Associate Director, Thought Leader Liaison, Neurology Rare Disease - West

The TLL builds trusted relationships with national, regional and emerging thought leaders and with organizations that influence the patient pathway from diagnosis through treatment and support. The role identifies and helps address recurring barriers to earlier recognition, specialist referral, genetic testing, genetic counseling and connection to treatment-capable centers.

The TLL integrates appropriate aggregate field insights into regional business plans, thought-leader engagement strategies and practical actions for disease education, market development and launch readiness. The TLL executes non-sales relationship, education, network and barrier-removal activities and supports the Account Manager’s account planning and operational execution.

Key Responsibilities

Regional Strategy, Network Mapping and Engagement

• Develop and execute a regional plan aligned with national strategy and launch priorities.
• Map priority institutions, thought leaders, and referral relationships to clarify how diagnosis, testing, counseling, referral, and treatment connect across the region.
• Use regional and account-level insights to prioritize engagement, identify cross-account barriers, and recommend and support actions that strengthen the Account Manager’s planning and operational execution.
• Coordinate with MSLs on shared thought leaders, scientific needs and joint engagements.

Thought Leader Engagement

• Establish and maintain compliant relationships with national and regional experts, center leaders and influential community and neuromuscular practices.
• Develop and execute, in partnership with Marketing, approved national and regional peer-to-peer education programs.
• Identify qualified advisors and, following approval, promotional faculty based on documented business need, objective criteria and approved processes.

Insight Generation and Strategic Translation

• Capture and synthesize aggregate, non-patient-specific insights from field engagements.
• Compare insights across accounts to distinguish isolated account issues from broader regional barriers.
• Maintain knowledge of the publicly available disease, treatment, evidence and competitive landscape.

Regional Advocacy Engagement

• Serve as the regional relationship lead for approved engagement with local and regional advocacy organizations.
• Identify opportunities to use approved advocacy resources, programs and professional networks.
• Provide regional input on potential partnerships and sponsorships.

Congress and Professional Meeting Leadership

• Lead the commercial thought-leader engagement strategy for priority national and regional congresses and professional-society meetings.
• Use congress engagement to strengthen relationships, identify emerging thought leaders and capture relevant field insights.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Marketing leadership to inform launch strategy, disease-education needs, peer-to-peer programs, congress planning and, following approval, faculty strategy.
• Work with Account Manager and other functional partners to translate regional insights into coordinated action.
• Coordinate scientific needs with Medical Affairs, access needs with Market Access, patient support with Patient Services, and implementation with Account Manager.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; an advanced clinical, scientific, public health or business degree or relevant clinical credential is preferred.
• At least eight years of relevant biopharmaceutical experience, including field marketing, TLL, market development, product marketing, thought-leader engagement or another strategic field role.
• Recent experience in rare or ultra-rare disease, neurology, neuromuscular disease, genetics, or diagnostics strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated pre-launch and launch experience, including the ability to operate within distinct pre- and post-approval engagement boundaries.
• Demonstrated ability to operate independently and compliantly in a field role without an established franchise infrastructure.
• Strong clinical and scientific fluency sufficient for credible disease-state discussions with senior specialist audiences.

Skills and Other Requirements

• Leadership, strategic thinking, sound judgment, and the ability to translate ambiguity into an executable field plan.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills and executive presence with senior clinicians, professional organizations, and cross-functional colleagues.
• Disciplined judgment regarding commercial, medical role boundaries and pre- and post-approval engagement rules.
• Strong analytical ability to map influence networks, diagnostic and referral workflows, and regional opportunities.
• Excellent written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Proficiency with CRM, insight-management, virtual engagement, and standard business platforms.

Other Requirements

• Field-based role; willingness and ability to travel more than 50% of the time.
• Ability to attend priority national and regional congresses, advisory boards, and evening programs.
• Valid driver's license; ability to meet company fleet, driving, and travel requirements.
• Assigned geography: Assigned region. Candidates must reside in the assigned region within practical reach of a major hub airport.