Associate Director, Commercial Training

Deciphera Pharmaceuticals • Waltham, MA

4d • $175,400 - $241,292 • Onsite

About The Position

Deciphera is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Associate Director, Commercial Training to lead the strategy, design, and execution of training programs that enable the success of the commercial organization in support of the anticipated launch of tirabrutinib, a highly potent and selective Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor being advanced for patients with relapsed or refractory primary central nervous system lymphoma (R/R PCNSL). PCNSL is a rare and aggressive extra-nodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma with significant unmet need, and tirabrutinib represents an important potential new treatment option for patients facing limited therapeutic choices. The Associate Director, Commercial Training will play a key role in ensuring field readiness by building capabilities across disease state knowledge, product expertise, customer insights, market access dynamics, and selling skills. This individual will partner closely with Sales, Marketing, Medical Affairs, Market Access, Sales Operations, and other cross-functional stakeholders to deliver impactful training programs that support launch readiness, commercialization in a new disease area, and compliant customer engagement. The role also requires the ability to translate brand strategy and clinical data into practical learning experiences, identify capability gaps, and continuously enhance training effectiveness based on field insights and business needs.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in life sciences, business, or related field preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry.
• 3+ years of experience in commercial training or sales training.
• Experience developing and implementing training for field-based roles, including development of field advisory teams.
• Experience supporting product launches and/or new indication expansions.
• Experience in malignant hematology, oncology, rare disease, or specialty pharmaceutical markets.
• Strong understanding of pharmaceutical legal and compliance requirements, including role-specific SOPs and the review and approval process.
• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally and influence stakeholders across a matrixed organization.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Strong project management skills, vendor oversight, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to understand, interpret, and translate complex clinical information and product strategy into effective, practical learning experiences for commercial teams.
• Strong business acumen and ability to use data, feedback, and field insights to inform training strategy and continuous improvement.
• Ability to travel as needed to support field engagement, training delivery, national meetings, and launch readiness activities.

Nice To Haves

• Prior field sales or sales leadership experience.
• Experience training on products in oncology, hematology, rare disease, or other complex specialty markets.
• Familiarity with learning technologies and platforms such as LMS and Veeva.
• Experience managing external vendors and agencies.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Ability to adapt to changing market conditions and quickly evolve training plans in support of launch readiness and commercialization needs.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the commercial training strategy aligned with brand objectives, launch timelines, and business priorities for tirabrutinib and the broader hematology commercial organization.
• Partner with cross-functional leaders to identify capability gaps, prioritize training initiatives, and translate business strategy into impactful training plans and measurable outcomes.
• Design and deliver comprehensive training programs including onboarding curriculum, disease state education on PCNSL, product training for tirabrutinib, patient journey, customer insights, market access considerations, and advanced selling skills.
• Implement credentialing and reinforcement programs to build strong field competency, message retention, and sustained customer impact.
• Create engaging learning experiences using a mix of live, virtual, and digital modalities, as well as reinforcement tools to maximize learner engagement and retention.
• Lead training strategy and execution for national sales meetings, POAs, regional workshops, launch readiness programs, and preparation for commercialization in a new disease area.
• Ensure field teams are fully prepared with the knowledge, tools, and franchise-specific capabilities needed for successful market execution.
• Conduct field rides and gather insights to assess training effectiveness, identify learning gaps, and refine training programs accordingly.
• Partner with Marketing, Medical, Legal, Regulatory, and Market Access to ensure training content is aligned, accurate, and compliant.
• Manage the review and approval process for training materials and ensure all activities are executed in a compliant, ethical, and patient-focused manner consistent with company values and policies.
• Collaborate with external vendors and agencies to develop high-quality training content and support timely execution of training initiatives aligned to launch milestones.
• Manage vendor relationships across scopes of work, content development, timelines, and budget expectations.
• Define and track key performance indicators to evaluate training effectiveness and overall field readiness.
• Utilize feedback, field insights, performance data, and analytics to continuously improve training content, delivery, and business impact.
• Manage the commercial training budget, including forecasting, expense tracking, and optimization of resources across training programs, vendors, meetings, and field enablement initiatives.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and annual bonus.
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision insurance, 401(k) retirement plan with company match, and more.
• Generous parental leave and family planning benefits.
• Outstanding culture and opportunities for personal and professional growth.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director