Senior Director, Channel Launch and Execution

Job Title: Senior Director, Channel Launch and Execution

Location: Morristown, NJ, Cambridge, MA

About the Job

The Senior Director, Channel Launch & Execution is senior leadership role responsible for setting the vision, strategy, and execution of trade and distribution channel readiness for all pipeline product launches across Sanofi’s U.S. portfolio—including Specialty Care, General Medicines, and Established Products. This position ensures that innovative therapies are brought to market with best-in-class distribution strategies that maximize patient access, compliance, and commercial success. 

This highly visible role will lead cross-functional collaboration with internal stakeholders and external channel partners to shape launch readiness from early commercialization through execution. The Senior Director will serve as a key strategic advisor to executive leadership and ensure that trade and channel strategies are aligned with broader U.S. Market Access objectives. 

We are an innovative global healthcare company, committed to transforming the lives of people with immune challenges, rare diseases and blood disorders, cancers, and neurological disorders. From R&D to sales, our talented teams work together, revolutionizing treatment, continually improving products, understanding unmet needs, and connecting communities. We chase the miracles of science every single day, pursuing Progress to make a real impact on millions of patients around the world.

Main Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Own the enterprise-wide strategy for trade and distribution launch readiness across all therapeutic areas and product types. While minimizing gross-to net implications

• Serve as the principal architect of launch channel models, balancing clinical needs, market access strategy, and supply chain efficiency.

• Anticipate market evolution and policy trends to proactively evolve Sanofi’s U.S. trade and channel strategy.

Launch Planning & Execution

• Oversee the end-to-end development and execution of distribution and trade strategies for all U.S. product launches.

• Evaluate channel models (e.g., limited distribution, SP, DTP, hybrid) and recommend optimal approaches based on product-specific and market dynamics.

• Lead development of integrated launch plans in collaboration with Brand, Value & Access, Patient Services, and Supply Chain.

Trade & Channel Partner Management

• Direct contracting, governance, and performance management of wholesalers, specialty pharmacies, 3PLs, and channel partners.

• Drive selection and onboarding of strategic distribution partners through a rigorous RFP and due diligence process.

• Lead enterprise-level negotiations, including service-level agreements and performance incentives tied to launch metrics.

Executive Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Represent Trade & Distribution in Launch Excellence and Go-To-Market (GTM) forums, with a mandate to drive executional readiness.

• Partner with Brand, PSS, Legal, Compliance, Regulatory, Medical, Finance, Pricing, and PSS to align on cross-functional launch deliverables.

• Inform gross-to-net planning and affordability strategies through deep channel economics expertise.

Operational Oversight

• Ensure end-to-end launch logistics readiness—EDI connectivity, cold chain, inventory placement, chargeback readiness, and order-to-cash systems.

• Track and manage launch KPIs to ensure Day One availability, inventory health, and distribution precision.

• Establish risk mitigation strategies to ensure uninterrupted product availability during launch and scale-up.

Governance, Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure compliance with all U.S. federal and state distribution and trade regulations, including DSCSA, FDA, DEA, and Anti-Kickback Statute.

• Develop governance frameworks and SOPs for compliant and efficient launch partner engagement and data exchange.

Post-Launch Optimization

• Drive post-launch analytics and continuous improvement for speed-to-therapy, SP engagement, inventory turns, and cost efficiency.

• Proactively recommend refinements or realignments to channel strategy based on real-world performance and evolving market dynamics.

About You

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or relevant equal experience preferred.

• 10+ years of progressive experience in pharmaceutical trade, channel strategy, or U.S. market access with a strong focus on product launches.

• Proven leadership in designing and executing trade strategies across multiple product launches (traditional and specialty).

• Deep expertise in U.S. pharmaceutical distribution landscape, including SP, DTP, 3PL, and wholesaler models.

• Strong understanding of U.S. regulatory and compliance frameworks governing pharmaceutical trade and distribution.

• Demonstrated ability to influence and lead across a matrixed organization at executive levels.

• Exceptional communication, project leadership, and stakeholder management skills.

• Willingness to travel up to 50% for partner engagement and launch execution.

Why Choose Us?

• Bring the miracles of science to life alongside a supportive, future-focused team.

• Discover endless opportunities to grow your talent and drive your career, whether it’s through a promotion or lateral move, at home or internationally.

• Enjoy a thoughtful, well-crafted rewards package that recognizes your contribution and amplifies your impact.

• Take good care of yourself and your family, with a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits including high-quality healthcare, prevention and wellness programs and at least 14 weeks’ gender-neutral parental leave.

Sanofi Inc. and its U.S. affiliates are Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employers 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; domestic violence victim status; atypical cellular or blood trait; genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing) or any other characteristic protected by law.

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All compensation will be determined commensurate with demonstrated experience. Employees may be eligible to participate in Company employee benefit programs, and additional benefits information can be found here.