Oncology Territory Manager, Northeast - Deciphera Pharmaceuticals

Deciphera is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing important new medicines to improve the lives of people with cancer. We are leveraging our proprietary switch-control kinase inhibitor platform and deep expertise in kinase biology to develop a broad portfolio of innovative medicines.

Enabled by our proprietary drug discovery platform, Deciphera has developed a diverse pipeline of wholly-owned drug candidates. QINLOCK® (ripretinib) is Deciphera’s switch control inhibitor developed for the treatment of fourth-line GIST. QINLOCK is approved in Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United States, and the United Kingdom.  We wholly own QINLOCK and all of our drug candidates with the exception of a development and commercialization out-license agreement for QINLOCK in Greater China. In addition to QINLOCK, we have identified and advanced multiple product candidates from our platform into clinical studies, including vimseltinib and DCC-3116.   

See here for more details on our portfolio.

Deciphera is seeking experienced Oncology sales specialist with a strong patient focus and a passion for driving results to represent the company’s lead asset, QINLOCK (ripretinib) a broad-spectrum KIT and PDGFRa kinase switch control inhibitor currently approved the treatment of adult patients with advanced GIST who have received prior treatment with 3 or more kinases inhibitors, including imatinib, and prepare for the launch of vimseltinib, an orally administered, potent and highly selective switch-control kinase inhibitor of CSF1R, currently in development for the treatment for tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT).  The Territory Manager will build and execute strategic territory plans across stakeholders involved in patient care in order to educate customers about QINLOCK and vimseltinib when approved.  This position is a critical customer facing role that is instrumental in the success of Deciphera’s current in-line business and second commercial launch. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities of the Position:

• Communicate the clinical profile of ripretinib and vimseltinib when approved, describe pivotal trial data and address clinical and non-clinical barriers in a clear and impactful manner to key customers involved in oncology patient care. 
• Build, maintain and apply clinical and business expertise within the GIST and TGCT marketplaces to develop and execute territory business plans designed to address the needs of various customers within the geography as it relates to educating about ripretinib and vimseltinib when approved.  Success in this role will require:
  • Partnering with cross-functional commercial partners such as market access and medical teams to provide comprehensive solutions for customers.
  • Becoming a true subject matter expert on all key topics that impact the success of the business – GIST and TGCT disease state knowledge, clinical acumen, product expertise, competitive intelligence, market dynamics, customer needs across segments, local market access, etc.
  • Developing specific account/prescriber action plans that provide a clear line-of-site to achieving established goals within a specific timeframe, using analytics to understand trends and track progress against goals.
  • Using data to continually evaluate plans and pivot as necessary to address evolving landscape and business dynamics
  • Partner effectively across field and home office teams to create a seamless experience for providers and their patients within the geography
  • Provide feedback and contribute to the creation of resources, tools, and processes critical to field success
  • Continuously review, evaluate and recommend improvements to the organization to enable higher performance and enhanced patient services
• Meet and exceed business objectives through thoughtful planning, collaboration with partners and utilization of tools and resources for flawless execution of strategic direction.  This includes:
  • Optimization of customer targeting, call plans, etc. in partnership with field partners
  • Utilizing CRM as a strategic tool for assessing and tracking customer status and progressing sales plans
  • Completing sales administrative requirements (T&E, compliance SOPs, Sunshine reporting, etc.)
• Contribute to a culture of continuous learning and going the extra mile for patients by sharing knowledge across teams, investing in personal skill development, and striving to keep abreast of changing clinical and business dynamics.  This includes:
  • Growing one’s knowledge and capabilities (clinical, marketplace, competitive), trying new approaches to persistent challenges, continually raising the bar on performance
  • Ensuring all activities are conducted within compliance guidelines
• Act as an integral part to building a positive team culture based on respect, trust, integrity, professionalism, humility, continual improvement, putting patients first, and “doing the right thing”, aimed at realizing meaningful results for GIST and TGCT patients.
• Act as the face of Deciphera and strive for excellence at every customer touchpoint

• BS/BA degree in business, life sciences, or related discipline.  Advanced degree preferred (e.g., MBA, MPH, PharmD, PhD).
• Eight (8) or more years of experience within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industries including at least 4 years in oncology and/or rare disease sales or related functions
• Oncology launch experience and competitive market experience is required
• Rare/orphan market experience strongly preferred.
• Existing relationships with key customers are highly valued (e.g., KOLs, key account leadership.)
• Track record of performance and a passion for making a difference for patients
• Ability to understand all facets of the sales cycle including patient identification, customer access, building clinical conviction, understanding and overcoming access and reimbursement barriers
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with partners to establish and achieve common goals and contribute to the growing organization
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills and a strong leadership presence.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to changes in the work environment. Able to maintain a big picture view in the face of frequent change, delays, unexpected events, or uncertainty/ambiguity involved in new product launches with maturity and professionalism
• Must consistently act with high ethical standards and always keep the patient at the forefront.
• Must consistently approach the job with a sense of purpose and duty in an effort to change the trajectory of GIST and TGCT cancers one patient at a time.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and ability to travel

We are proud to be Great Place to Work Certified 2023 and rank #25 on Fortune’s Best Places to Work Small and Midsized Biotech Companies in 2023. Find more details about our award-winning culture here.

We offer an outstanding culture and opportunity for personal and professional growth based on our “PATHS” Core Values:

• Patients – We are committed to improving the lives of patients living with cancer. They are the driving force behind everything we do.
• Accountability – We demand accountability for our actions, behaviors, and performance. We recognize our duty to maintain a culture that embraces the uniqueness of our people and finds strength in our differences.
• Transparency – We strive to provide full visibility to internal and external stakeholders for a complete picture of what we are doing and why.
• Honesty and Integrity – Trust and mutual respect are essential aspects of our culture. We act with honesty and integrity in all facets of our business, and this serves as the foundation of our work and interactions with others.
• Stewardship – We are respectful of the resources entrusted to us by the investment community. We act thoughtfully and allocate resources responsibly in seeking to create value for our shareholders.  

“How” we work together and the behaviors that we show up with each day are critical to maintaining our positive culture. Our behavioral expectations align with our values to elevate and drive individual and team performance:  

• Lead from where you are – regardless of role or level, we motivate each other to achieve common goals.
• Drive business results – we navigate forward with our eye on the highest priorities.
• Partner and collaborate – we cultivate relationships and value ideas, regardless of where they are coming from, to achieve more together.
• Continuously evolve and improve – we try, we learn, we revise and try again.

Deciphera offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes but is not limited to the following:

• Non-accrual paid time off
• Summer vacation bonus
• Global, company-wide summer and winter shutdowns
• An annual lifestyle allowance
• Monthly cell phone stipend
• Internal rewards and recognition program
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Life and Supplemental life insurance for family
• Short and Long Term Disability insurance
• ESPP offering
• Health savings account with company contribution
• Flexible spending account for either health care and/or dependent care.
• Family planning benefit
• Generous parental leave
• [if applicable] Car allowance

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY INFORMATION

Deciphera is committed to equal employment opportunity and values diversity. To ensure that we comply with reporting requirements and to learn more about how we can increase diversity in our candidate pool, we invite you to voluntarily provide demographic information in a confidential survey at the end of this application. Providing this information is optional. It will not be accessible or used in the hiring process, and has no effect on your opportunity for employment. This information will also be treated confidentially.  Our commitment to increasing diversity in our candidate pool does not affect our commitment to equal employment opportunity, including our ongoing commitment to make all hiring and other employment decisions solely on a nondiscriminatory basis.