Commercial Chief of Staff (Senior Director)

About Acadia Pharmaceuticals   Acadia is committed to turning scientific promise into meaningful innovation that makes the difference for underserved neurological and rare disease communities around the world. Our commercial portfolio includes the first and only FDA-approved treatments for Parkinson’s disease psychosis and Rett syndrome. We are developing the next wave of therapeutic advancements with a robust and diverse pipeline that includes mid- to late-stage programs in Alzheimer’s disease psychosis and Lewy body dementia psychosis, along with earlier-stage programs that address other underserved patient needs. At Acadia, we’re here to be their difference.

Position Summary

The Commercial Chief of Staff (Sr. Director) plays a pivotal role in driving the strategy, performance, and operational excellence of Acadia’s Commercial organization. Acting as a trusted advisor and right hand to the Chief Commercial Officer, this leader ensures clarity, alignment, and execution across all Commercial functions including Marketing, Sales, Market Access, and Strategic Operations.

This is a unique opportunity for a forward-thinking, results-driven professional to influence the direction of a growing biopharmaceutical company. The Chief of Staff will lead high-impact initiatives that connect strategy to execution, overseeing brand planning, Commercial budget governance, and cross-functional collaboration with partners across Finance, Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, Regulatory, and IT.

The ideal candidate combines strategic acumen with operational discipline and thrives in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment. This person will play a critical role in translating vision into measurable business outcomes, ensuring that Acadia’s Commercial organization operates with precision, agility, and purpose.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Strategic Planning & Execution
• Partner with the CCO and Commercial Leadership Team to develop and operationalize strategic priorities and business plans
• Translate strategic vision into actionable goals and track progress against key deliverables
• Brand Planning Leadership
• Lead the coordination and execution of the annual brand planning process
• Drive cross-functional collaboration and ensure alignment across franchises and corporate priorities
• Maintain consistency and rigor in planning frameworks and deliverables
• Budget Oversight & Resource Management
• Oversee Commercial budget planning, tracking, and reporting in partnership with Finance
• Ensure resource allocation aligns with strategic priorities
• Support scenario planning and investment decision-making
• Program & Project Leadership
• Lead and monitor cross-functional initiatives from inception to completion
• Track key milestones, identify risks, and ensure accountability for results
• Cross-Functional Integration
• Serve as liaison between Commercial and other functions (Finance, Medical, Clinical, IT, Regulatory)
• Foster collaboration and ensure alignment on timelines, deliverables, and priorities
• Executive Communications & Governance
• Develop high-impact presentations and materials for the CCO and Commercial Leadership
• Prepare content for Board, EMC, and PSC meetings
• Shape agendas, manage meeting logistics, and ensure follow-up on key decisions
• Operational Excellence
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency across Commercial operations.
• Standardize best practices to drive scalability and cross-functional effectiveness.
• Organizational Effectiveness
• Partner with the CCO on workforce planning, capability development, and change management
• Support the build-out of future-ready Commercial capabilities
• Insight Generation & External Benchmarking
• Monitor industry trends, competitive intelligence, and peer benchmarks
• Leverage insights to inform strategy and innovation within the Commercial organization

Education/Experience/Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Life Sciences, or related field required; MBA or advanced degree strongly preferred
• Minimum 12 years of progressive experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, with a strong focus on Commercial operations, marketing, brand strategy, and cross-functional leadership
• Demonstrated experience in leading brand planning processes and managing Commercial budgets
• Experience supporting or working closely with executive leadership in a Chief of Staff, Strategy, or Commercial Operations capacity is highly desirable

Key Competencies & Attributes

• Proven ability to influence without authority and drive alignment across diverse stakeholders
• Deep understanding of pharmaceutical commercialization, including product launch, lifecycle management, and brand strategy
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical, and financial acumen
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distill complex topics into clear, actionable insights
• High emotional intelligence, discretion, and integrity
• Adept at managing multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (PowerPoint, Excel, Word); experience with project management and collaboration tools a plus
• Willingness to travel up to 20%

Physical Requirements:

This role involves regular standing, walking, sitting, and the use of hands for handling or operating equipment. The employee may also need to reach, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and maintain visual, verbal, and auditory communication both in a standard office environment and while working independently from remote locations. Employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Ability to travel by car or airplane independently overnight up to 20% of the time and work after hours if required by travel schedule or business issues. International travel may be required.

#Li-Sw1 #Li-Hybrid

In addition to a competitive base salary, this position is also eligible for discretionary bonus and equity awards based on factors such as individual and organizational performance. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance, and location. 

Salary Range$222,500—$278,100 USD

What We Offer Us-Based Employees:

• Competitive base, bonus, new hire and ongoing equity packages
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Employer-paid life, disability, business travel and EAP coverage
• 401(k) Plan with a fully vested company match 1:1 up to 5%
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan with a 2-year purchase price lock-in
• 15+ vacation days
• 13 -15 paid holidays, including office closure between December 24th and January 1st
• 10 days of paid sick time
• Paid parental leave benefit
• Tuition assistance

EEO Statement (US-based Employees): Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications in the exact way they are described in job postings. We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and innovative company, and we are looking for the BEST candidate for the job. That candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background or may meet the qualifications in a different way. We strongly encourage you to apply, especially if the reason you are the best candidate isn’t exactly what we describe here.

It is the policy of Acadia to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and employment applicants without regard to considerations of race, including related to hairstyle, color, religion or religious creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, gender transition, country of origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, legally-protected medical condition or information, marital status, domestic partner status, family care status, military caregiver status, veteran or military status (including reserve status, National Guard status, and military service or obligation), status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, enrollment in a public assistance program, or any basis protected under federal, state or local law.

As an equal opportunity employer, Acadia is committed to a diverse workforce. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. Furthermore, you may request additional support if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access Acadia’s career website due to your disability, along with any accommodations throughout the interview process. To request or inquire about your reasonable accommodation, please complete our Reasonable Accommodation Request Form or contact us at talentacquisition@acadia-pharm.com or 858-261-2923.

Please note that reasonable accommodations granted throughout the recruiting process are not guaranteed to be the same accommodations given if hired. A new request will need to be submitted for any ADA accommodations after starting employment.

California Applicants: Please see Additional Information for California Residents within our Privacy Policy. 

Canadian Applicants: Please see Additional Information for Canadian Residents within our Privacy Policy. 

Applicants in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Serbia: Please see Additional Information for Individuals in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Serbia within our Privacy Policy. 

Notice to Search Firms/Third-Party Recruitment Agencies (Recruiters): The Talent Acquisition team manages the recruitment and employment process for Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“Acadia”). Acadia does not accept resumes from recruiters or search firms without an executed search agreement in place. Resumes sent to Acadia employees in the absence of an executed search agreement will not obligate Acadia in any way with respect to the future employment of those individuals or potential remuneration to any recruiter or search firm. Candidates should never be submitted directly to our hiring managers or employees.