About Kiniksa

Kiniksa is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, acquiring, developing and commercializing therapeutic medicines for patients suffering from debilitating diseases with significant unmet medical need. The company is advancing a pipeline of immune-modulating, clinical-stage product candidates that are based on strong biologic rationale or validated mechanisms, target underserved conditions and offer the potential for differentiation.

Associate Director/Director, Commercial Training

Reporting to the Senior Director, Commercial Training, the Associate Director/Director, Commercial Training will partner with Commercial Leadership and the ARCALYST Brand Team to ensure proper planning and execution of sales training events and sales / marketing operations projects within the Commercial group. This role will also support the training of the Global Value & Access Team (Managed Markets & Patient Services). This role assists in the development and implementation of comprehensive training programs and curricula to enable Kiniksa to successfully launch and grow market share of innovative products.

Primary Duties include:

• Developing the Field Force training curriculum for pre & post launch of Kiniksa products to meet the anticipated & determined learning needs of all levels within the U.S. Field Force. This includes developing training internally, as well as the selection & management of consulting agencies and vendors to build and sustain the learning continuum.
• Conducting frequent large & small group training sessions, project work, managing logistical aspects of Product Post Launch Meetings, Regional & National Field Team Meetings, and other field sales events, constructing documents, training materials & correspondence for the U.S. Field Force, qualifying & negotiating with vendors, developing presentations, and interacting across multiple functions. This individual will also be responsible for preparing, submitting training documentation / materials for Promotional Review Committee (PRC) review and approval.
• The Commercial Training Director / Associate Director will also be responsible for conducting several field rides with Clinical Sales Specialists and Directors of Strategic Accounts in the US, to eventually tailor the training curriculum to regional specifics and dynamics, as well as sustain training programs. Travel requirement of 20% to include overnight travel.

This role must be based in one of our office locations in Lexington, MA, San Diego, CA or London, UK. Our office-based employees follow a hybrid schedule of 4 days in the office, and 1 day remote.

Responsibilities (including, but not limited to:)

• Further develop the ARCALYST mastery learning system and competency model curriculum to onboard US Field Force members in Sales, Managed Markets, & Patient Services. This training curriculum will be tailored to the U.S. and other geographic areas.
• Maintain a strategic curriculum road map with strategic imperatives to include short term and long-term objectives with key stakeholders to evolve a learning continuum to meet the on-going, real time learning needs of the U.S. Field Force.
• Utilize a blended learning strategy through a phased approach that supports the strategic goals of Sales, Marketing, Global Value & Access, and HR departments.
• Travel with Clinical Sales Specialists (CSS) in the US, to support their professional growth as guided by Regional Sales Directors (RSD); follow-up coaching also to be conducted via Zoom, telephone, and email.
• Innovate, co-develop, and deliver new programs to address the evolving needs of the U.S Field Force regarding disease state & product training, field force leadership development training, selling skills, and competency model development.
• Manage, expand, and deliver Initial Training for new Kiniksa CSSs / ISRs / RSDs / DSAs / PALs by utilizing a blended learning strategy through a phased approach that supports the strategic goals of Sales, Marketing, Global Value & Access, and HR departments.
• Collaborate with the Senior Director of Commercial Training and Field Leadership Directors to add content and enhance the curriculum for multiple phases of training through live training events and the LMS / e-learning platform.
• Organize and submit training content through the PRC approval process in a timely manner.

Key Activities

• Collaborate with the Senior Director of Commercial Training to identify and meet with agencies / vendors to implement new curriculum and manage relations, including contract negotiations in support of Post Launch Meetings, Initial Training and Regional / National Field Team Meetings.
• Design & deliver training programs to ensure “best in class” status of U.S. Field Force.
• Effectively communicate with Field Commercial Leadership to assess emerging training needs of the U.S. Field Force and to prove appropriate solutions within the confines of training resources / budgets.
• Work closely with the Marketing Brand Team to develop training that supports our promotional strategies.
• Provide content support for “hot news”, “talking points” and “backgrounders” to the U.S. Field Force via Field Direction Memos. and other communication processes.
• Assist the Senior Director of Commercial Training with the Commercial Training Department budgeting process.
• Complete ad hoc training / sales / marketing operations initiatives & projects in the field, at Headquarters and Regional offices.
• Attend appropriate training classes to maintain level of knowledge.
• Document, and maintain policies and procedures for areas of responsibility.
• Adherence to Kiniksa Compliance, Legal and Regulatory principles and practices are a must.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate Degree required with an advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 5 years pharmaceutical / biotech experience required.
• Sales / Sales Management /Training experience strongly preferred.
• Experience in pharmaceutical marketing or corporate / commercial training preferred.
• Experience in adult education principles and competency modeling preferred.
• Demonstrated project management and interpersonal/communication skills.
• Understanding of and ability to teach state of the art selling skills including clinical and contextual skills; develop programs to transfer that knowledge to field sales teams.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage projects that require collaboration across functional areas.
• Skillful team player able to develop rapport and credibility with key stakeholders.
• Ability to work and coordinate cross-nationally and cross-culturally.

All Kiniksa new hires whose roles require them to enter Kiniksa’s physical offices will be required to provide documentation that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or, if not, that they are legally entitled to an accommodation due to a medical condition or a sincerely held religious belief. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and Kiniksa will consider, among other things whether a proposed accommodation would create an undue hardship.