Associate Director, Patient Marketing

Who this role is best for

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Skills & requirements

About the role

Who We Are:

Xenon Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:XENE https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/stocks/xene) is a neuroscience-focused biopharmaceutical company dedicated to drug discovery, clinical development, and commercialization of life-changing therapeutics for patients in need. We are looking for great people who thrive in a respectful, collaborative, inclusive, and productive culture to join the Xenon team.

What We Do:

We are advancing an exciting product pipeline https://xenon-pharma.com/pipeline to address indications with high unmet medical need, including epilepsy, depression and pain. Our Phase 3 azetukalner program represents the most advanced, clinically validated potassium channel modulator in late-stage clinical development for multiple indications. In March 2026, we announced positive topline data from our Phase 3 X-TOLE2 study of azetukalner in focal onset seizures (FOS), and we submitted a New Drug Application to the Food and Drug Administration in the third quarter of 2026. Our Phase 3 epilepsy program also includes a second FOS study, X-TOLE3, which would support regulatory submissions outside the U.S., and the X-ACKT study in primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures, which would support regulatory submissions for an additional epilepsy indication. We also have multiple Phase 3 azetukalner clinical trials underway in major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar depression (BPD), based on topline data from our Phase 2 X-NOVA clinical trial. In addition, we are proud of our strong heritage in human genetics, deep understanding of ion channel biology, and expertise in novel chemistries to enable potent, selective ion channel targeting. We continue to advance an early-stage pipeline of novel therapeutic candidates, including Phase 1 studies for XEN1701 and XEN1720 (targeting Nav1.7) and XEN1120 (targeting Kv7), which are being developed for pain. Backed by a strong balance sheet to support our growth plans, we continue to build a fully integrated, premier neuroscience company with strong discovery, clinical development, corporate, and commercial operations.

About the Role:

We are seeking an Associate Director, Patient Marketing, to join our team. The Associate Director, Patient Marketing, will serve as a key contributor to the strategic and operational efforts for patient-focused marketing initiatives supporting the launch and growth of a novel therapy for epilepsy. This individual contributor role is responsible for developing and executing integrated patient marketing strategies that drive disease awareness, patient education, adoption, and long-term engagement.

The successful candidate will bring a strong understanding of patient-centric marketing, healthcare consumer behavior, and rare or specialty pharmaceutical launches. Working cross-functionally with Medical Affairs, Advocacy, Market Access, Commercial Operations, Legal, Regulatory, and external agency partners, the Associate Director will ensure the patient voice is embedded throughout the brand strategy and patient experience.

This role requires both strategic thinking and hands-on execution, with accountability for delivering impactful patient-facing campaigns, educational resources, digital initiatives, and advocacy partnerships that support patients and caregivers throughout their treatment journey.

This position reports to the Senior Director, Patient Marketing, and will be based out of Boston, MA, USA in our Needham office. We will consider remote locations for exceptional candidates. The level of the position will be commensurate with the candidate’s education and industry experience. Hybrid positions require a minimum of two onsite days per week.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

· Contribute to the development and execute the patient marketing strategy aligned with overall brand objectives and launch milestones

· Identify barriers, unmet needs, and opportunities for engagement across diagnosis, treatment initiation, and long-term disease management through a thorough understanding of the patient journey

· Translate patient and caregiver insights into actionable marketing strategies and programs

· Partner with market research and analytics teams to measure patient attitudes, behaviors, and campaign effectiveness

· Serve as the internal advocate for patient-centricity across brand planning and commercialization efforts

PATIENT AND CAREGIVER MARKETING

· Design and implement patient-facing campaigns to increase disease awareness, treatment understanding, and brand engagement

· Develop educational resources and support materials that address the needs of patients, caregivers, and families impacted by epilepsy

· Lead development of branded and unbranded marketing initiatives across digital, social, print, video, and experiential channels

· Manage content strategy and execution for patient websites, CRM programs, email campaigns, and other digital engagement platforms

· Oversee agency partners responsible for creative development, media planning, content production, and campaign execution

LAUNCH EXCELLENCE

· Support pre-launch, launch, and post-launch planning for a novel epilepsy therapy

· Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless execution of patient initiatives aligned with launch timelines

· Develop launch materials and activation plans that drive awareness and engagement among patients and caregivers

· Identify innovative channels and approaches to accelerate patient education and activation

ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

· Build and maintain productive relationships with patient advocacy organizations and epilepsy community stakeholders

· Partner with advocacy teams to identify opportunities for education, awareness, and patient support programs

· Ensure patient perspectives are incorporated into strategic planning and program development

· Support patient ambassador and testimonial programs in compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements

CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION

· Partner closely with Medical Affairs, Regulatory, Legal, Market Access, Commercial Operations, and Sales leadership to execute compliant and impactful initiatives

· Collaborate with HCP marketing colleagues to ensure alignment across customer-facing strategies

· Effectively deliver strong agency management, budget oversight, and project prioritization to achieve business objectives

PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT

· Define and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess program effectiveness

· Analyze campaign performance and patient engagement metrics to optimize marketing investments

· Deliver regular updates and strategic recommendations to brand leadership

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Develop and propose short- and long-term objectives for the function in accordance with overall Company strategies and plans

· Act in accordance with Company policies, including, for example, the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and ensure policies are understood and followed by direct reports, if any

· Some international travel may be required

· Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Education and Experience

· Minimum undergraduate degree. 8+ years of relevant management experience or combination of degrees and experience; Advanced degree (MBA, MPH, or related field) preferred

· 7+ years of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, or consumer health marketing experience

· 3+ years of experience developing patient-focused marketing strategies and campaigns

· Experience supporting product launches and commercialization activities

· Demonstrated success managing agencies, budgets, and cross-functional initiatives

Preferred Experience

· Neurology, epilepsy, CNS, rare disease, specialty pharmaceutical, or orphan drug experience

· Experience working with patient advocacy organizations and community stakeholders

· Strong understanding of patient support programs and patient engagement strategies

· Experience leveraging digital marketing, CRM platforms, social media, and omnichannel engagement approaches

Our Total Rewards program includes base salary, target bonus, and stock options, as well as a full range of benefits including medical, dental, vision, short-& long-term disability, accidental death & dismemberment, and life insurance programs, Employee Assistance Program, travel insurance, and retirement savings programs with company matching contributions.

Xenon encourages time to rest and re-charge through vacation, personal days, sick days, and an end-of-year company shutdown. Xenon highly values employee development and has an expanding Training, Learning & Development program, including a Tuition Assistance program for advanced degrees.

Source: Xenon careers (Ashby)