Director, Trade Strategy & Operations
Kite PharmaAbout the role
We’re here for one reason and one reason only – to cure cancer. Every moment is dedicated to developing treatments and every action moves us one step closer to our goal. We’ve made incredible scientific breakthroughs and our pioneering personalized CAR T-cell therapies have changed the paradigm. But we're not finished yet.
Join Kite, as we make even bigger advances in cancer therapies, and help shape where our business and medical science goes next.
We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Kite and help create more tomorrows.
Job Description
We are seeking a Director, Trade Strategy & Operations to lead and own Kite’s US cell therapy trade strategy and distribution model across existing and pipeline products. Building on Kite’s leadership in the cell therapy space, this role will advance a customer-centric trade approach while ensuring a scalable and differentiated distribution experience. This role is a critical leader within Kite, responsible for defining and evolving Kite’s trade infrastructure, enabling patient access, supporting commercial performance, and ensuring a compliant, high-performing distribution ecosystem.
Reporting to the Head of Trade, Pricing, and Contracting, this individual is accountable for driving execution of Kite’s trade strategy across distribution, operations, and partner governance, while advancing trade capabilities and performance. The Director will oversee distribution partner strategy and 3PL governance, ensure operational readiness for new products and indications, and establish frameworks for trade policy, agreements, and compliance in partnership with cross-functional stakeholders. This role requires close collaboration with Market Access, Supply Chain, Finance, Legal, Compliance, and Patient Services to influence decision-making, drive execution, manage risk, and support a high-performing trade organization.
Key Responsibilities
Trade Strategy & Leadership
Define and drive Kite’s US trade strategy, including distribution model design, channel optimization, and access enablement
Lead enterprise-level strategic initiatives to enhance channel design, strategic direction, and long-term scalability in a rapidly evolving cell therapy landscape
Provide strategic guidance to senior leadership on trade-related risks, opportunities, and market dynamics
Establish and evolve KPIs and performance frameworks to assess and guide trade performance and strategic effectiveness
Trade Operations & State Licensing
Oversee end-to-end trade operations, including order management, distribution execution, and issue resolution across channel partners
Serve as accountable leader for trade operations readiness for new product launches and distribution model changes
Drive executional excellence across trade operations through continuous improvement of processes and workflows
Ensure operational compliance with state licensing, distributor requirements, and applicable regulatory obligations
Distribution & 3PL Relationship Management
Lead Kite’s 3PL and distributor relationships, including strategic oversight, operational performance, governance, and long-term partnership strategy
Drive distribution network strategy, including assessing network effectiveness
Trade Policy, Agreements & Compliance
Apply for this role
Generate a tailored application kit with a matched cover letter, interview prep, and CV highlights — in under 60 seconds.
Apply Now →Generate Application KitFree account required — sign up in 30s