Senior Director, KAI-9531 Global Brand Lead

At Kailera, we are bold, authentic and committed to our mission of developing therapies that give people the power to transform their lives and elevate their overall health. Rooted in an entrepreneurial spirit and a team-oriented culture, we are working together to advance Kailera’s mission to advance novel therapies for obesity and related conditions.
 
We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes collaboration, integrity, and excellence. As we expand, we seek the most talented individuals with diverse backgrounds, cultures, perspectives, and experiences to join our team.

What You’Ll Do:

The KAI-9531 Global Brand Lead will create Kailera’s first brand and plan its launch in the highly competitive Obesity market. Working in close cross-functional collaboration with Medical Affairs, Market Access, the Product Team and others, the Senior Director will deliver market analysis and brand strategy, lead the development and execution of pre-launch/launch tactics and over time build a dedicated brand team. The role reports to the Vice President of Global Marketing.

Required location: Waltham, MA or San Diego, CA (onsite or hybrid 2-3 days per week).

Responsibilities:

• Drive market understanding by conducting deep market analysis to identify customer needs and opportunities
• Champion the needs of people with obesity within the broad Kailera organization
• Serve as a key leader within the KAI-9531 cross-functional project team
• Build the brand positioning strategy, maintain its Target Product Profile and secure cross-functional alignment to these strategic beacons
• Develop brand identity, differentiation strategy, messaging, target patient and promotional campaign for KAI-9531
• Establish our Health Care Professional (HCP) engagement strategy
• Design the Consumer strategy of KAI-9531, including prioritizing and implementing direct-to-consumer (DTC) investments, developing our Patient Service offering, leveraging digital health platforms, telehealth, or retail pharmacy channels
• Build, manage and inspire a winning brand team
• Design and oversee execution of the annual marketing plan including market research and strategic projects
• Over time, on board our US Launch Team and prepare the launch of KAI-9531
• Lead the cross-functional brand team (to be established)
• Manage Agency/Consultancy selection process and oversee their performance
• Take accountability for budget and other company resources

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years in pharmaceutical marketing or brand leadership in the USA
• Launch experience in a competitive field and proven ability to identify and capitalize on whitespace opportunities to differentiate and compete successfully
• Proven track record of building and scaling global pharmaceutical brands, ideally in highly competitive, obesity-related therapeutic areas
• Demonstrated success in leading brand strategy from pre-launch through lifecycle management in both HCP and consumer-driven markets
• Expertise in translating clinical and scientific value propositions into compelling brand narratives that resonate with diverse stakeholders
• Stand-out leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills, with the ability to influence and drive strategy across medical affairs, market access, regulatory, and R&D functions
• Inspirational leader with experience managing and mentoring high-performing brand teams
• Skilled in navigating complex national stakeholder environments in US/EU/APAC including payers, providers, advocacy groups, and regulators
• Deep understanding of consumer behavior, segmentation, and activation strategies in healthcare, especially in chronic disease categories
• Ability to integrate behavioral science, patient insights, and digital engagement into brand strategy

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in obesity, diabetes or related metabolic diseases is strongly preferred
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment with high ambiguity and strategic complexity
• Experience with novel go-to-market models, including omnichannel marketing, influencer partnerships, and branded service ecosystems
• International/Global experience

Education:

• MBA or advanced degree in life sciences, marketing, or related field preferred

Benefits of Working at Kailera

In addition to traditional benefits, we provide enhanced offerings designed to support the well-being and financial security of our team members and their families.

• Comprehensive health benefits and tax-advantaged savings accounts
• Flexible time off, 13 paid holidays, and a companywide year-end shutdown
• Monthly wellness stipend
• Generous 401(k) match
• Disability and life insurance

At Kailera, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture. How we treat our people is reflective of this commitment. We share the pay range for this particular role with the actual base salary depending upon factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, market factors, and experience.

Salary Range$210,000—$270,000 USD

Equal Employment Opportunity Information:

Kailera Therapeutics, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, creed, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age (40 and over), sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, pregnancy-related conditions, and lactation), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, reproductive health decisions, domestic victim status, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances.

E-Verify:

Kailera Therapeutics, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires.

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