District Manager - East

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Carlsbad (CA); Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in the United States is seeking a District Manager to lead a field-based Commercial Account Specialist team.

You will own the district business plan, drive quarterly and annual sales goals, and translate regional strategy into district priorities and actions across health systems and accounts. The role demands strategic leadership, exceptional coaching, and the ability to manage performance, with a focus on compliant, data-driven execution and cross-functional

Job description

Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, and with offices in Boston, Massachusetts, and Dublin, Ireland, Ionis has been at work for more than three decades discovering medical breakthroughs that have redefined life for people with serious diseases. We’re pioneers in RNA-targeted medicines, and our platform continues to revolutionize drug discovery and transform lives for patients with unmet needs. With multiple marketed medicines and a leading pipeline in neurology, cardiology and select areas of high patient needs, we continue to drive innovation in RNA therapies in addition to advancing new approaches in gene editing to provide greater value to patients and are well positioned financially to deliver on our strategic goals.

At Ionis, we pride ourselves on cultivating a challenging, motivating and rewarding environment that fosters innovation and scientific excellence. We know that our success is a direct result of the exceptional talents and dedication of our employees.

With an unprecedented opportunity to change the course of human health, we look to add diverse individuals, skill sets and perspectives to our exceptional team. We continue to invest time, money and energy into making our onsite, hybrid and remote work environments a place where solid and lasting relationships are built and where our culture and employees can thrive.

POSITION

The District Manager is a field-based commercial leader responsible for building and leading a high-performing team of Clinical Account Specialists supporting the launch and ongoing growth of Ionis’ first wholly owned commercial product as its indication expands beyond Familial Chylomicronemia Syndrome to severe hypertriglyceridemia. The role reports to the Regional Executive Director.

RESPONSIBILITIES

District strategy and business ownership

• Own the district business plan and the achievement of quarterly and annual sales goals, with clear accountability for both collective district performance and individual territory execution.
• Translate regional and brand strategy into focused district priorities, territory objectives and account-level actions that reflect local market potential and barriers.
• Build a detailed view of the district's patient opportunity, HCP and account universe, referral networks, health systems and care pathways relevant to sHTG.
• Ensure resources and field time are directed toward the highest-value opportunities while maintaining sufficient reach and frequency across a broad customer base.
• Identify performance risks and market barriers early, communicate them clearly to regional leadership and implement specific recovery or acceleration plans.
• Maintain direct leadership engagement with strategically important health systems, IDNs, key accounts and senior customer stakeholders where appropriate.

Commercial execution and customer activation

• Set clear and consistent execution standards for prospecting, target coverage, customer activation, reach, frequency, call quality, follow-up and opportunity progression.
• Lead the CAS team to expand beyond established relationships, open new accounts and create momentum rather than waiting for patient identification or demand to emerge.
• Ensure CASs communicate the burden of disease and treatment opportunity credibly, create appropriate urgency and secure clear, compliant next actions with HCPs and office staff.
• Review territory and account plans for strategic focus, quality of insight, specificity of actions and evidence of measurable customer movement.
• Create a high-performance operating cadence that includes regular business reviews, opportunity assessment, field coaching, action tracking and follow-through.
• Share and scale effective practices across the district and region while adapting execution to local customer needs and market conditions.

Performance measurement and accountability

• Use sales, activity, account and market data to assess district progress, identify gaps and redirect effort before performance is materially off track.
• Monitor meaningful leading indicators, including target-account coverage, customer activation, quality and volume of purposeful HCP engagement, opportunity progression and completion of agreed next actions.
• Require accurate and timely use of company systems and CRM, ensuring data quality is sufficient to support sound coaching, prioritization and forecasting.
• Establish clear expectations for every CAS, review progress regularly and hold individuals accountable for commitments, execution standards and results.
• Intervene promptly when performance or behavior falls below expectation through specific feedback, documented coaching, measurable action plans and appropriate performance management in partnership with Human Resources.
• Differentiate performance fairly and objectively, recognizing strong contribution while addressing sustained gaps with clarity and urgency.
• Maintain accountability for results even when execution depends on cross-functional partnership, complex market conditions or changing priorities.

