Commercial Chief of Staff (Senior Director)

Role Summary

The Commercial Chief of Staff (Sr. Director) drives strategy, performance, and operational excellence within Acadia’s Commercial organization. Acting as the trusted advisor and right hand to the Chief Commercial Officer, this leader ensures clarity, alignment, and execution across Marketing, Sales, Market Access, and Strategic Operations. The role leads high-impact initiatives that connect strategy to execution, oversees brand planning and commercial budget governance, and collaborates with Finance, Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, Regulatory, and IT. The ideal candidate combines strategic insight with operational discipline and thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment to translate vision into measurable business outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the CCO and Commercial Leadership Team to develop and operationalize strategic priorities and business plans
• Translate strategic vision into actionable goals and track progress against key deliverables
• Lead the coordination and execution of the annual brand planning process
• Drive cross-functional collaboration and ensure alignment across franchises and corporate priorities
• Maintain consistency and rigor in planning frameworks and deliverables
• Oversee Commercial budget planning, tracking, and reporting in partnership with Finance
• Ensure resource allocation aligns with strategic priorities
• Support scenario planning and investment decision-making
• Lead and monitor cross-functional initiatives from inception to completion
• Track key milestones, identify risks, and ensure accountability for results
• Serve as liaison between Commercial and other functions (Finance, Medical, Clinical, IT, Regulatory)
• Foster collaboration and ensure alignment on timelines, deliverables, and priorities
• Develop high-impact presentations and materials for the CCO and Commercial Leadership
• Prepare content for Board, EMC, and PSC meetings
• Shape agendas, manage meeting logistics, and ensure follow-up on key decisions
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency across Commercial operations
• Standardize best practices to drive scalability and cross-functional effectiveness
• Partner with the CCO on workforce planning, capability development, and change management
• Support the build-out of future-ready Commercial capabilities
• Monitor industry trends, competitive intelligence, and peer benchmarks
• Leverage insights to inform strategy and innovation within the Commercial organization

Qualifications

• Required: Minimum 12 years of progressive experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, with a strong focus on Commercial operations, marketing, brand strategy, and cross-functional leadership
• Required: Demonstrated experience in leading brand planning processes and managing Commercial budgets
• Preferred: Experience supporting or working closely with executive leadership in a Chief of Staff, Strategy, or Commercial Operations capacity is highly desirable

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Life Sciences, or related field required; MBA or advanced degree strongly preferred

Skills

• Proven ability to influence without authority and drive alignment across diverse stakeholders
• Deep understanding of pharmaceutical commercialization, including product launch, lifecycle management, and brand strategy
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical, and financial acumen
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distill complex topics into clear, actionable insights
• High emotional intelligence, discretion, and integrity
• Adept at managing multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (PowerPoint, Excel, Word); experience with project management and collaboration tools a plus

Additional Requirements

• Travel up to 20%
• Physical demands: Regular standing, walking, sitting, and use of hands for handling or operating equipment; ability to reach, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch; ability to lift and/or move up to 20 pounds; travel by car or airplane overnight up to 20% of the time; international travel may be required