Vice President, Commercial Operations

Role Summary

Vice President, Commercial Operations. Lead the Commercial Operations function from the ground up to support the launch and sustained commercial success of azetukalner. Build the infrastructure, systems, team, and processes needed for a successful launch and ongoing commercial operations. Hybrid role based in Needham/Boston, MA, with potential for other jurisdictions for exceptional candidates.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a core member of the Commercial Leadership Team; develop and execute commercial operations plans aligned with company goals.
• Design and implement a scalable commercial operations model to support pre-launch, launch, and post-launch activities.
• Lead preparation for Quarterly Business Reviews and Board of Directors meetings with strategic performance insights.
• Partner across functions to ensure integrated planning and execution across the commercial landscape.

• Define and implement field force strategy: structure, sizing, territory alignment, targeting, support, and resource deployment.
• Oversee CRM system implementation and optimization, ensuring adoption and utility by field teams.
• Design compliant, motivating incentive compensation plans and ongoing performance tracking.
• Collaborate with Sales Training to support field readiness, onboarding, and capability-building initiatives.

• Lead development and governance of the commercial data strategy, integrating sales, CRM, claims, and channel data.
• Build and manage KPIs, dashboards, and reporting tools to drive data-driven decision-making.
• Oversee market research, data analytics, and competitive intelligence efforts to inform strategies and tactics.
• Partner with IT and external vendors to establish and manage a robust Commercial Data Environment (CDE).

• Develop and manage Commercial Operations budgets, including vendor oversight and resource planning.
• Manage the overall Commercial AOP and 5-year planning process across all commercial functions.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimize execution, scalability, and efficiency.
• Oversee commercial logistics for congresses and events; ensure compliance with regulatory and internal standards.
• Plan, recruit, lead, develop, coach, and evaluate direct reports in accordance with HR policies.
• Adhere to Company policies and ensure policies are understood and followed by employees.
• Develop short- and long-term objectives for the function aligned with company strategies.
• Manage budget proposals and approved budgets in line with strategic plans and Finance policies.
• Some international travel may be required; perform other duties as needed.

Qualifications

• Minimum undergraduate degree; graduate degree strongly preferred.
• 15+ years of management experience in commercial operations or related functions in biotech/pharma; product launch experience required.
• Proven success in building and scaling commercial operations in high-growth or launch environments.
• Deep expertise in sales operations, field effectiveness, incentive compensation, CRM, analytics, and data governance.
• Ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence at all levels, including executive and board levels.
• Strong strategic thinking, financial acumen, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent communication skills with experience translating complex data into insights.
• Experience in Epilepsy or Neurology preferred.