Senior Director, Strategic Product Planning - Rare Disease
About Acadia Pharmaceuticals
Acadia is advancing breakthroughs in neuroscience to elevate life. For 30 years we have been working at the forefront of healthcare to bring vital solutions to people who need them most. We developed and commercialized the first and only FDA-approved drug to treat hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease psychosis and the first and only FDA-approved drug for the treatment of Rett syndrome. Our clinical-stage development efforts are focused on Prader-Willi syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease psychosis and multiple other programs targeting neuropsychiatric symptoms in central nervous system disorders. For more information, visit us at Acadia.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X.
Please note that this position is based in either San Diego, CA. Acadia's hybrid model requires this role to work in our office three days per week on average.
Responsible for leading strategic direction for Acadia’s current and future designated portfolio. This includes utilizing data and market knowledge to identify and initiate optimal approaches to both current product value and future areas of opportunity. Lead internal cross functional commercialization subteams and manage external agencies to ensure stakeholder alignment. Also a key contributor to analyses and strategic insights to inform the clinical and commercial development of rare disease pipeline products, as well as collaboratively building sound commercial assessments of potential new disease assets for the organization.
Primary Responsibilities
- Develops the long-range commercial launch plan for the U.S. and other key global markets, including brand growth strategies and tactics that target HCPs, patients & caregivers.
- Lead commercial strategy for Phase 3 pipeline products, including audience definition and segmentation, value proposition, branding, positioning, and key messaging.
- Manages productive external relationships with Key Opinion Leaders and Congress leadership.
- Works with Access & Reimbursement, Medical Affairs and HEOR to develop differentiation, as well as effective strategies and tactics designed to secure appropriate market access for investigational disease products in the portfolio.
- Manages relationships with key vendors/consultants in support of core HCP/patient/caregiver audience needs and conduct yearly assessments as needed.
- Assumes overall brand budget accountability and manages promotional spend forecasts; works with finance to monitor spending against budget/forecast; Identifies trends and insights to optimize spend, performance, and ROI.
- Ensures close collaboration with Patient Services and Patient Advocacy to identify and address key areas of need and to ensure optimal level of engagement and support for the relevant patient and caregiver communities.
- Develop analysis of target markets to determine current and future treatment paradigms, competitive landscape, unmet need, product positioning and value proposition, making commercial judgements around implications.
- Drive development of and maintenance of strategic target product profiles (TPPs) for pipeline assets in conjunction with program teams.
- Provides strategic direction on market research objectives, designs and interpretation to Inform brand strategies.
- Informs the commercialization plan for potential new assets, particularly as it relates to resource needs and overall market opportunity (i.e. sales force sizing requirements, identification of target patient populations, HCPs, access strategy)
- Identifies, analyzes, and translates relevant clinical and landscape data, as well as competitive intelligence, to inform the development of asset strategies and BD opportunities
- Conducts market/commercial assessment, including forecasts, for BD opportunities with a focus on rare opportunities based on market research, secondary research, and internal subject matter expert collaboration.
- Assumes program/brand budget accountability for strategic product planning/commercial activities and manages spend forecasts.
- Other duties as required.
Education/Experience/Skills
Bachelor’s degree in marketing, health care, business administration or related field; MBA or advanced degree. Targeting 12 years of progressively responsible experience within the pharmaceutical or biotech industry. Requires 5 years’ experience working in rare disease with key internal stakeholders to develop and preparing market for launch. Therapeutic areas such as Neurology, Neuroendocrine, Neuromuscular experience a plus. An equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be considered.
Key Skills:
- Recent rare disease pre-launch and launch experience
- Requires a solid background in commercialization and applying learnings to strategy and drug development.
- New product planning and business development collaboration experience preferred.
- Robust new product planning experience in early, mid and late stage programs, preferably including rare disease
- Strong interpersonal, partnering and cross-functional collaboration skills
- Ability to work successfully in a dynamic, fast paced, team-oriented environment with learning agility and style flexibility
- Ability to work with leadership and other cross functional peers and colleagues
- Proficiency at creating and communicating a clear vision among team members, effectively aligning resources and activities to achieve functional area and/or organizational goals
- Ability to challenge the status quo and drive organizational action
- Ability to creatively problem solve
- Ability to travel up to 30% of time
Physical Requirements
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, see, talk or hear in a standard office environment and independently from remote locations. Employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Ability to travel independently overnight and work after hours if required by travel schedule or business needs.
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In addition to a competitive base salary, this position is also eligible for discretionary bonus and equity awards based on factors such as individual and organizational performance. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance, and location.
What we offer you (US-Based Employees):
- Competitive base, bonus, new hire and ongoing equity packages
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) Plan with a fully vested company match 1:1 up to 5%
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan with a 2-year purchase price lock-in
- 15+ vacation days
- 14 paid holidays plus one floating holiday of your choice, including office closure between December 24th and January 1st
- 10 days of paid sick time
- Paid parental leave
- Tuition assistance
EEO Statement (US-Based Employees): Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every single one of the qualifications in the exact way they are described in job postings. We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and innovative company and we are looking for the BEST candidate for the job. That candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background or may meet the qualifications in a different way. We would strongly encourage you to apply – especially if the reason you are the best candidate isn’t exactly as we describe it here.
It is the policy of Acadia to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and employment applicants without regard to considerations of race, including related to hairstyle, color, religion or religious creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, gender transition, country of origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, legally-protected medical condition or information, marital status, domestic partner status, family care status, military caregiver status, veteran or military status (including reserve status, National Guard status, and military service or obligation), status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, enrollment in a public assistance program, or any basis protected under federal, state or local law.
As an equal opportunity employer, Acadia is committed to a diverse workforce. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. Furthermore, you may request additional support if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access Acadia’s career website due to your disability, along with any accommodations throughout the interview process. To request or inquire about your reasonable accommodation, please complete our Reasonable Accommodation Request Form or contact us at talentacquisition@acadia-pharm.com or 858-261-2923.
Please note that reasonable accommodations granted throughout the recruiting process are not guaranteed to be the same accommodation given if hired. A new request will need to be submitted for any ADA accommodations after starting employment.
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