Director, Head of Distribution Channel Operations

Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, and with offices in Boston, Massachusetts, and Dublin, Ireland, Ionis has been at work for more than three decades discovering medical breakthroughs that have redefined life for people with serious diseases. We’re pioneers in RNA-targeted medicines, and our platform continues to revolutionize drug discovery and transform lives for patients with unmet needs.  With multiple marketed medicines and a leading pipeline in neurology, cardiology and select areas of high patient needs, we continue to drive innovation in RNA therapies in addition to advancing new approaches in gene editing to provide greater value to patients and are well positioned financially to deliver on our strategic goals.

At Ionis, we pride ourselves on cultivating a challenging, motivating and rewarding environment that fosters innovation and scientific excellence. We know that our success is a direct result of the exceptional talents and dedication of our employees. 

With an unprecedented opportunity to change the course of human health, we look to add diverse individuals, skill sets and perspectives to our exceptional team. We continue to invest time, money and energy into making our onsite, hybrid and remote work environments a place where solid and lasting relationships are built and where our culture and employees can thrive. 

We’re building on our rich history, and we believe our greatest achievements are ahead of us. If you’re passionate about the opportunity to have meaningful impact on patients in need, we invite you to apply and join us. Experience and contribute to our unique culture while you develop and expand your career!

DIRECTOR, HEAD OF DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL OPERATIONS

SUMMARY: 

The Director, Distribution Channel Operations is a strategic leader within the U.S. Commercial Trade & Distribution team responsible for defining, leading, and advancing Ionis’ distribution channel operations strategy across Specialty Pharmacies, Specialty Distributors, and other key distribution channel accounts. This role collaborates closely with cross functional departments to ensure the US distribution channel operating model is scalable, data-driven, and aligned to Ionis’ commercial priorities, launch needs, and patient access objectives.

This leader translates corporate and functional strategy into channel policies, operating plans, governance, and decision frameworks that support current brands and future growth. The role serves as the senior business lead for Specialty Pharmacy and Distributor channel forecasting, distribution channel inventory strategy, allocation decisions, partner performance, and operational readiness, and provides decision-ready recommendations to senior leadership on risks, trade-offs, and opportunities that affect patient access, commercial continuity, and launch success.

The Director, Distribution Channel Operations operates with significant cross-functional influence across Supply Chain, PPMI, Finance, Accounting, FP&A, Brand Sales, Marketing, Patient Services, Market Access, and other internal stakeholders, while also building strong external relationships with key channel partners. This individual will lead the continued development of U.S Commercial Distribution Operations as a distinct capability within Trade & Distribution, including organizational design, processes, governance, and talent strategy.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Define and lead Ionis’ channel operations strategy across Specialty Pharmacies, Specialty Distributors, and other key distribution channel accounts in support of current brands, launches, and future portfolio growth.
• Own the design, governance, and continuous improvement of the end-to-end distribution channel operating model, including forecasting, inventory management, allocation, reporting, partner management, and issue escalation with assigned accounts.
• Serve as the senior Trade & Distribution lead for U.S Commercial Distribution operations in S&OP/IBP, launch readiness, and cross-functional business planning forums, ensuring channel considerations are incorporated into enterprise decisions.
• Own short-, mid-, and long-range distribution channel demand forecasting and support product and account level forecasting through integration of channel data, launch assumptions, access dynamics, and commercial insights.
• Establish distribution channel inventory strategies, targets, and guardrails, and lead recommendations on allocation decisions by balancing patient need, contractual commitments, service expectations, and commercial priorities.
• Provide strategic oversight of distribution channel inventory, ordering patterns, service performance, and other operational KPIs, and lead cross-funct