Rare Disease Business Manager - Seattle E, WA

Role Summary

The Rare Disease Business Manager (RDBM) based in Seattle, WA, is responsible for driving sales and territory growth in narcolepsy type 1 by executing strategic sales plans. This role collaborates with the Regional Business Leader and cross-functional teams to educate healthcare providers and ensure patient access to a new therapy when approved. Reporting to a Regional Business Leader, the RDBM will support a product introduction in a new therapeutic area and build strong, data-driven relationships with targeted HCPs and accounts within the geographic territory. After regulatory approval, the RDBM will help generate demand by informing clinicians about the product, the orexin system, and narcolepsy type 1.

Responsibilities

• Results Focused: Demonstrates a strong sense of urgency to drive results and deliver a high level of sales effort necessary for a successful rare disease product introduction.
• Clinical Expertise: Possesses and delivers exceptional disease-state knowledge, product knowledge, and selling skills to educate healthcare professionals and drive demand.
• Sales Strategy and Execution: Drives sales by implementing sales and marketing plans after approval, leveraging on-label materials to achieve monthly, quarterly, and annual sales goals; executes brand strategies and manages all business activities within the assigned territory to advance the diagnosis and treatment of NT1.
• Specialty Customer Engagement: Builds strong relationships with, and educates healthcare professionals (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: Analyzes local, regional, and national business trends and applies data to assess opportunities and strategic priorities; tailors regional and local strategies to market trends and customer needs.
• Communication Skills: Maintains strong communication with specialty HCPs and accounts; utilizes CRM to document account profiles, develop pre-call plans, and record post-call activities.
• Financial Responsibility: Manages a territory budget in a manner that is consistent with all Takeda compliance policies.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partners with internal teams such as Patient Access, Market Access, Marketing to align on strategies and tactics; collaborates with Sales and Marketing leadership to support tactics and performance; fosters a collaborative culture of accountability and engagement with cross-functional team members.
• Compliance and Ethical Standards: Adheres to Takeda’s patient-first values and compliance policies; demonstrates integrity and seeks 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 disease-state and product knowledge
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills
• CRM proficiency and ability to document account activity and plan effectively
• Strategic thinking with ability to analyze data and inform sales strategy
• Cross-functional collaboration and relationship-building capabilities
• Payer access and reimbursement knowledge at multiple levels
• Territory and account management skills
• Adaptability to changing market conditions and customer needs

Education

• Bachelor’s degree – BS/BA

Additional Requirements

• Licenses/Certifications: Valid Driver's License.
• Travel Requirements: 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 Requirements: Mandatory product training including written and oral examinations; training period may involve live instruction, independent study, and role play; overtime eligibility during training; after successful completion, exempt status and eligibility for sales incentive programs.