Executive Director, Strategic Planning & Enablement at Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc.

San Diego, California, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

04 Feb, 26

Salary

305000.0

Posted On

06 Nov, 25

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Strategic Planning, Commercial Operations, Analytics, Sales Forecasting, Field Force Effectiveness, Incentive Compensation, Omnichannel Engagement, Data-Driven Decision Making, Cross-Functional Leadership, Project Management, Budget Management, Communication Skills, Analytical Skills, Problem-Solving, Compliance, Team Leadership

Industry

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Description

About Acadia Pharmaceuticals Acadia is committed to turning scientific promise into meaningful innovation that makes the difference for underserved neurological and rare disease communities around the world. Our commercial portfolio includes the first and only FDA-approved treatments for Parkinson’s disease psychosis and Rett syndrome. We are developing the next wave of therapeutic advancements with a robust and diverse pipeline that includes mid- to late-stage programs in Alzheimer’s disease psychosis and Lewy body dementia psychosis, along with earlier-stage programs that address other underserved patient needs. At Acadia, we’re here to be their difference. Position Summary: The Executive Director, Commercial Strategy & Enablement is a key enterprise leader responsible for defining and executing the strategy that powers Acadia’s commercial success. This role oversees three critical functions—Strategic Forecasting, Omnichannel Enablement, and Field Force Effectiveness—ensuring seamless alignment between corporate strategy and field execution. The Executive Director will drive data-driven planning, resource optimization, and cross-functional collaboration across Commercial, Finance, IT, and Marketing to enable high-impact customer engagement and measurable business growth. This leader will translate insights into action, leveraging technology and analytics to enhance field performance, omnichannel coordination, and portfolio value. Reporting into senior Commercial leadership, this executive will shape how Acadia engages customers, deploys resources, and measures performance across brands. The ideal candidate combines strategic foresight with operational excellence and brings a strong track record in forecasting, field optimization, and omnichannel transformation within a biopharma setting. Primary Responsibilities: Strategic Leadership & Vision: Define, articulate, and champion the multi-year strategic vision and roadmap for commercial planning and enablement, directly linking team activities to corporate goals and revenue objectives. Serve as a key strategic partner to Commercial, Brand, Finance, and IT leadership, providing objective insights and recommendations to inform go-to-market strategy, resource allocation, and investment decisions. Lead the integration of the three verticals to ensure seamless strategy-to-execution enablement for the field and marketing teams. Strategic Forecasting (Lead Vertical): Oversee the development, maintenance, and presentation of robust, data-driven short- and long-term product and portfolio forecasts, including scenario planning and risk/opportunity assessments. Drive continuous improvement in forecasting methodology, tools, and processes, incorporating primary market research, secondary data (claims, sales), and competitive intelligence. Partner with Finance and Brand teams to ensure forecast alignment with budgeting, Long-Range Planning (LRP), and P&L commitments. Omnichannel Enablement (Lead Vertical): Direct the strategy and operational execution of an integrated omnichannel customer engagement model (e.g., Veeva, Salesforce, digital platforms). Ensure the commercial technology stack effectively enables seamless and personalized customer experiences across all channels (field, email, web, paid media). Lead the development and utilization of "Next Best Action" (NBA) logic, segmentation, and dynamic targeting to optimize content delivery and improve field/customer engagement efficiency. Field Force Effectiveness and Incentive Compensation (Lead Vertical): Provide strategic oversight for Field Force Effectiveness (FFE) initiatives, including sales force sizing, alignment, territory planning, and call plan strategies. Lead the design, governance, and management of the Field Incentive Compensation (IC) strategy, ensuring plans are compliant, motivating, and directly aligned with brand strategy and forecast goals. Oversee the field performance reporting, dashboards, and analytical insights needed to drive accountability and continuous improvement across the sales organization. Team Leadership and Development: Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of leaders and individual contributors across the three specialized verticals (Forecasting, Omnichannel, FFE/IC). Foster a culture of data-driven decision-making, strategic thinking, collaboration, innovation, and operational excellence, ensuring a patient-centric and compliance-first mindset. Education/Experience/Skills: Bachelor’s degree in business, STEM, or other related field. MBA preferred. An equivalent combination of relevant education and applicable job experience may be considered. Minimum of 20 years of relevant progressive experience in the pharmaceutical/medical device industry with a focus in cross functional leadership experience. Must possess: Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Life Sciences, or a related field. MBA or advanced degree is strongly preferred. Minimum of 15 years of progressive experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, with at least 5 years in a leadership/executive role overseeing strategic planning, commercial operations, or analytics functions. Deep expertise in Strategic Sales Forecasting is required. Extensive experience with Field Force Effectiveness and Incentive Compensation design, governance, and execution in a US pharmaceutical setting. Proven track record of driving and enabling Omnichannel/Digital engagement strategies and technology platforms (e.g., Veeva, Salesforce CRM). Demonstrated ability to lead large, complex projects, manage multi-million dollar budgets, and drive organizational change/transformation. Exceptional executive presence and communication skills (written and verbal) with the ability to influence senior-level internal and external stakeholders. Must possess strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, translating complex data into clear, actionable business strategies. Commitment to high ethical standards and full compliance with all laws, regulations, and policies governing the conduct of pharmaceutical activities. Physical Requirements: This role involves regular standing, walking, sitting, and the use of hands for handling or operating equipment. The employee may also need to reach, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and maintain visual, verbal, and auditory communication both in a standard office environment and while working independently from remote locations. Employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. This position requires the ability to travel independently overnight and/or work after hours as required by travel schedule or business needs. #LI-SW1 #LI-Hybrid 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. Salary Range $244,000—$305,000 USD What we offer US-based Employees: Competitive base, bonus, new hire and ongoing equity packages Medical, dental, and vision insurance Employer-paid life, disability, business travel and EAP coverage 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 13 -15 paid holidays, including office closure between December 24th and January 1st 10 days of paid sick time Paid parental leave benefit 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 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 strongly encourage you to apply, especially if the reason you are the best candidate isn’t exactly what we describe 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 accommodations given if hired. A new request will need to be submitted for any ADA accommodations after starting employment. California Applicants: Please see Additional Information for California Residents within our Privacy Policy. Canadian Applicants: Please see Additional Information for Canadian Residents within our Privacy Policy. Applicants in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Serbia: Please see Additional Information for Individuals in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Serbia within our Privacy Policy. Notice to Search Firms/Third-Party Recruitment Agencies (Recruiters): The Talent Acquisition team manages the recruitment and employment process for Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“Acadia”). Acadia does not accept resumes from recruiters or search firms without an executed search agreement in place. Resumes sent to Acadia employees in the absence of an executed search agreement will not obligate Acadia in any way with respect to the future employment of those individuals or potential remuneration to any recruiter or search firm. Candidates should never be submitted directly to our hiring managers or employees.

Responsibilities

The Executive Director will define and execute the strategy that powers Acadia’s commercial success, overseeing Strategic Forecasting, Omnichannel Enablement, and Field Force Effectiveness. This role involves driving data-driven planning, resource optimization, and cross-functional collaboration to enhance customer engagement and business growth.