Director, Strategic Engagements (Central)

Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc.; United States; Remote; USD 190,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Base salary + target bonus

Medical, dental, vision benefits

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. is seeking a Director of Strategic Engagements (Central) to join the Commercial team. This fully remote role focuses on key US epilepsy market development strategies and KOL engagement across a regional footprint.

You will collaborate with Medical Affairs, Market Access, and Analytics to refine disease education, brand strategy, and launch readiness, while traveling 50–75% to field events and advisory boards as needed.

Qualifications

• BA/BS required; MBA/PhD or related graduate degree preferred.
• Experience engaging with KOLs/Healthcare Professionals and professional orgs.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and strategic thinking.

Responsibilities

• Identify and engage national and regional epilepsy KOLs, advisors, and stakeholders.
• Own KOL influence mapping, profiling, engagement strategies, and communication plans.
• Monitor trends, unmet needs, and competition; translate into actionable recommendations.
• Advise Commercial leadership with market intelligence and stakeholder perspectives.
• Support launch readiness by engaging key stakeholders influencing awareness and adoption.
• Lead cross-functional coordination across Commercial, Medical Affairs, Market Access, and others.
• Drive coordinated account planning and integrate stakeholder insights across teams.
• Attend and lead engagements at congresses and professional meetings.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

KOL management

Cross-functional leadership

Market development strategy

Epilepsy marketing

Education

BA/BS Degree

MBA/PhD preferred

Job description

Who We Are:

Xenon Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:XENE https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/stocks/xene) is a neuroscience-focused biopharmaceutical company dedicated to drug discovery, clinical development, and commercialization of life-changing therapeutics for patients in need. We are looking for great people who thrive in a respectful, collaborative, inclusive, and productive culture to join the Xenon team.

What We Do:

We are advancing an exciting product pipeline https://xenon-pharma.com/pipeline to address indications with high unmet medical need, including epilepsy, depression and pain. Our Phase 3 azetukalner program represents the most advanced, clinically validated potassium channel modulator in late-stage clinical development for multiple indications. In March 2026, we announced positive topline data from our Phase 3 X-TOLE2 study of azetukalner in focal onset seizures (FOS), and we submitted a New Drug Application to the Food and Drug Administration in the third quarter of 2026. Our Phase 3 epilepsy program also includes a second FOS study, X-TOLE3, which would support regulatory submissions outside the U.S., and the X-ACKT study in primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures, which would support regulatory submissions for an additional epilepsy indication. We also have multiple Phase 3 azetukalner clinical trials underway in major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar depression (BPD), based on topline data from our Phase 2 X-NOVA clinical trial. In addition, we are proud of our strong heritage in human genetics, deep understanding of ion channel biology, and expertise in novel chemistries to enable potent, selective ion channel targeting. We continue to advance an early-stage pipeline of novel therapeutic candidates, including Phase 1 studies for XEN1701 and XEN1720 (targeting Nav1.7) and XEN1120 (targeting Kv7), which are being developed for pain. Backed by a strong balance sheet to support our growth plans, we continue to build a fully integrated, premier neuroscience company with strong discovery, clinical development, corporate, and commercial operations.

About the Role:

We are seeking a Director, Strategic Engagements (Central), to join our team. The individual will be an integral member of the Commercial team and will support commercially focused HCP engagement activities for Azetukalner. Key primary responsibility is to support key US Commercial Strategic market development strategies for the epilepsy launch. Individuals should be an exceptional business leader with deep epilepsy experience who will work Regionally to maintain: 1) KOL Engagement and 2) Uncover key market impact drivers 3) Support regional business planning across matrix colleagues. This role will ensure close working relationships with cross-functional partners in a compliant manner. This position requires close collaboration with the Commercial team, Medical Affairs and other key business partners to elevate corporate brand awareness/ advocacy. This role requires demonstrated ability to thrive in a dynamic and ambiguous environment. Position will require greater than 50% travel (can be up to 75% travel) to field-based educational events (many occurring on weekends). This includes internal meetings, advisory boards, medical meetings, and congresses. This position reports to the Senior Director, Customer Engagement, and will be fully remote.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Identify, cultivate, and maintain long-term relationships with national and regional epilepsy KOLs, advisors, and other influential stakeholders.
• Own commercial KOL influence mapping, including stakeholder profiling, engagement strategies, and communication plans that inform customer prioritization and commercial planning.
• Monitor and synthesize stakeholder insights, treatment trends, unmet needs, and competitive dynamics, translating findings into actionable recommendations that inform commercial strategy, launch readiness, and regional business decisions.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to Commercial leadership by providing market intelligence, stakeholder perspectives, and recommendations that shape launch planning, customer engagement strategies, and business priorities.
• Support launch readiness initiatives by identifying and engaging key stakeholders who influence awareness, perception, advocacy, treatment positioning, and early adoption of Azetukalner within assigned regions.
• Lead cross-functional coordination across Commercial, Medical Affairs, Market Access, Advocacy, and other matrix partners to ensure aligned customer engagement strategies and execution.
• Drive coordinated account planning by integrating stakeholder insights and partnering across matrix teams to develop and execute aligned engagement plans for priority customers and accounts.
• Identify emerging market opportunities, barriers to adoption, and customer needs, and recommend actions that strengthen launch preparedness and commercial execution.
• Attend and lead strategic engagement activities at national and regional congresses, professional meetings, and key industry events, including stakeholder mapping, partner engagement, and field education support.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Analytics, Medical Affairs, and other cross-functional partners to refine disease-state education, brand strategy, customer engagement approaches, and market development initiatives.
• Identify and develop strategic partnerships with professional societies, advocacy organizations, and other external stakeholders to advance disease awareness, education, and advocacy efforts.
• Facilitate and coordinate high-impact engagements between Xenon senior leadership and national and regional KOLs.
• Formalize meetings (live, virtual, Congress) with senior leadership and National and Regional KOLs
• Develop and propose short- and long-term objectives for the function in accordance with overall Company strategies and plans
• Plan and manage budget proposals and approved budgets in accordance with the Company’s strategic and operating plans and Finance policies
• Recruit, lead, direct, develop, coach and evaluate direct reports, if any, in accordance with the Company’s Human Resource policies and practices
• Act in accordance with Company policies, including, for example, the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and ensure policies are understood and followed by direct reports, if any
• Travel is 50-75%
• Central region covers: CO, MN, WI, IL, MI, IN, MO, KS, NE, KS, IA, ND, SD
• International travel may be required
• Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

• A minimum of a BA/BS Degree in a related field is required; MBA, PharmD, PhD or other related graduate degree preferred
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in Epilepsy marketing, medical, key account management, sales, or sales leadership, ideally engaging with KOLs/Influential HCPs and professional healthcare organizations
• Deep understanding and experience working cross functionally with various key internal & external stakeholders with a strong ability to innovate, collaborate and deliver results with desired outcomes
• Demonstrated understanding of key industry trends and ability to develop strategies to stay ahead of the competition and maximize patient outcomes
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage relevant and lasting customer relationships with strong focus on patient impact and outstanding customer centricity
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills
• Able to work independently under tight timelines and be willing to contribute significantly to day-to-day operations as needed

Our Total Rewards program includes base salary, target bonus, and stock options, as well as a full range of benefits including medical, dental, vision, short- & long-term disability, accidental death & dismemberment, and life insurance programs, Employee Assistance Program, travel insurance, and retirement savings programs with company matching contributions.

Xenon encourages time to rest and re-charge through vacation, personal days, sick days, and an end-of-year company shutdown. Xenon highly values employee development and has an expanding Training, Learning & Development program, including a Tuition Assistance program for advanced degrees.