Senior Director, Key Customer Strategy

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Senior Director, Key Customer Strategy serves as Rigel's commercial leader and subject matter expert in KOL and key customer strategy across the commercial portfolio. This role is responsible for shaping and executing customer engagement strategy across in-line products, lifecycle initiatives, and development-stage assets, with direct impact on brand performance, market understanding, and organizational alignment.

This individual operates as a strategic advisor to Commercial Leadership, translating key customer insights into actionable recommendations that influence brand strategy, resource allocation, and long-range planning. The role leads a team of field-based marketers and is accountable for building and leading a high-performing Key Customer Strategy organization that delivers consistent, high-impact execution across key customer segments.

The Senior Director will partner closely with Marketing, Sales, Medical Affairs, Market Access, and external stakeholders to ensure a coordinated and enterprise-aligned approach to customer engagement.

Salary Range: $240,000 to $295,000

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic Leadership & Enterprise Impact

• Serve as a strategic advisor to Commercial Leadership by translating key customer insights into recommendations that shape brand strategy, customer engagement models, and long-range planning
• Contribute to cross-portfolio strategy, identifying opportunities to improve customer engagement and commercial effectiveness
• Lead development of customer engagement strategies across in-line brands, lifecycle initiatives, and development assets

Insight Leadership & Market Understanding

• Own the prioritization, synthesis, and activation of key customer insights
• Ensure insights are translated into actionable recommendations that influence decision-making across the organization
• Maintain deep understanding of evolving clinical, competitive, and customer dynamics

Key Customer & KOL Strategy

• Develop and lead comprehensive KOL and key account strategies across academic, community, and network-based providers
• Build and maintain strong relationships with thought leaders, academic institutions, and key accounts
• Lead Commercial advisory board strategy, execution, and insight integration into brand planning

Customer Engagement & Channel Strategy

• Oversee development and execution of promotional speaker bureau and peer-to-peer programs
• Identify and deploy innovative engagement models and vendor partnerships to expand reach into high-value and limited-access accounts
• Ensure consistent and coordinated customer engagement across personal and non-personal channels

Pre-Launch & Asset Development

• Support pre-launch and launch readiness activities for new assets
• Contribute to early market shaping, KOL development, and customer engagement strategy leading up to key regulatory milestones (e.g., PDUFA)
• Provide input into asset evaluation and commercial viability from a customer and market perspective

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Lead alignment for KOL/ key customer management across Commercial
• Ensure coordinated execution and consistent messaging across all customer-facing functions
• Serve as a key connector across functions to drive a unified "One Rigel" approach

Team Leadership & Organizational Development

• Build, develop, and retain a high-performing team of field-based Regional Marketers
• Strengthen technical expertise across the team to enable independent ownership and execution
• Drive a culture of accountability, empowerment, and operational excellence
• Scale team capabilities to support expanding portfolio and organizational needs

Operational Excellence & Financial Stewardship

• Manage budget with a disciplined, ROI-driven approach to resource allocation
• Evaluate effectiveness of customer engagement initiatives and optimize investment decisions
• Ensure strong execution across key initiatives including advisory boards, conferences, and speaker programs

External Engagement & Partnerships

• Collaborate with hematology/oncology societies, networks, and GPOs
• Partner with ex-US affiliates and global stakeholders on key customer and conference strategies
• Represent Rigel externally as a key commercial leader and relationship owner

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS:

• 12+ years of pharmaceutical/biotech experience; hematology/oncology experience required
• Demonstrated commercial leadership experience across marketing, field engagement, customer strategy, or related commercial functions
• Demonstrated ability to lead key customer, KOL, or account-based engagement strategies
• Experience supporting launch planning and/or lifecycle management preferred
• Ability to translate customer and market insights into actionable recommendations
• Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills
• Proven ability to influence cross-functional leaders, lead strategic initiatives, and drive execution
• Demonstrated experience leading, coaching, and developing people and teams
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and presentation skills
• High ethical standards and professional integrity
• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, life sciences, or related field required; MBA or advanced degree preferred

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

The anticipated salary range for this position is $240,000 to $295,000. The actual salary offered will depend on several factors, including experience, qualifications, geographic location, internal equity, and business needs.

This position is commission-based and is eligible for equity incentive awards, subject to the terms of the applicable plans. This position is not eligible to participate in Rigel's annual bonus program.

Rigel offers eligible employees a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage; life and disability insurance; flexible spending accounts; a 401(k) plan; paid time off; paid company holidays; and other benefits.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• PHYSICAL DEMANDS: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to stand, walk; sit; talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
• WORK ENVIRONMENT: The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Some travel may be required.

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by the law.