Zone Director (Gastroenterology) - Great Plains

Role Summary

Zone Director (Gastroenterology) for the Great Plains region. The Zone Director will report to the National Sales Director and be responsible for recruiting, hiring, and leading a high-performing sales team within a geographically defined Zone to drive IBSRELA (and subsequent pipeline assets) sales. They will develop the Zone sales plan in collaboration with Marketing and the commercial leadership team, and lead cross-functional initiatives across Sales, Marketing, Market Access, Patient Services, and Commercial Operations. They will maintain a strong direct customer-facing presence with key decision makers, influencers, and stakeholders in gastroenterology, and bring a proven track record in leading specialized therapeutic-area sales teams. This role aims to build a high-performing, patient-centered sales culture and to position the organization for continued growth.

Responsibilities

• Hire, train, develop, lead Area Business Directors (ABDs) to serve the Zone geography, in their respective territories
• Organize, control, and coordinate input relating to staffing, training, and developing and retaining key talent for the sales organization
• Own the Zone's sales objectives and performance of every ABD sales territory
• Coordinate the development of the Zone's strategic business plans outlining the execution of sales personnel around defined strategies and tactics for achievement of sales goals and objectives - provide direction, guidance, and support to ensure optimal execution of sales and marketing plans
• Assist the National Sales Director in developing, implementing, and managing sales force incentive and compensation programs as well as customized sales force analyses to effectively manage optimal targeting, planning, resource allocation, and performance evaluations
• Assist in translating key financial drivers and business analytics/insights into specific, measurable, and executable action plans for ABDs and inside sales personnel
• Oversee, evaluate, and enforce compliance with Ardelyx policies, including code of conduct, operational guidelines, travel and expense policies, and promotional guidelines as it relates to the sales force
• Develop, assert, and continuously reinforce a culture of compliance, ensuring that all sales activities and actions by members of the sales team comply with all laws and regulations and company compliance polices and procedures
• Manage and monitor sales team operating budgets and assist in developing guidelines for field sales budget adherence
• Proactively engage with key customers, decision-influencers, decision-makers, and account groups to directly represent Ardelyx in a leadership capacity, promote Ardelyx products, and achieve company objectives
• Provide input on sales team alignments and expansions, including evaluating workload potential, performance potential, and sales results against sales forecasts and KPIs
• Ensure all Zone promotional activities are in accordance with Ardelyx’s policies and procedures, including reviewing potential violations of company policies and procedures and direct and approve any appropriate disciplinary action

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 9 - 12 years of pharmaceutical/biotech industry commercial experience in Sales, Market Access, and/or Marketing with 4+ years of pharmaceutical/biotech industry sales management experience or equivalent experience
• Extensive knowledge of specialty sales, gastroenterology preferred
• Strong people management skills, with a proven track record of building and successfully leading sales teams as well as a track record of success of consistently achieving and/or outperforming sales goals
• Proven track record of direct facing customer activity as integral part of sales leadership role, including product launch experience
• Thorough understanding of the laws and regulations applicable to the sales and marketing of pharmaceutical products to physicians and healthcare organizations
• Proven leader, ability to engage and inspire employees, foster collaboration, influence others and integrate functions, teams, people, processes, and systems to drive sales results
• Experience in measuring performance of employees against established goals and objectives and effectively guide individuals through organization path based on interests, capabilities, and organizational needs
• Foster the professional growth of others through knowledge sharing, professional counseling, personal attention throughout organizations
• Possess the strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate ideas and data, both verbally and written, in a persuasive and appropriate manner
• Ability to understand, develop, and implement sales strategies
• Ability to analyze sales, financial, and market data to identify opportunities and to make sound business decisions
• Strong clinical acumen to facilitate rapport and earn respect with key opinion leaders, healthcare stakeholders, and patient advocacy groups

Additional Requirements

• This position reports to the National Sales Director
• This position is field-based
• This position requires up to 60% travel (meetings, customer visits, sales personnel mentoring, conferences)
• This position covers IL, IA, MO, WI