Family Support Educator - Michigan

Role Summary

As a Family Support Educator, you’ll empower families affected by Rett syndrome by delivering expert, field-based education and support throughout the treatment journey. You’ll serve as the primary resource and point of contact for caregivers, answering on-label clinical education questions and providing clear information about disease state and therapy options. You’ll engage directly with families, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to foster understanding and confidence every step of the way, helping patients start and stay on therapy and ensuring they receive the care and support they deserve. This role supports families across Michigan, including Detroit, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, and Traverse City.

Responsibilities

• Provide disease state, product, and ongoing therapy management education upon request, in consumer-friendly language to the Rett community (patients, caregivers, and/or care team members). Caregiver engagement may occur before, during, and after therapy initiation, via in-person, telephonic, or virtual interactions.
• Determine individual needs of patients and caregivers, and serve as an ongoing resource to provide appropriate education and resources throughout the patient journey.
• Collaborate with and support the entire assigned territory, engaging cross-functional partners (Marketing, Sales, Patient Access Team, Medical Affairs, Advocacy, and others), and may cover multiple states. Communicate educational opportunities to cross-functional partners as appropriate.
• Provide expert knowledge and insights to internal stakeholders (training leads, marketing partners, advocacy, medical and leadership) to develop tools and resources that address educational gaps and enhance disease-state education and therapy management for patient families/caregivers.
• Demonstrate deep knowledge of disease state, product, and Acadia Customer Support Programs (Hub-related and Patient Assistance Programs, ambassador speaker programs, etc.).
• Moderate, lead, and present caregiver speaker programs as needed and attend community events within the assigned territory.
• Deliver in-service education to physician offices to educate about the Family Support Educator role, patient support resources provided to caregivers, pre- and post-enrollment in the program, and foster dialogue between caregivers and healthcare providers.
• Identify and pursue opportunities to provide leadership within the Family Support Educator team and with cross-functional partners.
• Mentor or develop new Family Support Educator team members and/or cross-functional colleagues interested in Patient Support Services.
• Identify training and development opportunities related to Patient Support Services and the broader organization.
• Ensure all actions on Acadia’s behalf comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies and reflect Acadia values.

Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor’s degree; emphasis in life sciences preferred. RN, MSN, MBA a plus.
• Required: To qualify for Family Support Educator, 5+ years of relevant experience in pharmaceutical industry, patient access, national accounts, or specialty pharmacy; at least 2 years of patient support, education, or leadership experience (patient education, patient access, and/or patient engagement leadership).
• Required: To qualify for Senior Family Support Educator, 7+ years of relevant experience in pharmaceutical industry, patient access, national accounts, or specialty pharmacy, with extensive patient engagement experience; at least 4 years of patient support, education, or leadership experience (patient education, patient access, and/or patient engagement leadership).
• Preferred: Rare disease, product launch, advocacy, Medicaid and Medicare expertise strongly preferred with a strong background and understanding of the field environment in healthcare.
• Equivalent combination of relevant education and applicable job experience may be considered.
• Preferred: Rare disease experience strongly preferred.
• Preferred: Experienced in patient/caregiver education strongly preferred.
• Preferred: Account management experience.
• Preferred: Advocacy experience.
• Required: Strong background and understanding of the field environment in the healthcare industry.
• Required: Strong history of successful cross-functional collaboration.
• Required: Demonstrated success in leading without authority.
• Preferred: Experience working with provider offices such as physician practices, patient assistance programs, or similar pharmaceutical support programs.
• Required: Patient-centric mentality with a high degree of emotional intelligence and empathy.
• Required: Empathetic listening skills to interact effectively with customers.
• Required: Exceptional organizational and time management skills.
• Required: Understand HIPAA rules and regulations related to patient privacy.
• Required: Strong written and verbal communications as well as presentation skills.
• Required: Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Office products (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Required: Ability to manage expenses within allocated budgets.
• Required: Adaptable and open to change; fast learner, able to work independently and adjust.
• Required: Strong enthusiasm with a drive to succeed within a team.
• Required: Ability to travel up to 70%, depending on territory.
• Required: Employee must meet all local, state, and federal vaccination requirements for in-person field activities, customer visits, and attendance at Medical Congresses and Local Conferences.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree required, with an emphasis in life sciences preferred. RN, MSN, MBA is a plus.

Additional Requirements

• Travel up to 70%, depending on territory.
• Physical demands: regular standing, walking, sitting, and the use of hands for handling or operating equipment; may reach, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch; occasional lifting up to 20 pounds; ability to travel overnight and/or work after hours as required by travel schedule or business needs.