Head of Competitive Intelligence

Ionis•Carlsbad, CA

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Head of Competitive Intelligence sets the strategy, standards, and operating model for competitive intelligence across Ionis’ portfolio. This leader serves as a key enterprise resource and functional authority on competitive dynamics and is accountable for ensuring competitive insights are translated into clear implications, strategic choices, and decision support across the enterprise. Reporting to the Head of Insights, this role leads the Competitive Intelligence function and serves as a senior cross-functional partner to Commercial, Medical Affairs, Market Access, R&D, Supply, Communications, Investor Relations, and other key stakeholders. The leader will build and advance capabilities, processes, and team strengths to deliver timely, objective, and actionable competitive intelligence across the product lifecycle. This role requires a leader who can synthesize complex signals, guide cross-functional readiness, pressure test assumptions, and inform and influence decisions across the organization. The ideal candidate brings a strong combination of strategic judgment, scientific and commercial acumen, operational rigor, executive communication, and the ability to lead through influence in a dynamic environment. Ionis is at an important stage of growth, where the ability to anticipate competitive dynamics, pressure-test assumptions, and translate external signals into clear strategic implications will help shape portfolio, development, launch, and commercialization decisions. Building on the foundation already in place, this role will help further strengthen how competitive intelligence informs strategic planning, cross-functional readiness, and enterprise decision-making across Ionis.

Requirements

15+ years of relevant experience in pharma or biotech, including significant experience in competitive intelligence, market insights, strategy, commercial, medical, R&D and/or investor relations; OR 12+ years of experience with a master’s degree; OR 8+ years of experience with a PhD.
Bachelor’s degree required, PhD or other relevant advanced degree preferred.
Demonstrated leadership experience with broad cross-functional exposure and a strong understanding of how strategic decisions are shaped across the organization.
Deep experience with competitive intelligence approaches, tools, platforms, and monitoring best practices across the product lifecycle, including early development, pre-launch, launch, and post-launch.
U.S. launch experience required; global experience preferred.
Experience in both broad and rare disease markets, including neurology, cardiology, pulmonology, immunology, or similarly complex specialty categories, preferred.
Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive alignment in complex situations, often without direct authority.
Strong strategic thinking, analytical rigor, and judgment, with the ability to synthesize disparate inputs into clear business implications.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to tailor messages for executive and cross-functional audiences.
Experience building capabilities, frameworks, and scalable processes; familiarity with digital and AI-enabled approaches is strongly preferred.
Strong people leadership skills, including coaching, team development, and performance management.
High learning agility, sound prioritization, and comfort operating in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
Courage to challenge assumptions constructively and maintain an objective, data-driven point of view.

Nice To Haves

Motivated by work that connects scientific and commercial insight to decisions that can help deliver medicines for people living with serious diseases.
Bring curiosity, urgency, and ownership to complex, ambiguous work where the right answer is not always obvious.
Thrive in lean, nimble, cross-functional environments where people work directly with the right decision makers.
Value open debate and rigorous examination of ideas, not individuals, and can challenge assumptions while preserving trust.
Apply a bias to act with sound judgment, objectivity, and prudent risk-taking.
Can connect scientific, clinical, commercial, access, and market signals into strategic implications.
Influence effectively without relying on formal authority.
Lead in a human-centered way, valuing both performance and people.

Responsibilities

Define and lead the competitive intelligence strategy, priorities, and operating model across Ionis’ scientific platform, pipeline, and commercial portfolio.
Ensure the organization maintains a current, cross-functionally aligned view of the evolving competitive landscape, scenarios, and business implications.
Lead the generation, synthesis, and communication of competitive insights from primary, secondary, field, and congress-based, and other intelligence sources, translating them into clear implications and actionable recommendations for senior leadership and cross-functional teams.
Drive competitive readiness and rapid response execution across programs and functions by identifying key risks, opportunities, trigger points, and scenarios.
Partner closely with Market Insights, Forecasting, Commercial, Medical, Market Access, R&D, Supply, and other functions to pressure test assumptions, strategies, and plans.
Build and scale best-in-class competitive intelligence capabilities, including frameworks, processes, knowledge management, and AI-enabled tools that improve speed, access, and impact.
Lead external partner selection and oversight to ensure high-quality, efficient, and fit-for-purpose intelligence support.
Establish, reinforce, and continue to evolve standards for objective analysis, competitive conduct, information protection, and strict commitment to collecting and using competitive intelligence in compliance with applicable laws, industry codes, and company policy across the organization.
Reconcile differing viewpoints, negotiate with and influence stakeholders, and apply strong emotional intelligence to support alignment in sensitive or complex situations.
Lead intelligence planning and execution for key medical congresses, industry meetings, and other external events relevant to Ionis’ portfolio.
Develop, coach, and lead a high-performing team, while managing functional planning, resource allocation, and budget to meet business priorities.
Build and maintain external networks with industry experts and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen Ionis’ understanding of emerging competitive dynamics.
Other responsibilities, as assigned.
Ability to travel for business meetings, congresses, and other events, including internationally, approximately 20%.