Field coaching and talent leadership

• Recruit, select and retain CASs with the commercial drive, clinical learning agility, resilience and territory-building capability required for the sHTG market.
• Accelerate onboarding by setting clear early expectations for market learning, customer engagement, territory planning, activity discipline and performance.
• Spend purposeful time in the field observing customer interactions and provide timely, actionable coaching that improves HCP influence, creation of urgency, call effectiveness and follow-through.
• Build individual development plans based on evidence and ensure agreed development actions are completed and translated into stronger performance.
• Conduct fair, objective and timely formal and informal performance reviews, supported by specific observations, data and outcomes.
• Set and maintain high standards of product knowledge, disease-state fluency, promotional skills, business acumen and professional conduct across the team.
• Create a resilient, inclusive and collaborative team culture in which expectations are understood, constructive challenge is welcomed and people take ownership for shared and individual results.
• Execute ongoing training initiatives in partnership with Learning and Development and reinforce learning through observation, practice and coaching.

Cross functional and market leadership

• Partner effectively with regional leadership, Field Access Managers (FAMs), and other field and home-office colleagues to deliver a coordinated customer and patient experience and remove barriers to execution.
• Ensure CASs effectively collaborate the FAM partnership appropriately for access and reimbursement needs while retaining clear ownership of sales execution, customer engagement and territory results. Clarify roles, decisions, owners and next actions in cross-functional account work so that collaboration accelerates rather than diffuses accountability.
• Share high-quality customer, competitive and operational insights with regional and brand leadership and translate relevant learning into district action.
• Facilitate appropriate collaboration across specialties, care settings and geographies to maximize account opportunity and organizational effectiveness.
• Represent Ionis with credibility at customer meetings, conferences and other business or scientific forums as required.

Compliance and professional standards

• Lead by example and ensure the team's adherence to the Ionis Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, corporate policies, compliance requirements and applicable laws and industry standards.
• Ensure all internal and external activities, customer engagement, data use and performance practices are conducted with integrity and appropriate patient focus.
• Address potential compliance or conduct concerns promptly through the appropriate channels and never allow commercial pressure to compromise ethical decision‑making.
• Demonstrate sound judgment, transparency, professionalism and respect in every employee, customer and cross-functional interaction.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Valid U.S. driver's license and driving record in compliance with company standards
• Bachelor's degree in life sciences, biology, another relevant scientific discipline, business or a related field.
• 12+ years of cross-functional commercial experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry, including substantial specialty sales experience.
• Demonstrated success leading a field sales team to consistently meet or exceed financial, quantitative and qualitative targets.
• Evidence of building performance in an evolving high‑volume, competitive or rapidly changing market rather than relying solely on an established business.
• Strong command of performance management, including setting expectations, coaching from observation and data, documenting progress and taking timely action when performance falls short.
• Proven ability to use sales, activity and market data to diagnose performance, prioritize opportunity, forecast responsibly and adjust execution.
• Demonstrated ability to hire, onboard, develop, motivate, retain and objectively evaluate a diverse team of Clinical Account Specialists.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to influence employees, cross‑functional partners and senior customer stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of the U.S. healthcare system, including health systems, referral pathways, market access and payer reimbursement considerations.
• Solid understanding of and adherence to the laws, codes and company policies applicable to the healthcare industry.
• Ability to travel as required throughout the district and attend business meetings and training programs.
• Valid U.S. driver's license and driving record in compliance with company standards.
• Preferred qualifications and experience
• MBA or another relevant graduate degree.
• Experience leading a new product launch, major indication expansion or significant field‑force scale‑up.
• Experience in cardiology, endocrinology, lipid management or another specialty relevant to sHTG.
• Experience with injectable products and complex patient access or prescribing pathways.
• Experience leading broad HCP activation across specialist and targeted primary care customer segments.
• Deep account management experience and local or regional knowledge of health systems and IDNs.

The pay scale for this position is $170,000 - $195,000

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and all its subsidiaries are proud to be EEO employers.