Director, Sales Training

About the Role

The Director, Sales Training leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of commercial training programs that build the knowledge, skills, and capabilities of the field sales organization. This role partners closely with Commercial Leadership, Marketing, Medical Affairs, Market Access, Compliance, and Human Resources to ensure field teams are equipped to effectively engage healthcare professionals, execute brand strategies, and achieve business objectives.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the overall sales training strategy aligned with company commercial objectives.
• Establish annual training plans supporting brand priorities, business goals, and field force effectiveness.
• Assess training needs through collaboration with commercial leaders and analysis of field performance data.
• Ensure training programs evolve to meet changing market dynamics, competitive landscapes, and organizational growth.
• Design and manage comprehensive onboarding programs for new sales employees.
• Ensure field personnel achieve required levels of competency in disease state knowledge, product knowledge, compliance requirements, and selling skills.
• Create onboarding tools, learning paths, assessments, and certification processes.
• Lead the development and delivery of product, therapeutic area, and disease state training programs.
• Partner with Medical Affairs to ensure scientific content is accurate, relevant, and appropriately balanced.
• Develop training materials supporting new product launches, label updates, and competitive positioning.
• Develop and facilitate training focused on consultative selling, account management, territory planning, clinical discussions, and customer engagement.
• Coach managers on effective field coaching methodologies and performance development practices.
• Implement competency frameworks and learning curricula to enhance sales force effectiveness.
• Support development of career progression and capability-building programs for field teams.
• Lead all training initiatives associated with product launches and major commercial milestones.
• Coordinate cross-functional launch training activities across Sales, Marketing, Medical Affairs, Market Access, and Compliance.
• Develop launch certification programs to ensure field readiness.
• Ensure all commercial training programs comply with applicable pharmaceutical industry regulations, company policies, and compliance requirements.
• Partner with Legal, Regulatory Affairs, and Compliance teams to review and approve training content.
• Maintain appropriate documentation and training records.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (MBA, PharmD, MS, or related field) preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of pharmaceutical, biotech, or healthcare industry experience.
• Minimum 5 years of commercial training, sales training, or sales leadership experience.
• Experience supporting specialty pharmaceutical or biotech products preferred.
• Product launch experience strongly preferred.
• Experience training sales representatives and first-line sales managers.
• CNS, specialty, rare disease, or hospital-focused commercial experience preferred.
• Strong understanding of pharmaceutical sales environments and healthcare market dynamics.
• Expertise in adult learning principles and instructional design.
• Excellent presentation, facilitation, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate across functions.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Experience with learning management systems and training technologies.
• Ability to translate complex scientific information into practical field training.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Schedule

Ability to travel approximately 30%-50%, including field ride-alongs, sales meetings, national meetings, and training events.

Reporting Relationship

Reports to: National Sales Leader