Senior Director, Commercial Excellence (Princeton Hybrid)

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.•Princeton, NJ

3d•$230,720 - $345,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director, Commercial Excellence is a leadership role responsible for advancing commercial and organizational effectiveness and strategic execution across the Nephrology, Immunology & Rare Diseases (NIRD) Business Unit. The role serves as a strategic partner and Chief of Staff to the SVP and Business Unit Head, NIR, driving cross-functional alignment, commercial capability development, business planning, operational excellence, and enterprise-wide initiatives to support business growth and execution. The role leads development and implementation of a multi-year Commercial Excellence roadmap spanning strategic planning, launch readiness, field and marketing effectiveness, capability building, and business operations. It partners with Commercial, Medical Affairs, Market Access, Insights & Analytics, Finance, PBS, Legal, Compliance, and other stakeholders to establish commercial practices and execute business priorities. The position also leads strategic business planning, governance, performance management, launch excellence, and capability-building efforts. The role requires strategic thinking, operational rigor, commercial acumen, leadership capability, and knowledge of the pharmaceutical value chain.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required.
At least 10 years of progressive experience in the pharmaceutical, biotech, or healthcare industry.
Multifunctional experience spanning commercial strategy, brand marketing, commercial operations, business planning, and/or commercial excellence.
Demonstrated success leading cross-functional strategic initiatives and organizational transformation efforts.
Proven experience building organizational capabilities, implementing process improvements, and driving measurable business outcomes.
Deep understanding of the pharmaceutical commercial business model and value chain.
Strong business acumen, financial literacy, forecasting, and resource-planning capabilities.
Proven ability to drive alignment and execution in complex matrix organizations.
Expertise in commercial analytics, KPI development, and data-driven decision-making.
Exceptional leadership, communication, influencing, and stakeholder-management skills.
Strong project and portfolio-management capabilities.
Accountability for Results: focus on strategic objectives, maintain high performance standards, and actively lead change.
Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving: consider long-term impact on customers, patients, employees, and the business when making decisions.
Patient & Customer Centricity: maintain an ongoing focus on customer and key stakeholder needs.
Impactful Communication: communicate with logic, clarity, and respect, and influence at all levels.
Respectful Collaboration: value others' perspectives and build diverse partnerships toward common goals.
Empowered Development: take an active role in professional development as a business imperative.

Nice To Haves

MBA or advanced degree preferred.
Experience supporting specialty, rare disease, nephrology, immunology, or other highly complex therapeutic areas preferred.
Experience serving as a strategic advisor or Chief of Staff to senior executives preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as a strategic advisor and Chief of Staff to the SVP and Business Unit Head, NIR.
Lead or support business unit governance processes, leadership team meetings, and strategic planning cycles, aligning priorities, decisions, risks, and execution.
Facilitate cross-functional collaboration and accountability for critical business initiatives and enterprise priorities.
Develop executive-level communications, presentations, and updates for senior leadership and key stakeholders.
Develop and execute a Commercial Excellence roadmap aligned with business unit objectives and portfolio needs.
Identify and implement capabilities, frameworks, tools, and processes to improve commercial performance, customer engagement, and organizational effectiveness.
Lead strategic initiatives that enhance business agility, simplify execution, and strengthen decision-making across the commercial organization.
Partner with Finance and Business Unit leadership on budgeting, forecasting, resource allocation, and investment decisions.
Manage strategic vendor relationships and external partnerships for efficient and effective commercial execution.
Ensure governance, compliance, and operational discipline across commercial initiatives.
Establish and lead an integrated approach to strategic brand planning across the NIR portfolio.
Provide teams with planning frameworks, tools, governance, and best practices to improve strategic rigor and execution.
Partner with cross-functional teams on launch planning and launch readiness for new indications, products, and lifecycle management initiatives.
Develop and oversee KPIs, performance dashboards, and business reviews to measure progress against strategic objectives.
Identify opportunities to improve commercial productivity, operational efficiency, revenue growth, and return on investment.
Establish processes and frameworks to enhance field force effectiveness, omnichannel engagement, and customer experience.
Partner with Commercial Leadership, PBS, and Field Training & Development to identify future-state competencies required for commercial success.
Design and implement learning programs, development experiences, and career pathways that strengthen organizational capabilities.