Director, Commercial Launch Management

Overview

The Director of Commercial Launch Management is responsible for leading the end-to-end commercial planning and execution of launches for the Pharmaceutical business in the United States. This role serves as the central integrator and project manager across Commercial functions to ensure successful launch execution. The Director partners closely with Marketing colleagues and other cross-functional SMEs such as Portfolio, Business Unit Launch Management, Tech Ops, Regulatory, Legal, Supply Chain, Quality, Medical Affairs, and Finance to ensure profitable product launches in complex institutional markets.

The role is also responsible for project managing product discontinuations. The individual is responsible for managing and evolving launch processes, tools, and governance, and is accountable for building, standardizing, and continuously improving launch excellence in the Pharmaceuticals business. The Director tracks, integrates, and reports pre-launch activities and interdependencies across commercial functions, ensuring launch readiness against regulatory, manufacturing, supply, and commercial milestones.

Post-launch, the role oversees progress tracking, performance reporting, and issue resolution to ensure successful market uptake and operational stability.

Salary Range: $170,000 - $195,000 per year. Position is eligible to participate in a bonus plan with a target of 16% of the base salary and in a medium-term incentive plan. Final pay determinations depend on experience level, education, knowledge, skills, and abilities. Our benefits and programs are comprehensive and thoughtfully crafted to ensure our colleagues live healthy lives and have support when it matters most.

• Launch Strategy & Execution
• Lead cross-functional planning and execution for new product launches from pre-approval through post-launch stabilization.
• Partner with Marketing owners and Business Unit Launch Management to develop integrated launch plans aligned to regulatory milestones, manufacturing readiness, supply availability, and commercial priorities.
• Proactively identify launch risks (regulatory timing, supply constraints, competitive intensity, pricing pressure) and lead mitigation planning along with Marketing and Business Unit Launch Management and Portfolio colleagues.

• Launch Process Management, Improvement & Training
• Own the commercial launch management framework, including standardized processes, tools, templates, timelines, and governance.
• Continuously evaluate and improve launch processes based on feedback, performance, post-launch learnings, and evolving business needs.
• Develop and deliver launch management training for cross-functional stakeholders to ensure consistent understanding of roles, expectations, and best practices.
• Chair cross-functional launch and lifecycle governance forums, driving alignment, escalation, and decision-making.
• Manage and update pre-launch trackers and reporting mechanisms for both project teams and senior leadership.

• Launch Readiness
• Partner with Marketing, Sales and National Accounts, Contracting/Pricing, Customer Service and Trade Relations and Market Access teams to ensure customer-facing strategies are fully launch-ready.
• Ensure launch strategies are properly connected to tactical plans and fully ready to execute at launch, including pricing, contracting, channel load, sales tools and Marketing programs.

• Supply Alignment & Launch Execution
• Collaborate closely with Marketing, Supply Chain and Manufacturing to align demand forecasts, allocation strategies, and launch sequencing.
• Support commercial decision-making in constrained supply environments, including customer prioritization and phased launch strategies.
• Monitor early launch performance and rapidly address service, supply, or execution issues.

• Product Discontinuation & Lifecycle Management
• Lead the commercial planning and execution for line extensions and product discontinuations in partnership with Marketing, including cross-functional coordination, customer communication, and risk mitigation.
• Ensure discontinuations are managed in a compliant, customer-focused, and financially responsible manner.
• Partner with Sales, National Accounts, Customer Service, Supply Chain, Quality, and Regulatory to align timing, inventory run-down, and external notifications.

• Launch & Lifecycle Reporting
• Develop and maintain new product launch and lifecycle reporting, including readiness dashboards, launch KPIs, and post-launch performance tracking.
• Monitor metrics such as uptake, revenue, gross margin, customer penetration, service levels, and forecast accuracy.
• Provide clear, concise launch updates and insights to senior leadership to support decision-making and prioritization.
• Lead post-launch reviews and ensure learnings are captured and embedded into future launch processes
• Attends local, national, and global meetings as needed.
• Completes all training requirements, including all department-specific, compliance training, etc.
• Participates in any and all…