Lead Patient Educator

Role Summary

The Lead Patient Educator is a field-based leader within ACADIA’s commercial organization, guiding a team of Patient Educators while directly engaging with patients and caregivers living with Parkinson’s disease psychosis (PDP). This player-coach role combines hands-on patient/caregiver education with leadership responsibilities, bridging early engagement with Health Care Providers and cross-functional partners to advance ACADIA’s patient-focused mission.

Responsibilities

• Direct Patient & Caregiver Engagement
  • Deliver 1:1 education (virtual and in-person) to patients, caregivers, and families on PDP, Nuplazid, and ACADIA Connect using approved materials.
  • Provide support, ensuring patients and caregivers feel heard and connected throughout their journey.
  • Partner with advocacy groups, community organizations, and professional societies to expand reach and impact.
  • Coordinate smooth handoffs to Patient Access Managers (PAMs) for coverage and access support.
• Team Leadership & Coaching
  • Mentor and role model to Patient Navigators, providing coaching, best practice sharing, and ongoing professional development.
  • Lead onboarding and training of new Patient Navigators to ensure consistency in disease education and patient support delivery.
  • Monitor team performance and provide regular feedback to drive excellence and compliance.
  • Act as a primary point of escalation for complex patient/caregiver situations and provide guidance to team members.
• Program Development & Execution
  • Lead planning and execution of patient and caregiver educational programs, workshops, and webinars, ensuring alignment with brand strategy.
  • Coordinate field supported patient events, speaker programs, coaching patient/caregiver speakers, and serving as a key contact for program execution.
  • Partner with Marketing, Advocacy, and Sales to identify opportunities for impactful education and engagement initiatives.
• Insights
  • Collaborate with Marketing to help support patient and caregiver advisory boards, including participant identification and coordination where appropriate.
  • Capture and synthesize insights from patients, caregivers, and community events to inform brand strategy and resource development.
  • Identify unmet educational needs and propose innovative solutions to address them.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Collaborate with Field Sales, Patient Support Services, Marketing, and Advocacy to increase disease awareness and support earlier diagnosis.
  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of PDP, Nuplazid, and ACADIA’s patient support services through ongoing education and conference participation.
  • Serve as a field voice to internal stakeholders, representing the patient and caregiver perspective in strategic discussions.
  • Ensure all activities are conducted in compliance with legal, regulatory, and company policies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; healthcare or life sciences preferred. Advanced degree preferred.
• 8-10 years of relevant experience in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry with a focus on patient support, education, or advocacy.
• Prior experience leading or mentoring a field-based team strongly preferred.
• Background in patient navigation, clinical care, pharmacy, or community health education highly valued.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and mentoring skills, with a proven ability to develop others.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills; able to translate complex science into patient-friendly language.
• Compassionate, patient-focused mindset with ability to navigate sensitive conversations with empathy.
• Self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced environment and demonstrates innovation in patient engagement.
• Strong understanding of compliance and regulatory frameworks within pharma/biotech.
• Field-based role requiring ~60% extensive travel, including some evenings and weekends; proximity to a major airport is essential.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) is a plus.

Skills

• Patient-Centered Focus
• Empathy & Emotional Intelligence
• Collaboration & Teamwork
• Strong Communication
• Adaptability & Initiative
• Privacy, Compliance & Confidentiality

Education

• Not specified beyond the bachelor’s degree requirement.

Additional Requirements

• Field-based role requiring ~60% travel; proximity to a major airport is essential.
• Residence within the territory (or within 30 miles of its border) and proximity to a major airport; eligibility to drive a company vehicle; travel up to 75% of the time.