Director, Trade and Distribution

Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 170,000 - 212,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in the United States seeks a Director of Trade & Distribution to lead trade, distribution and channel strategy across specialty pharmacy, oncology GPOs, specialty distributors, and retail pharmacy.

You will serve as the primary business lead for trade partners, aligning operations with cross-functional teams to optimize patient access and contract execution. The role requires 10+ years in pharma/biotech, Bachelor’s (MBA preferred), and travel; base salary ranges

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA preferred.
• Minimum 10+ years in pharma/biotech with rare disease/oncology.
• Launch experience in rare disease or specialty pharma preferred.
• Strong analytical and cross-functional leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute trade, distribution, and channel strategy.
• Oversee specialty pharmacy, oncology GPOs, distributors, and retail channels.
• Negotiate and manage trade agreements and contracts.
• Monitor channel performance with KPIs and financial terms.
• Collaborate with Finance, Legal, Compliance, and Field teams.

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA

Pharma/biotech industry experience

Leadership and team management

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

Excel

Job description

Description

The Director of Trade & Distribution is responsible for developing and executing the company's trade, distribution, and channel strategy to ensure patients access to therapies across our product’s current distribution partners including; specialty pharmacy, oncology GPOs, specialty distributors, and retail pharmacy.

The Director of Trade & Distribution is responsible for developing and executing the company's trade, distribution, and channel strategy to ensure patients access to therapies across our product’s current distribution partners including; specialty pharmacy, oncology GPOs, specialty distributors, and retail pharmacy.

This role serves as the primary business lead for our trade partners, overseeing channel performance, contract management, operations, and cross-functional initiatives that support patient access. As a key member of the Market Access Leadership Team, you will work closely with Account Management, Sales and Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain, Legal, and Compliance to optimize patient access, improve channel performance, and ensure compliant execution of trade operations and our agreements.

Requirements

Responsibilities (including but not limited to):

Trade Strategy & Channel Management

• Execute the company's trade and distribution strategy to ensure efficient product access across specialty pharmacy, oncology GPO, specialty distributor, and retail pharmacy channels
• Lead and develop the trade and distribution strategy for any future product launches
• Evaluate and optimize channel design to key metrics and support our corporate commercial objectives
• Assess evolving distribution models and recommend enhancements to support rare disease patient populations and provider needs.

Specialty Pharmacy

• Serve as the primary business lead for specialty pharmacy network relationships.
• Negotiate, implement, and manage specialty pharmacy agreements performance expectations, and service level requirements.
• Monitor specialty pharmacy performance through KPIs including dispensing turnaround times, patient adherence, inventory levels, reimbursement support, and patient access metrics.
• Conduct regular business reviews and identify opportunities to improve patient experience and operational effectiveness.
• Collaborate with Patient Services teams to ensure seamless coordination between hub, specialty pharmacy, and payer stakeholders.

Oncology GPO & Provider Channel Management

• Manage relationships with oncology GPOs, provider networks, and affiliated specialty distributors.
• Oversee GPO contracting and membership strategies to maximize provider access and product adoption.
• Monitor contract compliance, utilization trends, and performance metrics across oncology networks.
• Partner with field teams to address provider distribution challenges and ensure continuity of product supply.

Distribution & Supply Chain Oversight

• Manage relationships with wholesale partners to ensure appropriate product distribution and inventory management.
• Monitor channel inventory levels, demand forecasts, product allocation, and distribution performance.

Trade Operations & Contract Administration

• Lead implementation and administration of trade agreements, distribution contracts, and channel partner amendments.
• Oversee trade data to ensure all requirements and internal integration is delivered
• Ensure accurate execution of distribution-related financial terms and customer obligations.
• Partner with Finance to reconcile trade spending, fees, distribution service payments, and accruals.

Data Analytics & Business Insights

• Analyze distribution, dispensing, inventory, and sales data to identify trends, opportunities, and risks.
• Develop dashboards and reporting to monitor channel performance and business outcomes.
• Utilize specialty pharmacy, distributor, and third-party data sources to support business planning and forecasting.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure all trade and distribution activities comply with applicable healthcare regulations, company policies, and industry standards.
• Support government pricing, state transparency reporting, and regulatory requirements as applicable.
• Maintain documentation and controls related to trade contracts, distribution relationships, and commercial operations.
• Participate in internal and external audits related to trade operations and distribution activities.

Education/Experience/Skills

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA Preferred
• Minimum of 10+ years' experience in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry with documented experience in rare disease, neurology and/or oncology
• Launch experience in rare disease or specialty pharmaceuticals preferred.
• Previous experience leading Trade at a small or mid-sized pharmaceutical company or managing trade across a portfolio of products at a large pharmaceutical company
• Knowledge of Medicaid and the regional payer landscape in the assigned territory.
• Established existing relationships with trade and distribution customers
• Extensive understanding of specialty pharmacy data and data reporting
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data and make informed decisions
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly and persuasively
• Demonstrated project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Ability to work independently to execute strategic and tactical plans under tight timelines
• Skilled in supporting cross-functional teams toward a shared vision of success
• Requires over 50% travel and frequent weekend meetings throughout the year to engage with customers, attend key medical meetings and congresses, and collaborate with both field-based and home office colleagues
• Valid driver's license is required

Catalyst is committed to providing competitive wages and comprehensive benefits including health, dental, and vision insurance, generous paid time off, a retirement savings plan with Company Match, and more. Further details about our benefits package can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/catalystforrare/life/life-at-catalyst/?viewAsMember=true

The base salary for this position will range from $170,000 to $211,650. Candidate experience, professional licensing, and geographic location will be taken into consideration.

Catalyst Pharmaceuticals is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a culturally diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; creed; religion; national origin; age; ancestry; nationality; marital, domestic partnership or civil union status; sex, gender, gender identity or expression; affectional or sexual orientation; disability; veteran or military status or liability for military status.

Recruitment & Staffing Agencies: Catalyst Pharmaceuticals does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. Agency resumes will only be accepted if the agency is formally engaged by Catalyst Human Resources.