Thought Leader Liaison (Northeast)

About the Company

ITF Therapeutics is the U.S.-based rare disease division of Italfarmaco S.p.A., a private multinational group headquartered in Milan, Italy. Established in 1938, its mission has been to improve patient lives and overall well-being through pioneering research & development, high-quality production, and global marketing of branded prescription and non-prescription products.

In January 2024, Italfarmaco launched ITF Therapeutics as a new division in the United States with a focus on the development and commercialization of products to treat rare diseases including Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a rare and severe form of muscular dystrophy. Highlighting this commitment, ITF Therapeutics successfully secured FDA approval in March 2024 for Givinostat, the first nonsteroidal medication approved to treat all genetic variants of DMD in patients six years of age and older. Givinostat is a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor that has shown potential in reducing inflammation and fibrosis in muscles, thereby slowing the progression of the disease.

The Role

ITF Therapeutics is seeking candidates for the role Thought Leader Liaison, focused in the Neuromuscular space. This is an exciting opportunity to launch an approved product for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The Neuromuscular Thought Leader Liaison (TLL) role is a field-based marketing (non-sales focused) position that works closely with U.S Key Neuromuscular Thought Leaders (KOLs) to ensure cross-functional commercial resources are made available as appropriate. The three primary (but not exclusive) areas of focus for a TLL are KOL engagement, executive encounter management, and liaising with marketing. All TLL interactions are always within label and consistent with commercial, compliance, legal, and regulatory guidelines. The Thought Leader Liaison will report to the Director, Thought Leader Marketing and Engagement.

Primary Responsibilities

• Align with cross functional account plans and teams.
• Orchestrates resources with the top 10-15 percent of KOLs.
• Serve as the field-based arm of Marketing.
• Identify, profile, cultivate, and maintain long-term relationships with KOLs within the neuromuscular/Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment community.
• Conduct on-label conversations, programming, and KOL education focused on topics such as product, disease state, and company at appropriate venues inside and outside of the office setting.
• Compliantly collaborate and communicate with the field commercial team on each assigned KOL to ensure strategic and tactical cohesion.
• Act as single point of contact to manage commercial KOL engagement.
• Lead compliant commercial KOL development, including promotional speakers, using approved decks and materials.
• Plan and execute KOL engagements and executive encounters at local, regional, and national conferences, POAs, in-field engagements, and other venues as directed in a compliant manner.
• Provide feedback to commercial and marketing leadership on various topics as requested.
• Facilitate the execution of commercial contracts as requested.
• Execute and lead specific TLL initiatives to support the brand strategies.

Required Skills

• Four-year college degree (B.A., B.S. or equivalent) required; Master’s degree preferred.
• A minimum of ten years of work experience in one or more of the following: field sales, product marketing, or medical or clinical experience in the same or related therapeutic area within the pharmaceutical or biotech industry required; marketing experience preferred.
• Experience working as a Thought Leader Liaison preferred.
• Experience in neuromuscular markets preferred; Duchenne muscular dystrophy preferred.
• Product launch experience required.
• Account Management experience in a multidisciplinary setting required.
• Valid driver’s license required.
• Travel up to 75% of the time required.
• Ability to secure credentialing to access relevant customers and accounts in territory required.
• Experience working with a start-up or high growth organization preferred.
• Demonstrated leadership skills with an ability to assemble and lead cross-functional teams toward a shared vision of success.
• Ability to present ideas, with a high level of scientific acumen, effectively to individuals or groups, targeting presentation to the needs of the audience.
• Demonstrated level of proficiency with support technology (PC and CRM tools, Microsoft Teams).
• Duties may require compliance with client requirements that all those performing services on-site be fully vaccinated.