The Associate Director will serve as a key member of the Learning Center of Excellence within Global Quality, responsible for designing, implementing, and sustaining high-impact training programs for Commercial and General & Administrative (G&A) functions. This role ensures that learning strategies align with regulatory requirements, corporate standards, and business objectives, fostering a culture of compliance, quality, and continuous improvement across global operations
Key Responsibilities:
- Learning Strategy & Design
- Develop and execute a comprehensive training strategy for Commercial and G&A teams in alignment with Global Quality standards and business priorities.
- Partner with functional leaders to identify learning needs, compliance gaps, and performance improvement opportunities.
- Program Development & Delivery
- Design engaging, scalable, and compliant learning solutions (e.g., instructor-led, virtual, e-learning) tailored to diverse audiences.
- Oversee the creation and maintenance of training content, ensuring accuracy, relevance, and adherence to regulatory guidelines.
- Governance & Compliance
- Ensure all training programs meet global regulatory requirements and internal quality standards.
- Monitor training effectiveness and maintain audit-ready documentation for inspections.
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Commercial, HR, Legal, and IT, to drive adoption and continuous improvement of learning initiatives.
- Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on training trends, compliance risks, and capability-building strategies.
- Metrics & Continuous Improvement
- Define KPIs and leverage data analytics to measure training impact and drive enhancements.
- Stay current with industry best practices, emerging technologies, and regulatory changes to evolve learning programs
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in Life Sciences, Education, Organizational Development, or related field preferred.
- 8+ years of experience in learning and development, preferably within the pharmaceutical, biotech, or healthcare industry.
- Strong understanding of R&D functions and the regulatory landscape (GxP, ICH, FDA, EMA, etc.).
- Proven ability to design and deliver impactful learning programs using adult learning principles.
- Experience with learning technologies (e.g., LMS, virtual learning platforms) and data-driven training strategies.
- Proven experience designing and implementing global training programs for Commercial and G&A functions.
- Expertise in instructional design, adult learning principles, and digital learning technologies.
- Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and project leadership skills.
Preferred Attributes:
- Strategic thinker with a passion for scientific learning and development.
- Agile and adaptable in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.
- Strong project management and organizational skills.
- Committed to fostering innovation, compliance, and continuous improvement through learning.
Competencies
Accountability for Results - Stay focused on key strategic objectives, be accountable for high standards of performance, and take an active role in leading change.
Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving - Make decisions considering the long-term impact to customers, patients, employees, and the business.
Patient & Customer Centricity - Maintain an ongoing focus on the needs of our customers and/or key stakeholders.
Impactful Communication - Communicate with logic, clarity, and respect. Influence at all levels to achieve the best results for Otsuka.
Respectful Collaboration - Seek and value others’ perspectives and strive for diverse partnerships to enhance work toward common goals.
Empowered Development - Play an active role in professional development as a business imperative.
Application Deadline: This will be posted for a minimum of 5 business days.
Company benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, company provided basic life, accidental death & dismemberment, short-term and long-term disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, student loan assistance, a generous 401(k) match, flexible time off, paid holidays, and paid leave programs as well as other company provided benefits.
Come discover more about Otsuka and our benefit offerings; https://www.otsuka-us.com/careers-join-otsuka.
This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by the people assigned to this position. It is not intended to include every job duty and responsibility specific to the position. Otsuka reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.
Otsuka is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will be given consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, national origin, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected characteristic.
If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation, if you are unable or limited in your ability to apply to this job opening as a result of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodations by contacting Accommodation Request.
Statement Regarding Job Recruiting Fraud Scams
At Otsuka we take security and protection of your personal information very seriously. Please be aware individuals may approach you and falsely present themselves as our employees or representatives. They may use this false pretense to try to gain access to your personal information or acquire money from you by offering fictitious employment opportunities purportedly on our behalf.
Please understand, Otsuka will never ask for financial information of any kind or for payment of money during the job application process. We do not require any financial, credit card or bank account information and/or any payment of any kind to be considered for employment. We will also not offer you money to buy equipment, software, or for any other purpose during the job application process. If you are being asked to pay or offered money for equipment fees or some other application processing fee, even if claimed you will be reimbursed, this is not Otsuka. These claims are fraudulent and you are strongly advised to exercise caution when you receive such an offer of employment.
Otsuka will also never ask you to download a third-party application in order to communicate about a legitimate job opportunity. Scammers may also send offers or claims from a fake email address or from Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, etc, and not from an official Otsuka email address. Please take extra caution while examining such an email address, as the scammers may misspell an official Otsuka email address and use a slightly modified version duplicating letters.
To ensure that you are communicating about a legitimate job opportunity at Otsuka, please only deal directly with Otsuka through its official Otsuka Career website https://vhr-otsuka.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/External.
Otsuka will not be held liable or responsible for any claims, losses, damages or expenses resulting from job recruiting scams. If you suspect a position is fraudulent, please contact Otsuka’s call center at: 800-363-5670. If you believe you are the victim of fraud resulting from a job recruiting scam, please contact the FBI through the Internet Crime Complaint Center at: https://www.ic3.gov, or your local authorities.
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc., Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc., and Otsuka Precision Health, Inc. (“Otsuka”) does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs/resumes submitted by search firms to any Otsuka employee directly or through Otsuka’s application portal without a valid written search agreement in place for the position will be considered Otsuka’s sole property. No fee will be paid if a candidate is hired by Otsuka as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree
- Advanced degree in Life Sciences, Education, or Organizational Development
- 8+ years of experience in learning and development
- Experience in pharmaceutical, biotech, or healthcare industry
- Strong understanding of R&D functions and regulatory landscape (GxP, ICH, FDA, EMA)
- Proven ability to design and deliver learning programs using adult learning principles
- Experience with learning technologies (LMS, virtual learning platforms) and data-driven training strategies
- Proven experience designing and implementing global training programs for Commercial and G&A functions
- Expertise in instructional design and digital learning technologies
- Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and project leadership skills
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Otsuka America Pharmaceutical and has not been reviewed or approved by Otsuka America Pharmaceutical.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage spans medical, dental, vision, prescription services, telehealth, life insurance, and disability, with notable mental‑health access through therapy, coaching, and digital tools. Wellness resources such as fitness reimbursement, nutrition support, and caregiver assistance further reinforce overall healthcare robustness.
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Retirement Support — Retirement offerings include a strong 401(k) match alongside personalized financial counseling for tax planning, education funding, home buying, and estate planning. These features position retirement support as a differentiator within the total rewards package.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time‑off policies include flexible time off, paid holidays, volunteer time off, and a company winter holiday break. The breadth of leave programs supports work–life balance across various needs.
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Insights
What We Do
There are two Otsuka pharmaceutical industry companies in the U.S.: Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. (OAPI) successfully commercializes Otsuka-discovered and in-licensed products in North America. Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC) clinically develops and registers innovative healthcare products on a global basis.






