Senior Manager, Commercial Operations - Job ID: CO2025

Ascendis Pharma is a dynamic, fast-growing global biopharmaceutical company with locations in Denmark, Europe, and the United States. Today, we're advancing programs in Endocrinology Rare Disease and Oncology.

Here at Ascendis, we pride ourselves on exceptional science, visionary leadership, and skilled and passionate colleagues.

Guided by our core values of Patients, Science, and Passion, we use our TransCon® drug development platform to fulfill our mission of developing new and potentially best-in-class therapies to address unmet medical needs.

Our culture fosters a place where skilled, adaptable, and highly resourceful professionals can truly make their mark. We offer a dynamic workplace for employees to grow and develop their skills.

The Senior Manager, Commercial Operations is responsible for the execution of all commercial tactics requiring copy review, production, and fulfillment, ensuring that all tactical plans are implemented in compliance with promotional guidelines as well as all internal and external regulations.

• Manage the deployment of tablet assets (promotional materials) for the US Field Force

• Manage print production of US promotional materials by outside agencies, printing companies, and other suppliers to ensure the highest quality of work at a competitive cost.
• Manage and administer activities of third-party inventory warehouse/fulfillment service.

The position will be based in Princeton, NJ and will report directly to the Vice President, Commercial Analytics & Operations.

 Key Responsibilities                                                                                                                            

• Manage and partner with IT on updates to the MLR system – VEEVA PromoMats
• Troubleshoot VEEVA PromoMats system and develop processes around continuous improvement.
• Develop the promotional guidelines in partnership with Legal, Regulatory Affairs and Compliance
• Enforce review requirements so that reviewers have specified timeframes for thorough reviews as well as all references and background documents to accompany materials.
• Ensure the successful and timely review, approval, documentation, and deployment of in scope materials (promotional, medical, corporate communications, and investor relations). Additionally, ensure the ordering, warehousing, stocking and delivery of materials and reprints.
• Facilitate PRC (Medical, Legal, Regulatory) content review meetings, create agendas at direction of Chair, update status reports, communicate and facilitate progress to gain approval.
• Develop and initiate PRC role based VEEVA PromoMats training in conjunction with IT Services
  
• Create and publish PRC meeting minutes and ensure follow up actions are documented will be key.
• Interact with all stakeholders including cross functional partners (Medical, Legal, Regulatory) and senior management.
• Provide proactive support of business needs, maintaining a flexible and dynamic support team.
• Relationship management with fulfillment warehouse ensuring proper inventory to meet business needs. Development of digital asset management (DAM) platform.
• Identify opportunities for improving operational efficiency and filling business gaps and work with commercial stakeholders to tackle.
• Management of production-related outside agencies/suppliers
• In partnership with Regulatory, manage the job flow process from initial internal review of projects through OPDP submission, print production, and final distribution to field force.
• Manage vendors to accomplish daily operations and ensure cost efficiency.
• Manage VEEVA PromoMats process and ensure compliance with all federal and internal standards.
• Independently resolve print production issues with printing companies & agencies, including pricing and scheduling negotiation. Use expertise and discretion to instruct printing companies in finalizing production details of materials (job specs, quantities, timelines, distribution)
• Manage outside agency/supplier production services (receive/approve spec sheets, ensure timeliness of disk releases, recommend changes to job specs/layout redesign as appropriate, ensure SOP adherence and compliance with usage rights of graphic images, trademarks, etc.
• Review printer proofs from a technical perspective and issue final approval to proceed to print.
• Manage third party inventory warehouse fulfillment services (field force online ordering system, rework inventory with new components/new labeling, prepare/revise kits, schedule auto shipments to field force)
• Direct assigned agencies on the development and timely deployment of tablet-based assets; problem solve technical challenges.
• Independently manage all user profiles/permissions on the tablet asset management system
• Partner with Commercial Training to ensure all new assets have been approved by appropriate Ascendis parties prior to release; including attending weekly vendor meetings.
• Develop global processes regarding engagement and communications with HCPs, outside of the US.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business, marketing or management preferred.
• Minimum 8+ years recent pharmaceutical industry experience required, preferably in promotional review or marketing operations roles and an understanding of best practices across all areas of pharmaceutical industry commercial operations.
• Must have demonstrated proficiency of MLR process and of the pharmaceutical environment.
• Must have experience with:
• OPDP guidelines with respect to pre-clearance and form 2253 submissions
• Print production, meetings, and convention management.
• Rep fulfillment
• Budgeting
• Expert understanding of legal and regulatory environment in pharmaceutical promotions, pharma industry guidelines, and other compliance-related issues

• Excellent project management and follow-up skills in cross-functional environment with the ability to organize and complete multiple projects efficiently and on time.
• Knowledge of pharmaceutical systems such as Veeva (PromoMats), print production, and rep fulfillment.
• Excellent oral, written, and presentation skills—able to explain complex concepts clearly to a variety of audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to influence without authority across diverse teams.
• Sets priorities, creates logical work plans and communicates progress.
• Anticipates and assesses future business needs.
• Demonstrate influence:
• Communicating persuasively – excellent verbal, written and interpersonal skills with ability to influence senior management and to establish effective working relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Demonstrate initiative:
• Excellent project and task management skills including proactivity, planning, prioritization, objective setting, meeting management and plan execution.

• Effective communication skills, problem solving, follow-through, and agility required.
• Able to work independently and take lead role on assigned projects.
• Adept in conflict resolution getting to win-win outcomes.
• While being organized and logical, must balance this with a high degree of flexibility to change direction when needed.
• A confident self-starter, who can work independently and creatively but also be a team player.
• Champion ideas and support others to achieve goals.
• Proficiency in Word, Internet, Outlook, Adobe Acrobat (annotation); Working knowledge of PowerPoint, Excel
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time domestically and internationally.

A note to recruiters:

We do not allow external search party solicitation.  Presentation of candidates without written permission from the Ascendis Pharma Inc Human Resources team (specifically from: Talent Acquisition Partner or Human Resources Director) is not allowed.  If this occurs your ownership of these candidates will not be acknowledged.

Benefits

• 401(k) plan with company match
• Medical, dental, and vision plans
• Company-offered Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance
• Company-provided short and long-term disability benefits
• Unique offerings of Pet Insurance and Legal Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Discounts
• Professional Development
• Health Saving Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various incentive compensation plans
• Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity Insurance  
• Mental Health resources
• Paid leave benefits for new parents