Senior Academic Affairs Advisor

CooperCompanies

Senior Advisor leading CVI’s academic and provider engagement model across U.S. optometry schools.

Posted 7/8/2026full-timeRemote • New York • 🇺🇸 United StatesSenior💰 $141,399 - $201,999 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Develop and execute a comprehensive U.S. academic and provider engagement strategy aligned with CVI’s commercial priorities and portfolio growth objectives
Identify and prioritize target institutions, residency programs, and provider networks based on influence, graduate output, and clinical alignment
Position academic institutions as “Tier 0” strategic accounts within the U.S. commercial ecosystem
Advise internal leadership on academic trends, competitive dynamics, and future prescriber pipeline risks/opportunities
Partner with key stakeholders to expose optometry students to CVI products and technologies (curricula, labs, and clinical training environments)
Ensure CVI products are shared for hands-on training and patient care at student events
Build and maintain relationships with:
- faculty leaders and residency directors
- community-based clinical preceptors and provider networks
Serve as a trusted clinical advisor to key academic and provider stakeholders
Establish and participate in:
- faculty advisory boards
- provider forums
- academic collaborations
Leverage these relationships to influence:
- Understanding of CVI portfolio
- clinical protocols
- broader prescribing behavior across networks
Advance student and resident engagement initiatives, including:
- ambassador programs
- externships and rotations
- experiential training opportunities
Partner with residency programs and clinical sites to integrate CVI into specialty and advanced care pathways
Support development of Centers of Excellence and high-impact training sites
Partner with Sales, Marketing, and Professional Affairs to align academic initiatives with U.S. commercial strategies and territory priorities
Enable structured pathways to convert:
- students and residents → new prescribers → active CVI customers
Support transition strategies that reinforce early-career adoption and sustained portfolio utilization
Serve as a clinical and technical subject matter expert to the U.S. field sales organization
Provide support for:
- complex product and application questions
- advanced fitting and troubleshooting
- clinical objections and competitive positioning
Deliver in-field education, customer consultations, and case support alongside sales teams
Contribute to tools and training that enhance sales team clinical capability and effectiveness
Establish feedback loops from:
- students
- faculty
- residents
- community providers
Translate insights into recommendations for:
- product development
- clinical strategy
- portfolio positioning
Provide perspective on emerging clinical trends and evolving educational needs
Drive CVI’s reputation as the preferred manufacturer across U.S. academic and provider environments
Ensure consistent, high-impact representation of CVI in:
- academic institutions
- clinical training settings
- conferences and professional forums
Represent CVI as a clinical thought leader within optometric education and practice communities

Requirements

What you’ll need

Significant experience in:
- vision care / contact lens industry or related healthcare field
- academic engagement, professional education, or medical affairs
Demonstrated success influencing U.S. optometric schools, residency programs, and provider networks
Deep understanding of:
- U.S. optometric education and residency landscape
- clinical practice patterns and care pathways
Experience providing clinical and technical support to field sales teams and customers
Proven ability to influence without direct authority and operate cross-functionally
Doctor of Optometry (OD) required
Strong clinical credibility and technical expertise in contact lenses and vision care
Strategic thinking with clear linkage to commercial outcomes
Executive presence with academic and provider stakeholders
Ability to translate engagement into measurable business impact
Highly collaborative with strong communication and influencing skills.

Benefits

Comp & perks

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status.
We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

Clinical Practice PatternsCare PathwaysProduct DevelopmentPortfolio PositioningAdvanced FittingTroubleshootingCustomer ConsultationsCase SupportEngagement StrategyAcademic Collaborations

Soft Skills

Strong CommunicationCollaborativeExecutive PresenceInfluencing Without Authority

Certifications

Doctor Of Optometry (OD)