Director, Family Support Educator

About Acadia Pharmaceuticals   Acadia is committed to turning scientific promise into meaningful innovation that makes the difference for underserved neurological and rare disease communities around the world. Our commercial portfolio includes the first and only FDA-approved treatments for Parkinson’s disease psychosis and Rett syndrome. We are developing the next wave of therapeutic advancements with a robust and diverse pipeline that includes mid- to late-stage programs in Alzheimer’s disease psychosis and Lewy body dementia psychosis, along with earlier-stage programs that address other underserved patient needs. At Acadia, we’re here to be their difference.

 

This is a field-based position with flexibility to be located anywhere in the U.S. near a major airport.

Position Summary:

The Director of Family Support Educator, Rare Disease (DFSE) provides strategic leadership and oversight to Family Support Educator (FSE) Leads and their teams. This role involves direct management of FSE Leads, along with indirect management of Family Support Educators (FSEs), who deliver expert, field-based patient education and support throughout the treatment journey for the Rett community. As a non-promotional role within Acadia, the DFSE reports directly to the Vice President of Patient Support Services, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and the highest standards of patient care.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Manage and develop the performance of FSE Leads and FSE team members; manage time among the team
• Lead execution of strategic and tactical patient education and One Acadia initiatives
• Monitor and manage compliance adherence
• Drive change/resolution of escalations, complaints, and/or communication issues for internal and external stakeholders
• Serve as the primary representative for FSE team with cross functional, collaborative partners, including but not limited to: leaders for Patient Support and Distribution, CIAO, Access and Reimbursement, Marketing, and Sales
• Work in collaboration with cross-functional partners to:
  • Review and assist with training and onboarding of new FSE LEAD and FSE team members
  • Manage the evolution of the FSE team as the business needs and market dynamics evolve
  • Develop and drive appropriate metrics and MBO plans to measure performance and communicate those metrics to internal stakeholders
  • Deliver results on key business goals, as set forth each quarter
  • Provide reporting, analytics, and insights, as appropriate, based on FSE data collection
  • Ensure exceptional customer experience, internally and externally, through strong collaboration and operational execution of initiatives, services, and processes
  • Participate in executive meetings, including but not limited to, commercial leadership team, executive leadership team, and/or other meetings, as appropriate, and assist with slide development and storyboarding for these meetings
  • Plan and prepare for national and regional commercial field meetings
  • Offer in-field coaching opportunities for FSE Leads and FSEs
  • Lead by example
• Conduct performance reviews and evaluations of FSE Leads, and ensure they are positioned to deliver these to their direct reports
  • Conduct performance reviews and evaluations of FSEs in Leads absence
• Recruit and hire new Lead FSEs and FSEs, as necessary to fill vacancies
• Mange the ongoing training, development, engagement, and culture of the entire FSE team

 

Education/Experience/Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree required, with 15 years of relevant experience in Patient Support Services, Access, National Accounts, Specialty Pharmacy, Nursing, or related fields. MBA is a plus.
• A minimum of 5 years in a leadership role within Patient Support Services, Market Access, Patient Education, National Accounts, Sales Management, Clinical Education, or Access Leadership.
• In-depth experience in account management and patient/caregiver education
• Strong background and understanding of field environment in healthcare industry
• Strong background and understanding of Rare Disease space
• Proficiency at creating and communicating a clear vision among team members
• Track record of increased responsibilities
• Strong history of successful cross-functional collaboration and leadership presence

Additional Skills:

• Exemplary interpersonal skills
• Must display a patient-centric mentality with a high degree of emotional intelligence and empathy
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills
• Understand HIPAA rules and r