Head of Commercial France & Benelux

Cytokinetics is a late-stage, specialty cardiovascular biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing first-in-class muscle activators and next-in-class muscle inhibitors as potential treatments for debilitating diseases in which cardiac muscle performance is compromised. As a leader in muscle biology and the mechanics of muscle performance, the company is developing small molecule drug candidates specifically engineered to impact myocardial muscle function and contractility.

At Cytokinetics, each team member plays an integral part in advancing our mission to improve the lives of patients. We are seeking tenacious, compassionate, and collaborative individuals who are driven to make a positive impact.

Reporting to the VP, General Manager France & Benelux, the Head of Commercial is responsible for leading all commercial activities across France and Benelux, including sales, marketing, and stakeholder engagement. This role combines strategic vision with operational excellence to successfully launch, establish, and grow our products in these markets, ensuring alignment with regional and global priorities and achieving national and regional targets.

As a key member of the Country Leadership Team, the Head of Commercial will inspire and develop a high-performing team, engage with external stakeholders to expand patient access, and collaborate closely with EU & global teams. Acting as an enterprise leader, the incumbent will demonstrate patient focus, an owner mindset, and foster collaboration to drive impact.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Define and execute the commercial strategy for France & Benelux, aligned with global and European objectives.
• Represent the commercial function on the Country Leadership Team.
• Collaborate actively with Global, EU & local teams to share insights, benchmark performance, and implement best practices.
• Monitor market dynamics and competitor activity to inform strategic decisions.
• Develop and implement market research initiatives to inform strategy, track performance, and guide decision-making.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and patient-centricity.
• Ensure all commercial activities comply with the company’s Code of Conduct and local pharmaceutical regulations.

Sales & Marketing Leadership

• Lead and manage the sales and marketing teams to achieve national and regional targets.
• Recruit, develop, manage, and retain a high-performing commercial organization (Sales Managers, Key Account Managers, Marketing).
• Establish performance standards, CRM systems, KPIs, and incentive schemes.
• Drive a high-performance culture through coaching, development, and operational excellence.
• Oversee development and execution of integrated marketing campaigns, congress strategies, and educational initiatives.
• Manage external vendors and agencies to deliver high-impact programs.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards and internal SOPs.

Financial & Operational Oversight

• Own the France & Benelux commercial P&L, delivering on revenue and profitability targets.
• Manage budgets and resources effectively, ensuring alignment with launch and growth objectives.
• Track and analyze performance against forecasts and KPIs, adjusting strategy as needed.

External Engagement

• Act as company ambassador with key stakeholders (healthcare professionals, payers, regulators).
• Engage directly with external stakeholders through customer-facing activities (joint visits, KOL meetings, congresses, and events).

Profile & Qualifications

• Extensive experience in pharmaceutical commercial leadership in France; knowledge of Benelux healthcare systems is a plus.
• Fluent in English
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in pharmaceutical sales, marketing, or commercial leadership roles.
• Ideally experience in cardiology or rare diseases.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking capabilities.
• Proven ability to lead, inspire, and drive high-performing teams, with experience in matrixed and cross-functional collaboration.
• Ideally experience in a small company environment.
• University degree in Life Sciences, Business, or related field (Master’s or MBA preferred).

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Our employees come from different backgrounds, and we celebrate those differences. We are looking for the best candidates for our open roles, but do not expect applicants to meet every qualification in order to be considered. If you are excited about what you could accomplish at Cytokinetics and believe you can add value to our team, we would love to