Associate Director, Field Marketing - California

Associate Director, Field Marketing

The Associate Director, Field Marketing, is a field-based, customer-facing (non-sales) role and a key member of the Dermatology marketing team. Supporting California and neighboring states. This position focuses on cultivating and sustaining long-term relationships with current and emerging key opinion leaders (KOLs) in Psoriasis (PsO) across the U.S. In this role, you will play a critical part in shaping and executing brand strategy by driving strategic partnerships, facilitating meaningful dialogue around the evolving treatment landscape, and positioning Takeda as a leader in PsO.

You will report to the Director, Head of HCP Engagements

KOL Engagement

• Identify, cultivate, and maintain long-term relationships with national and regional Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) in the dermatology space.
• Develop and execute strategic engagement plans aligned with brand objectives, serving as a subject matter expert (SME) in psoriasis disease management.
• Ensure compliant, accurate, and balanced scientific communication during all interactions with external stakeholders.
• Gather and analyze competitive intelligence (CI) to stay informed on KOL alignment, key geographic market drivers, influence points, and provider dynamics.
• Act as a liaison between KOLs and Takeda's senior and executive leadership, facilitating strategic insights and collaborative opportunities.

Insight Generation

• Capture, document, and analyze customer and market insights to identify regional and national trends, informing strategic decisions by the brand team in preparation for market entry.
• Share synthesized customer insights with cross-functional stakeholders, addressing key business questions to support marketing strategy, optimize resources, and develop tactics that drive brand performance.
• Stay current on customer, competitive, and marketplace activities, and share these insights in a structured format with the broader team to inform brand planning and tactical execution.

Advisory Boards

• Plan, develop, and execute advisory board meetings with KOLs to gather insights on disease management, treatment trends, and unmet medical needs.
• Identify, recruit, and engage appropriate advisors based on therapeutic expertise, geographic representation, and strategic objectives.
• Execute advisory boards and consultant meetings to gather actionable insights that inform brand and disease state strategies in anticipation of organizational needs.
• Facilitate post-meeting debriefs and lead the synthesis of insights into clear, actionable recommendations for internal teams.

Congress and Conferences

• Support the strategy, planning, and execution of national and regional congresses to advance the Dermatology brand and increase disease state awareness.
• Attend national congresses and regional conferences within the assigned geographic area; synthesize key insights and share them compliantly with internal stakeholders.
• Organize KOL engagement opportunities related to congresses in collaboration with colleagues and leadership, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
• Facilitate post-congress debrief sessions to evaluate outcomes and refine future engagement strategies.

P2P Engagements

• Lead partnerships with field leadership within the assigned geography to optimize and effectively execute marketing strategies.
• Identify and prioritize key educational needs and opportunities within target markets, and initiate programs to address these gaps.
• Support the identification and development of the speaker bureau, maintaining appropriate communication with members to ensure alignment on disease education and brand messaging.

Cross-functional Partnership

• Serve as a strategic bridge between internal teams (Commercial, Field Sales, Key Accounts, Medical Affairs, Market Access, and Leadership) and external thought leaders to ensure alignment and collaboration.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders to ensure all professional engagement activities are compliant, well-organized, and strategically aligned.
• Demonstrate a proven ability to thrive in a cross-functional, collaborative environment, effectively manage multiple tasks simultaneously, and lead initiatives without formal authority.

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required, preferably in Biology, Marketing, Strategy, or Business Administration.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in marketing or sales within the biopharmaceutical industry, including a minimum of 3 years in Key Opinion Leader management.
• Proven experience in developing engagement plans for thought leader/KOL management, with the ability to confidently liaise with external stakeholders.
• Experience in Speaker Bureau strategy, including training, content development, and execution of national-level programs.
• Strong leadership capabilities with the ability to set direction, drive alignment, resolve issues, and assess risk.
• Excellent collaboration skills with a proven ability to influence cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Highly organized with strong analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills; able to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, with demonstrated learning agility, financial acumen, and budgeting experience.
• The ideal candidate will be skilled in using AI tools to drive efficiency and innovation.

Preferred:

• Experience working in the Psoriasis therapeutic market
• New product launch experience
• In-depth knowledge of buy-and-bill reimbursement models and payer dynamics
• Skilled in complex biologics

Travel Requirements:

• Willingness to travel up to 50% of the time, inclusive of conferences on weekends, overnight programs as well as attendance at key internal meetings.
• Individual must reside within territory boundaries given the extensive travel arrangements of this role.