Global Cell and Gene Forecasting Associate Director

Job Description

General Summary:

As Associate Director of Cell & Gene Therapy Forecasting, you will lead global forecasting activities for Vertex’s rapidly evolving cell and gene therapy portfolio, with an emphasis on the Heme franchise and the emerging Type 1 Diabetes program. You will develop robust forecasts across time horizons, partner cross-functionally to shape commercial strategy, and ensure the integration of the latest market, competitive, and clinical intelligence. You will collaborate closely with commercial, medical, finance, manufacturing, operations, and marketing science partners to deliver high-quality analytical support that informs business decisions, scenario planning, and the long-range portfolio outlook.

This role requires demonstrated excellence in in-line forecasting, experience working in complex or rapidly evolving therapeutic areas, and the ability to operate with both strategic vision and operational precision. You will help shape forecasting frameworks for long-term, potentially curative therapies where traditional analogs and market behaviors may not apply—requiring creativity, methodological innovation, and strong collaborative leadership.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Forecast Leadership & Strategy

• Lead development, refinement, and maintenance of long-range global revenue and demand forecasts for the Heme and Type 1 Diabetes commercial franchises.
• Build forecasting frameworks suited for disruptive, potentially curative therapies, integrating epidemiology, patient journey/treatment dynamics, operational constraints, and market evolution.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders within Global Commercial Strategy, providing objective, data-driven insights to support decision-making across brand, portfolio, and corporate levels.
• Drive long-range forecasting activities (LRP), annual planning, and scenario modeling to support business cases, supply planning, manufacturing strategy, and strategic prioritization.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Insight Integration

• Partner closely with Marketing Science, HEOR, Market Access, Medical Affairs, Commercial Development, and Finance to synthesize and integrate insights into forecast models, while ensuring alignment with near-term regional forecasts.
• Collaborate with marketing science colleagues and external vendors to ensure primary market research is appropriately incorporated into forecasting assumptions and scenario analyses.
• Work with competitive intelligence teams to evaluate pipeline evolution, competitive launches, and environmental shifts affecting adoption curves and long-term penetration.
• Coordinate with supply chain and manufacturing partners to align forecasts with capacity planning and operational constraints unique to cell and gene therapy modalities.

Analytics, Modeling, and Reporting

• Develop and maintain advanced forecasting models that appropriately reflect uncertainties, sensitivities, and key market drivers.
• Produce high-quality deliverables including forecast dashboards, scenario summaries, business cases, and communication materials for leadership discussions.
• Ensure methodological transparency, strong version control, and best practices in documentation and model governance.
• Proactively identify emerging trends, risks, and opportunities, and translate them into strategic implications for commercial and enterprise-level planning.

Portfolio & Enterprise Impact

• Support portfolio-wide analytics, helping harmonize forecasting approaches across cell and gene therapy programs.
• Provide input into long-term strategic planning activities, opportunity assessments, and resource prioritization across the non-CF pipeline.
• Represent forecasting in cross-functional working groups and governance forums, ensuring alignment across global, regional, and local teams.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Deep expertise with in-line forecasting in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry; experience with specialty, rare disease, or cell & gene therapy markets strongly preferred.
• Strong command of forecast modeling approaches across all stages (early clinical, launch, in-line).
• Ability to translate complex scientific, clinical, and quantitative information into clear, strategic insights.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and articulate assumptions, risks, and recommendations.
• Proficiency with analytical tools (Excel, forecasting platforms, Power BI or similar visualization tools); experience with simulation, sensitivity analysis, or advanced modeling a plus.
• Demonstrated experience operating in highly cross-functional