Vice President, Sales

Xenon Pharmaceuticals

20h•$319,858 - $361,300•Remote

About The Position

Xenon Pharmaceuticals is seeking a Vice President, Sales to lead the design, build, and execution of the U.S. commercial sales organization as the company transitions into a fully integrated commercial enterprise. This role is crucial for shaping national sales strategy, building a high-performing field organization, and driving commercial execution in specialty neurology and CNS markets. The Vice President, Sales will be a key member of the commercial leadership team, responsible for defining the field structure, hiring and developing sales leadership and frontline talent, and establishing the necessary systems, processes, and performance expectations for effective scaling. This individual will collaborate closely with Marketing, Market Access, Medical Affairs, Commercial Operations, Legal, and Compliance to ensure a coordinated, compliant, and impactful go-to-market strategy. Success requires strong specialty sales leadership, experience building and scaling teams in growth-stage environments, and the ability to translate strategy into focused field execution within the competitive CNS landscape.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
15+ years of pharmaceutical/biotech sales experience, including 5+ years in senior leadership roles
Proven track record of successful product launches, ideally in specialty or rare disease markets
Experience in neurology, epilepsy, or CNS therapeutic areas strongly preferred
Proven ability to hire, assess, and develop high performing sales leaders and field teams in a growth stage environment
Experience leading second line sales leaders and scaling national field organizations
Experience leading sales planning and field execution for a first launch or early commercial stage biopharma company strongly preferred
Deep understanding of the U.S. healthcare ecosystem, including payer dynamics and specialty distribution
Strong experience with KOL engagement and specialty customer strategy in complex therapeutic markets
Demonstrated ability to build sales infrastructure, performance frameworks, and operating discipline in emerging or evolving commercial organizations
Strong executive presence, communication, and cross functional leadership skills, with the ability to influence strategy and execution across departments
Demonstrated success operating effectively in fast paced, growth stage environments where agility, judgment, and hands on leadership are essential

Nice To Haves

Experience in neurology, epilepsy, or CNS therapeutic areas
Experience leading sales planning and field execution for a first launch or early commercial stage biopharma company

Responsibilities

Develop and execute the U.S. sales strategy in alignment with corporate and commercial objectives
Partner with executive leadership to shape commercial vision and growth strategy
Lead sales launch readiness planning, including field deployment strategy, targeting philosophy, training input, incentive plan partnership, and execution readiness
Define the field structure, talent profile, and leadership expectations for the sales organization
Build, hire, lead, and develop a high performing national sales organization, including Regional Directors and field representatives
Establish clear performance metrics, sales goals, and accountability frameworks across the organization
Establish the culture, leadership standards, and talent bar for the sales organization to support long term performance and scalability
Partner with Commercial Operations to implement dashboards, CRM tools, reporting, and other infrastructure to enhance field effectiveness and visibility
Drive execution excellence through coaching, training, performance management, and strong field leadership
Collaborate closely with Marketing, Market Access, Medical Affairs, and other cross functional partners to ensure a coordinated go to market approach
Develop strong relationships with priority customers, thought leaders, and other key stakeholders across the treatment landscape
Partner with Market Access and related functions to support pull through strategies across specialty pharmacies, health systems, and integrated delivery networks
Align with Regulatory, Legal, and Compliance to ensure all sales activities are conducted in a compliant and patient focused manner
Use data, analytics, and field insights to inform targeting, resource allocation, and ongoing sales optimization
Monitor market dynamics, customer insights, and competitive activity to refine strategy and improve execution
Develop and propose short- and long-term objectives for the function in accordance with overall Company strategies and plans
Plan and manage budget proposals and approved budgets in accordance with the Company’s strategic and operating plans and Finance policies
Recruit, lead, direct, develop, coach and evaluate direct reports, if any, in accordance with the Company’s Human Resource policies and practices
Act in accordance with Company policies, including, for example, the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and ensure policies are understood and followed by direct reports, if any
Some international travel may be required
Other duties as assigned