Rare Disease Business Manager - Fairfax, VA

Role Summary

The Rare Disease Business Manager (RDBM) drives sales and territory growth for a narcolepsy type 1 therapy, collaborating with the Regional Business Leader and cross-functional teams to educate healthcare providers (HCPs) and ensure appropriate patient access after regulatory approval. Based in Fairfax, VA, the role builds impactful relationships with targeted HCPs and accounts within the geographic territory to support a new product introduction in a novel therapeutic area for Takeda. Following regulatory approval, the RDBM will generate demand by educating clinicians with clinical information and in-depth knowledge of the product, the orexin system, and narcolepsy type 1.

Responsibilities

• Results Focused: Demonstrates urgency to drive results and achieve strong performance by delivering a high level of sales effort for a successful rare disease product introduction.
• Clinical Expertise: Possesses and delivers exceptional disease state, product knowledge, and selling skills in working with HCPs to support product education and drive demand.
• Sales Strategy and Execution: Following approval, drive sales by implementing sales and marketing plans, leveraging approved on-label materials to achieve monthly, quarterly, and annual sales goals. Execute brand strategies and manage all business-related activities within the assigned territory, focusing on advancing the diagnosis and treatment of NT1.
• Specialty Customer Engagement: Builds strong relationships with HCPs, including sleep specialists, neurologists, pulmonologists, sleep centers and associated staff, on disease state and approved Takeda orexin therapies.
• Strategic Analysis and Territory Planning: Strategically analyze local, regional, and national trends and apply data to assess opportunities and priorities. Tailor regional and local strategies to market trends and customer needs.
• Communication Skills: Strong communication skills are critical in discussions with specialty HCPs and accounts for a rare disease therapy. Utilize CRM to document account profiles, develop pre-call plans and record post-call activities.
• Financial Responsibility: Manage a territory budget in a manner consistent with Takeda compliance policies.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Patient Access, Market Access, Marketing to align on strategies and tactics; collaborate with Sales and Marketing leadership to support sales tactics and performance; foster accountability and engagement across cross-functional teams.
• Compliance and Ethical Standards: Uphold Takeda’s patient-first values and high standards of customer satisfaction; adhere to compliance policies, guidelines, training, and laws; seek clarification when uncertain on compliance matters.

Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor’s degree – BS/BA.
• Required: 3+ years of successful selling experience in pharmaceutical, biotech or medical device and/or relevant clinical or industry experience; OR 2+ years of successful selling experience at Takeda.
• Required: Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Required: Proven ability to navigate complex selling environment and influence across various decision makers in key accounts.
• Required: Strong business acumen and strategic planning skills to identify and execute on selling opportunities.
• Required: Demonstrated territory planning, strategic account management and prioritization skills. Ability to interpret analytical data to create effective sales strategies.
• Required: Strong collaborative skills and ability to work within a matrix of cross functional partners on behalf of the customers served.
• Required: Understanding of payer access and reimbursement at territory, regional, and state levels.
• Required: Adaptability to changing market conditions and customer needs.
• Required: Demonstrated learning agility with ability to successfully develop and compliantly apply clinical expertise and selling skills.
• Required: Must reside within the territory or within close proximity to assigned geography.
• Preferred: 5+ years of pharmaceutical sales experience, preferably in rare disease or sleep disorders
• Preferred: Sales experience with pharmaceutical or biologic products requiring coordination with patient access and market access teams.
• Preferred: Relevant clinical or industry experience.
• Preferred: Consultative / needs-based selling skills.
• Preferred: Experience working in a highly regulated marketplace.
• Preferred: Adept at leveraging emerging technologies, digital tools, and openness to AI-enabled processes.

Skills

• Clinical expertise in disease state, product knowledge, and selling skills in working with HCPs to support product education and drive demand.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building with HCPs across sleep specialists, neurology, pulmonology, and sleep centers.
• Strategic planning, territory management, and the ability to interpret analytical data to guide selling strategies.
• Cross-functional collaboration with internal teams (Patient Access, Market Access, Marketing, Sales).
• CRM proficiency: documenting account profiles, pre-call planning, and post-call activities.
• Budget awareness and financial stewardship within compliance policies.
• Payer access and reimbursement understanding at local, regional, and state levels.

Education

• Licenses/Certifications: Valid Driver's License

Additional Requirements

• Training Requirements: This position and continued employment is contingent upon successfully passing mandatory product training which includes written and oral examinations.
• Overtime/Training Policy: External Takeda hires during training will be non-exempt and eligible for overtime during training per applicable laws; not eligible for sales incentive programs during training; training period includes live instruction, independent study, role play, and related activities up to 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week.
• Post-Training Status: After passing training examinations, employee will be transitioned to exempt status and will be eligible for overtime, paid bi-weekly, and eligible for sales incentive programs.
• Travel Requirements: Ability to drive and/or fly to accounts and occasional business meetings.
• Travel Pace: Some overnight travel of up to 25-50% may be required depending on geographic assignment.