Executive Director, Thought Leader Liaison Lead

Kiniksa is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, acquiring, developing and commercializing therapeutic medicines for patients suffering from debilitating diseases with significant unmet medical need. The company is advancing a pipeline of immune-modulating, clinical-stage product candidates that are based on strong biologic rationale or validated mechanisms, target underserved conditions and offer the potential for differentiation.

The Executive Director, TLL Team Lead, is a senior-level role responsible for managing a national team of 6 Thought Leader Liaisons (TLLs).   This recently expanded TLL team is executing a plan to advance the care for recurrent pericarditis patients, working with pericarditis specialty centers and experts across the country who are improving disease awareness, diagnosis, and care for this rare autoinflammatory cardiovascular disease.   

The team’s focus is on the identification and cultivation of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) in recurrent pericarditis (RP), both at existing Centers of Excellence for pericardial diseases, as well as at emerging specialty centers who are looking to become prominent in this space. The long-term aim of the team is to enhance the standard of care for patients who are suffering from RP; by improving the time to diagnosis, enhancing referral pathways, and supporting the advancement of key centers who are experienced with managing the disease.  

The key objectives for the TLL team include: (1) driving continued and broader thought leadership at existing RP specialty centers; (2) identifying, engaging, and supporting the development of future RP specialty centers; and (3) advancing improved referral pathways for patients to receive specialized care.  Traditional TLL job duties such as managing promotional speakers and collecting insights are also part of the role but would make up much less of the overall workload and priorities (less than 20%).  

The primary responsibility of this management role is to ensure the team delivers on this goal by helping to shape the focus, strategy, and vision for the team as well as managing the individual execution and performance of each TLL.  The ideal candidate will have a mix of cross-functional experience including leading and managing teams focused on both thought leader engagement and development as well as key account (IDN / academic teaching hospitals) management.   The successful candidate will also have a demonstrated track record of using innovative approaches to access and influence policy and decision makers.  This role reports into the Group Vice President of Sales and Marketing and will be part of the ARCALYST®  commercial leadership team. 

Responsibilities (including, but not limited to): 

• Manage and lead a team of 6 TLLs to ensure they deliver on the ambitious long-term vision and objectives that were established when the TLL team was expanded.
• Help to refine the strategy and execution of the TLL team plan including establishing short- and long-term deliverables with specific and measurable metrics for the team
• Drive accountability and a sense of urgency with this high-visibility team that plays a crucial part in delivering the overall commercial strategy for ARCALYST.
• Ensure TLL team compliant and collaborative alignment and communication with other key customer-facing roles such as sales, MSLs, PALs, and DSAs. 
• Work closely with sales leadership, marketing, commercial operations and other key cross-functional partners to ensure TLL messaging and resources are aligned to strategy 
• Bring innovative thinking to the organization on how to compliantly and efficiently access, engage, and influence KOLs, policy makers, and key account decision makers 
• Identify, develop, and retain top talent; proactively manage performance problems
• Ensure TLL team understanding and strict compliance with all company, PHRMA, state, and federal requirements, regulations, and laws governing engagement with healthcare providers
• Operate to the highest standard in alignment with Kiniksa’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and compliance SOPs, ensuring all interactions with KOLs are on-label and consistent with commercial, regulatory, and legal guidelines

Qualifications:  

• Requires a bachelor’s degree with 15+ years of biopharmaceutical commercial experience
• A minimum of 6 years of management experience is also required, specifically leading Thought Leader Engagement teams, Key Account Management teams, and/or Field Marketing Teams.
• Additional management experience in sales, marketing, or commercial operations is a plus
• Experience in specialty or rare disease is strongly preferred; cardiology experience is also desired
• Demonstrated track record of delivering success through managing teams with extremely high standards
• Strong ability to identify, develop, and retain top talent
• Has a “hands on” approach to coaching and leading and can support the team in building and fostering relationships with high-science, clinically minded thought leaders
• Successful strategic account management experience
• Strong knowledge of the evolving patient and provider landscape
• Working knowledge of compliant and ethical business practices
• Strong background in collaborating with internal and external stakeholders
• Possesses characteristics that exemplify drive, passion and focus that will translate into significant contributions towards building a global generational company focused on Kiniksa’s patients and customers
• Willing to travel up to 80% of the time nationally (valid Driver’s license required) 

Kiniksa Benefits Summary - USA

Kiniksa is an Equal Opportunity employer and will consider you without regard to your race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, age, genetics, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status, or any other legally protected category. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

ARCALYST® is a registered trademark of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.