Rare Disease Business Manager - Roanoke, VA

Role Summary

Based in Roanoke, VA; the Rare Disease Business Manager (RDBM) will drive sales and territory growth for narcolepsy type 1 by executing strategic sales plans and collaborating with the Regional Business Leader and cross-functional teams. The role supports a new product introduction in a new therapeutic area for Takeda, educating healthcare providers and ensuring patient access after regulatory approval. It will build impactful relationships with targeted HCPs and accounts across the geographic territory and contribute to demand generation by sharing clinical information about the product, the orexin system, and narcolepsy type 1. Travel within the territory and occasional travel to meetings may be required.

Responsibilities

• Results Focused: Demonstrates a strong sense of urgency to drive results and achieve strong performance 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 on-label materials to achieve monthly, quarterly, and annual sales goals; execute brand strategies and manage all business-related activities within the assigned geographic territory, focusing on diagnosing and treating NT1.
• Specialty Customer Engagement: Builds strong relationships with HCPs, including sleep specialists, neurologists, pulmonologists, sleep centers, and associated clinic staff, on disease state and approved Takeda orexin therapies.
• Strategic Analysis and Territory Planning: Analyze local, regional, and national business trends and apply data to assess opportunities and strategic 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; 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 internal teams such as Patient Access, Market Access, Marketing to align on strategies and tactics that support customer and business outcomes; collaborate with Sales and Marketing leadership to provide feedback that supports sales tactics and performance; foster a collaborative culture of accountability and engagement across cross-functional teams.
• Compliance and Ethical Standards: Uphold Takeda’s patient-first values and commit to high standards of customer satisfaction; adhere to all Takeda compliance policies, guidelines, training, and relevant 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.
• Licenses/Certifications: Valid Driver's License.

Additional Requirements

• Travel: Ability to drive and/or fly to accounts and occasional business meetings; some overnight travel of up to 25-50% may be required depending on geographic assignment.
• Training: Mandatory product training including examinations; training period may include overtime for external Takeda hires; after successful passage of examinations, transition to exempt status and eligibility for sales incentive programs.