Associate Brand Director - Rare Blood

About the Department

The Strategy & Rare Disease (STARS) organization drives the long-term strategic direction of Novo Nordisk Inc. (NNI)/North America Operations (NAO) and leads all US commercial efforts for Novo Nordisk’s Rare Disease portfolio. The mandate of STARS is to facilitate the development and to coordinate the execution of the long-term strategy, defining a sustainable business model in US beyond a 5-year time horizon. This department serves as the insiders of the US market when informing and help shaping upstream decisions around future investments and assets. The Rare Disease portfolio includes products in the hemophilia and growth disorders therapeutic areas, new products in the pipeline, and products acquired through business development efforts in existing and new areas. The STARS team collaborates and partners with groups across NAO, Research & Early Development, Development, innovation hubs across NN, other affiliates, and global. We’re looking for individuals who are enterprise thinkers, inclusive leaders, and strong collaborators, as we embark on shaping our future.

The Position

This role's primary function is to lead the brand strategy and marketing pull through of all efforts associated with the Rare Blood Disorders (RBD) portfolio to HCP audiences. The expectation for this role is that it will be empowered to make key strategic decisions for the RBD brands, to lead development and roll-out of tactics that pull through the strategy, and ultimately be accountable to successful performance of the business. Responsible for leading the development and implementation of RBD business plans and the achievement of NNI P&L goals and business objectives for assigned product(s). Also this position will be responsible for the opportunity assessment for new projects. Responsible for developing and implementing all HCP marketing activities to help achieve goals, cultivating relationships with key patient advocacy groups, leading strategic programs with Hematologists, mainly those at Hemophilia Treatment Centers (HTCs), providing brand leadership for HCP websites, relationship marketing strategies and tactics, providing brand leadership for PR programs as well as key congresses. This role specifically has overall strategic and operational responsibility for the HCP marketing strategy and tactical pull through for the RBD portfolio of products. Contributes to overall POA call to action and develops relevant sales support materials/ training to ensure successful uptake of key initiatives. Takes a lead role for assigned products on strategic business teams and interacts extensively with the enabling functions in Marketing as well as team representatives from Sales, Market Access, Commercial Operations and Effectiveness (CO&E), Medical, Regulatory, Relationship Marketing, Conventions, Global Marketing, Corporate Communications, and Legal. Incumbent is accountable for the implementation of marketing activities for assigned products both marketed and in development.

Relationships

Reports to the Director of Rare Blood Disorders Marketing. Works primarily with Associate Directors and Sr Brand managers in Rare Blood Disorders marketing and closely with individuals in similar roles in other therapeutic areas. Due to the nature of the Rare Disease business, the role requires a strong collaborative culture focused on working together as a cohesive team in order to accomplish goals. Other internal relationships include relations with Sales, Market Access, Commercial Operations and Effectiveness (CO&E), Medical, Regulatory, Relationship Marketing, Conventions, Global Marketing, Corporate Communications, and Legal. External relationships include relations with HCP customers, key opinion leaders, advocacy groups, and professional societies. Works extensively with professional services vendors including advertising and healthcare-related agencies.

Essential Functions

Fiscal:

•  Accountable for the ongoing management and oversight of multi-million dollar brand-specific budget to target levels.
•  Ensures budget remains on-track.
•  Establishes, oversees implementation and monitors adherence to administrative policies and procedures.
•  Evaluates appropriate use and allocation of resources to ensure attainment of unit, department and Company profitability goals.

Product Investment:

• Appropriately seeks human and financial resources to optimize brand within context of overall marketing budget.
• Develops relationships with and receives commitment from relevant departments to ensure the successful execution of strategies.
• Identifies the key factors and trends impacting performance, and recommends action plans for goal attainment and process improvement
• Maximizes revenue and profitability and understands return on investment (ROI) concepts to ensure optimization of marketing spend.
• Partners with CO&E to develop and implement marketing metrics. Regularly reviews marketing programs progress to ensure profitability/budget goals are on track. If not meeting metrics, proactively implements corrective measures to increase business impact and overall value.

Promotions:

• Develops and oversees implementation of promotional programs, including coordination with external suppliers.
• Develops and oversees the implementation of marketing plans with promotional budget responsibility.
• Oversees the management of the advertising agency and promotional review board (PRB) process to implement overall campaign elements, educational, promotional and public relations programs.
• Supports the identification, selection and management of professional services to create effective marketing programs to maximize return on investment.

Strategic Brand Leadership:

• Acts as a key representative of the RBD portfolio to outside organizations.
• Allocates resources based on the evaluation of business priorities, risks, timing and opportunities, and makes adjustments based on the progress of the project.
• Builds and maintains trusting, collaborative relationships and alliances with others inside and outside of the organization, focused on addressing key business issues, objectives, and processes.
• Demonstrates a strong leadership role across the organization by effectively promoting and engaging in close collaboration with key internal stakeholders.
• Develops and encourages innovative approaches/strategies to maximize brand objectives.
• Develops and oversees implementation of strategic business and related tactical plans.
• Develops and presents compelling plans and strategies for management endorsement.
• Ensures self and cross-functional team effectively promote/engage in close collaboration with key internal stakeholders (e.g. Sales/Medical/Market Access/CO&E).
• Establishes and implements key metrics to track and communicate level of value and impact of brand initiatives to relevant stakeholders.
• Identifies competitive threats and opportunities and develops marketing programs and projects to minimize risks and capitalize upon identified opportunities.
• Oversees time and costs associated with activities to ensure vendor, agency or HCP/patient consultant estimates are realistic for agreed upon deliverables; and ensures reconciliation reports are completed.
• Plans and manages cross-functional teams or projects that are aligned with strategic objectives, using appropriate project management tools and techniques, and contingency and communication plans
• Works closely with Sales & Market Access VPs/Directors, etc. to ensure marketing strategies and programs are developed that strongly support customer needs and are of high impact.
• Works effectively with international colleagues for coordination of the brand strategies and to share best practices, etc.

Physical Requirements

10-15% overnight travel required.

Qualifications

• A Bachelors degree required, MBA-preferred.
• Rare Blood Disorders disease state experience strongly preferred.
• Minimum six (6) years of brand management/marketing and/or sales/operations experience within Specialty Pharmacy/Product Support in the pharmaceutical industry required.
• Experience with HCP marketing, specialty pharmacies and injectable products are a plus.

• Ability to work on cross functional teams.
• Anticipates problems and roadblocks to avoid crisis management.
• Must have outstanding planning and organizational skills with exceptionally high attention to quality of detail and ability to effectively prioritize the time of self and others.
• Must have proven track record of developing accurate short and long term business plans, results and follow up.

• Must have solid understanding of the pharmaceutical marketplace including medical, regulatory and clinical processes.

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.

At Novo Nordisk we recognize that it is no longer good enough to aspire to be the best company in the world. We need to aspire to be the best company for the world and we know that this is only possible with talented employees with diverse perspectives, backgrounds and cultures. We are therefore committed to creating an inclusive culture that celebrates the diversity of our employees, the patients we serve and communities we operate in. Together, we’re life changing.

Novo Nordisk is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations.

If you are interested in applying to Novo Nordisk and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply, please call us at 1-855-411-5290. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.