience, including managing managers and multi-level teams.
    • Demonstrated experience defining global regulatory strategy under EU MDR and international frameworks (including GCC markets).
    • Proven record of executive engagement with global regulatory authorities.
  • Technical Expertise
    • Deep understanding of software development lifecycle (SDLC), agile methodologies, and application of IEC 62304 and ISO 14971 within modular and AI-enabled architectures.
    • Experience integrating regulatory strategy into product development and commercialization planning.
    • Experience implementing or modernizing RIM, eQMS, or digital regulatory infrastructure strongly preferred.
  • Executive Competencies
    • Strategic Foresight: Ability to synthesize complex regulatory landscapes and define clear long-term direction.
    • Business Acumen: Integrating regulatory insights into portfolio prioritization and commercial strategy.
    • Courageous Leadership: Navigating ambiguity in emerging AI regulations while maintaining rigorous compliance standards.
    • Enterprise Influence: Ability to align and influence cross-functional and executive stakeholders.
  • 40% travel
Compensation

The base salary range for this role varies by location and is aligned to market benchmarks. Candidates located in higher-cost labor markets, including California, Washington, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Washington, DC represent the middle to high end of the range, while candidates located in all other U.S. locations represent the low to middle end of the range. Final compensation is determined based on location, experience, skills, and internal equity.

This role is eligible for a 20% target annual bonus, resulting in the following base salary and Total Target Compensation (TTC) ranges:
  • Base Salary: $280,000 - $300,000
  • TTC: $336,000 - $360,000

*Total Target Compensation (TTC): Total Cash Compensation (including base pay, variable pay, commission, bonuses, etc.) Additionally, stock options, paid benefits, and employee perks are part of your total rewards.

Working at Cleerly takes HEART. Discover our Core Values:
  • H: Humility- be a servant leader
  • E: Excellence- deliver world-changing results
  • A: Accountability- do what you say; expect the same from others
  • R: Remarkable- inspire & innovate with impact
  • T: Teamwork- together we win

Don't meet 100 percent of the qualifications? Apply anyway and help us diversify our candidate pool and workforce. We value experience, whether gained formally or informally on the job or through other experiences. Job duties, activities and responsibilities are subject to change by our company.

About Cleerly

Clearly is an online retailer of contact lenses, eyeglasses and sunglasses. The company was acquired by EssilorLuxottica Canada, and is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are one of the largest online contact lens retailers in North America, and the largest seller of prescription eyeglasses online in the world. Founded in 2000 as Coastal Contacts by Roger Hardy and his sister Michaela Hardy, who bought the keyword "contact lens" from AltaVista, which meant that all searches for "contact lens" were accompanied with Coastal Contacts' banner ads. In the first day, they had 30 orders; within the first month, they had $68,000 in sales. In addition to their lower pricing, the firm provided same day fulfillment of online orders. In 2004, Coastal Contacts raised $6 million in an initial public offering, which they used to expand into the United Kingdom and parts of Europe. In late 2004, they acquired a mail order contact lens business in Europe, LensWay. In 2006, they acquired two more companies: one in the Netherlands and one in Japan. By 2009, the firm increased their revenue to $140 million. They moved into the eyeglasses market in 2008. They source parts for eyeglasses from independent manufactures across the globe, but maintains control over final assembly.
Learn more about Cleerly

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