Director, Field Technology

Ionis Pharmaceuticals • Carlsbad, CA

221d • $185,006 - $237,987 • Remote

About The Position

Ionis is seeking a Director, Field Technology to serve as a technical lead within the Global Product Strategy & Operations (GPS&O) IT function supporting the Commercial and Medical teams. This is a remote role with preference given to candidates based at our Carlsbad, CA or Boston, MA office. The ideal candidate will be responsible for developing and implementing the strategy, services, and capabilities to support all Commercial field teams. They will act as the technical owner of assigned applications and as the liaison between the business system owner of these applications and the technical support vendor(s). In this position, they will also help define new and support existing sales & marketing channels to drive innovation via integrated technology across the Commercial landscape, focused on the field sales teams. A few core responsibilities include leveraging existing technologies to drive efficiency and effectiveness throughout the HCP and patient journeys, as well as learning new technologies that can support commercial processes, which will be critical in the ever-changing pharmaceutical landscape. This is a cross functional role that requires collaboration with peer groups across different organizations and functions. Additionally, the ideal candidate should have a deep knowledge of Commercial Veeva platform best practices and an interest in finding and implementing innovative new related trends and technologies.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field.
• Master's degree or MBA preferred.
• Typically requires a minimum of 15 years of related experience with a bachelor's degree; or 12 years and a master's degree; or a PhD with 8 years' experience; or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of experience in a technical lead role, with clear technical ownership of field technology applications in bio/pharma IT function and supporting Commercial and Medical field teams.
• Technical experience must include Veeva CRM, DAM, Brand Portal, Claims Library, Network MDM.
• Experience with technical backlog management, grooming, prioritization, and release management.
• Proficiency in other Veeva applications, specifically Veeva Network, PromoMats, MedComms, MedInquiry, and inclusive of all workflows, user roles, and document state security matrix.
• Excellent executive level influencing skills, with demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and effectively with key business partners, IT leadership teams, and external services providers.
• Demonstrated ability for strategic IT planning and roadmap development.
• Familiarity / experience with the following technologies and solutions: CRM, customer service operations and call center technology, data analytics, reporting and presentation tools, and multi-modal information / data dissemination and presentation (e.g. web, mobile etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to effectively collaborate across a matrix organization.
• Strong organizational, planning and financial management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills; ability to work effectively with all levels of staff and management.
• User-centered design.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical product owner for field technologies such as Veeva CRM, remote engagement tools, content management systems, and mobile applications.
• Develop and maintain the technology roadmap for Commercial and Medical field teams.
• Identify emerging technology trends and assess their potential impact on field teams and operations.
• Manage a team of internal and external resources.
• Collaborate closely with Commercial Operations, Sales, Medical Affairs, and other IT peers to understand and document field users' workflows and pain points.
• Translate business requirements into technical solutions, ensuring scalability and compliance.
• Facilitate workshops and user interviews to gather feedback for continuous improvement.
• Oversee the implementation and enhancement of tools for field users, ensuring timely delivery and alignment with business objectives.
• Oversee the configuration, integration, and optimization of field Commercial and Medical tools.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure effective use of such tools.
• Manage vendor relationships and coordinate system integrations with internal and external platforms.
• Conduct user acceptance testing (UAT), training coordination, deployment planning, and user onboarding.
• Manage related product backlogs and manage managed services vendor resources.
• Monitor system performance, user adoption, and support issues; drive resolution and continuous improvement.
• Analyze usage data to recommend enhancements.
• Provide second-line support for complex field technology issues escalated from helpdesk or user feedback.
• Onboarding and systems training of field teams.
• Ensure adherence to industry regulations and internal policies.
• Ensure systems and data support Aggregate Spend reporting requirements.
• Maintain proper documentation, including user guides, SOPs, and validation protocols where required.

Benefits

• Excellent benefits package.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Chemical Manufacturing
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree