Regional Key Account Director (RKAD)

Ionis•Carlsbad, CA

About The Position

The Regional Key Account Director (RKAD) is a field-based people leader who builds, develops, and directs a high-performing team of Key Account Managers (KAMs) across an assigned region. The RKAD translates national commercial strategy into regional execution, equipping and aligning KAMs to drive enterprise-level engagement with priority Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNs), academic medical centers, and organized medical groups. The role owns regional commercial strategy and relationships supporting patient identification, institutional access, and on-label adoption of TRYNGOLZA® (olezarsen), contributing to revenue at assigned institutions and overall product sales growth. The RKAD partners with Market Access, Brand, Medical Affairs, and field teams to deliver a consistent, coordinated One Ionis account model. The position leads regional performance, develops talent, supports strategic account planning, coordinates cross-functional field teams, shares market intelligence, and ensures compliance. It requires residence within the assigned geographic region and significant field travel, including field rides with KAMs and direct customer engagement at priority accounts.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required.
At least 18 years of pharmaceutical or biotech commercial experience, or 15 years with an advanced degree.
At least 5 years in a field-based role with direct accountability for complex institutional accounts, such as IDNs, academic medical centers, or large health systems.
At least 4 years in a people leadership role leading KAMs, hospital account managers, or equivalent field-based roles accountable for complex institutional accounts.
Proven ability to build and sustain a high-performing, accountable field team, including hiring, onboarding, coaching, and performance management.
Strong strategic account management background, including experience with P&T committee processes, formulary submissions, order set integration, and multi-stakeholder health system engagement.
Experience engaging C-suite leaders, pharmacy directors, population health leaders, and value analysis committees in compliant, outcomes-oriented discussions informed by clinical and health economic evidence.
Demonstrated ability to integrate and lead cross-functional commercial, medical, and access field teams within an enterprise account model.
Strong working knowledge of managed care and specialty pharmacy, including connections between payer policy, specialty distribution, and institutional formulary decisions.
Must reside within the assigned geographic region.
Must have a valid U.S. driver's license and a driving record that complies with company standards; must be able to drive to customer sites.
Must be able to meet applicable healthcare provider access requirements, including background checks and vaccination requirements where applicable.
Must demonstrate behaviors aligned with Ionis Culture, Core Principles, and Working with Each Other policy.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (MBA, PharmD, MPH) or equivalent experience.
Experience in cardiometabolic, lipidology, endocrinology, or a specialist-driven therapeutic area requiring active patient identification.
Familiarity with EHR systems such as Epic, Oracle/Cerner, or Meditech, and institutional workflows for drug file additions, electronic prescribing, and order set management.

Responsibilities

Lead and be accountable for the regional KAM team's commercial performance against business objectives.
Translate national launch strategy and brand priorities into regional priorities, identifying account focus, resources, and support needed for effective execution.
Coach KAMs on account-level plans, strategic account management, institutional decision-making, access pathways, and cross-functional coordination.
Monitor formulary wins, account adoption, patient identification rates, and pull-through execution; adjust resource deployment and coaching to address gaps and opportunities.
Serve as the regional escalation point for account issues requiring cross-functional resolution.
Recruit, onboard, coach, and retain high-performing KAMs; work alongside them in the field to model enterprise-level stakeholder engagement.
Conduct structured performance reviews and individual development conversations covering execution quality, clinical acumen, and strategic account management capabilities.
Build a culture of accountability, inclusion, continuous learning, and compliance aligned with Ionis principles and culture.
Ensure KAMs maintain account profiles and multi-stakeholder engagement strategies for priority IDNs and health systems.
Participate directly in selected strategic accounts alongside KAMs to support C-suite and enterprise-level relationships.
Coordinate regional commercial, access, and medical field functions, including Clinical Account Specialists, Field Access Managers, Market Development Managers, and Field Medical Directors.
Facilitate regional alignment meetings to coordinate account strategies, share intelligence, and provide a seamless customer experience.
Represent the region in national commercial leadership forums and provide field insights for brand strategy, access strategy, and operational planning.
Aggregate and escalate regional intelligence on formulary trends, competition, payer and IDN access barriers, and adoption dynamics.
Turn market observations into actionable recommendations for national strategy and local execution.
Model and enforce adherence to compliance obligations, mandatory training, company policies, and healthcare provider interaction guidelines; partner with Compliance to address regional risks.