Associate Sales Specialist

Summary

Join Acadia Pharmaceuticals as a Sales Specialist and provide interim coverage for open sales territories across the US. You will manage all aspects of territory management, including product sales and addressing customer needs, focusing on building relationships with healthcare professionals. Each assignment lasts 1-6 months, with relocation required. After a year of successful performance, you'll be eligible for a permanent, full-time sales position. This role requires extensive travel and strong selling, communication, and interpersonal skills. A bachelor's degree and 2 years of healthcare sales experience are preferred.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree is required, with an emphasis in the life sciences, and it is preferred
• A preferred minimum of 2 years of healthcare sales
• Ability to travel 90% of the time and live in assigned geographies for 1-6 months at a time
• Must be in good standing with the FDA and OIG
• Demonstrated selling skills and ability to dialogue effectively with customers
• Ability to quickly build relationships with key customers and build networks within the neuroscience community
• Must be able to live within the assigned territory in temporary housing paid for by Acadia and be able to relocate every 3 to 6 months as business needs dictate
• Ability to demonstrate exceptional disease state and product knowledge
• Strong persuasive selling and negotiation skills
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to assess territory business opportunities and customer needs, operating with a business owner mentality to maximize impact in a short time frame
• Demonstrated ability to learn and apply technical/scientific knowledge and business analysis
• Organization, initiative, and self-motivation
• Consistently models professionalism, integrity, and the ability to comply with strict policy, work in a highly regulated environment, and maintain confidential information and data
• Must possess a valid driver's license and maintain an acceptable driving record
• Must follow all applicable guidelines as set forth in the Company Fleet Management Program, including periodic DMV reviews
• Requires significant and extensive driving of company-provided car on a daily basis, as well as overnight travel depending on the territory’s geography
• Based on the territory’s geography, air travel is also required to the Company’s headquarters and for regional and national meetings and events

Responsibilities

• Effectively impacts existing and new customers by providing exceptional value and service, which ultimately helps providers to identify and start appropriate patients on therapy
• Educates physicians and physicians’ staff on the value of the Company’s products for patient care
• Utilizes knowledge, critical thinking, and dialogue skills to deliver meaningful customer experiences that result in satisfaction, equity, and loyalty
• Anticipates, identifies, and appropriately addresses healthcare professionals' (HCPs) objections, questions, and concerns
• Utilizes appropriate techniques to gain consistent access to customers
• Utilizes appropriate sales aids, clinical reprints, etc., according to training.  Tailors appropriate resources and information depending on customer needs
• Develops strong relationships with HCP customers, including key opinion leaders (KOLs) within the territory
• Identifies and investigates customer concerns and communicates with appropriate staff to solve problems in a timely manner
• Analyzes sales potential and executes in the territory to ensure appropriate calls, reach, frequency, business meals, speaker programs, etc., to achieve consistently strong business results.  Works within given budgets and policy guidelines
• Analyzes, evaluates, and adjusts as needed to develop effective quarterly business/action plans
• Prepares and submits timely reports of business transactions and keeps accurate expense account records
• Provides appropriate guidance around pricing and reimbursement for promoted products to customers.  Acts as liaison between customers and the Company when specific reimbursement questions arise
• Communicates and collaborates with sales management, region/area teammates, and cross-functional teammates (e.g., managed markets, operations, sales training, marketing, etc.) as business needs dictate
• As required, attend conferences, trainings, exhibits, meetings, and product launches
• Takes on leadership opportunities as appropriate, and consistently operates with a positive, collaborative attitude
• Remains compliant with all regulations in the course of carrying out responsibilities
• May participate in the training of new Sales Specialists in the field
• May participate in training activities during Area, Regional, and National meetings
• Consistently carries out responsibilities with proficiency and professionalism
• May participate in cross-functional projects affecting the area, regional, and commercial objectives
• May provide mentoring support to new and/or junior Sales Specialists
• Other duties as assigned
• Proudly represent Acadia and its culture, mission, and values
• Meet or exceed sales expectations
• Exhibit a firm understanding of the selling process
• Develop and execute territory business plans
• Exercise professionalism, leadership, and teamwork at all times
• Adhere to all Acadia company policies
• Partner and build relationships with customers to understand and meet their needs, including providing disease, product, and reimbursement information
• Interact and sell to the entire spectrum of applicable customer types, including staff, nursing, physicians, and other healthcare professionals
• Provide approved resources to customers as appropriate, including product samples, clinical trial data, and patient brochures
• Manage relationships with important customers, including key opinion leaders, Acadia speakers, local medical societies and advocacy groups, long-term care facilities, local and regional payers, pharmacists, etc
• Develop deep neuroscience and Acadia product knowledge, and an understanding of local and regional market trends
• Aggressively pursue ongoing personal development
• Earn a reputation throughout the neuroscience medical community as a subject-matter expert and a valued resource
• Disease state and product information expert

Benefits

• In addition to a competitive base salary, this position is also eligible for discretionary bonus and equity awards based on factors such as individual and organizational performance
• Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance, and location