Patient Navigator Lead

*This is a field-based role requiring ~60% travel,  proximity to a major US airport is essential (New York, NY; Boston, MA; San Diego, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Minneapolis, MN; Atlanta, GA)*

The Patient Navigator Lead is a critical field-based leader within ACADIA’s commercial organization, supporting patients and caregivers living with Parkinson’s disease psychosis (PDP) while also guiding a team of Patient Navigators. This role is designed as a "player-coach," combining direct patient and caregiver engagement with leadership responsibilities. The Patient Navigator Lead empowers patients and families through disease state education and by connecting them to ACADIA’s services and resources. In parallel, this role mentors Patient Navigators, drives consistency and excellence in execution, and ensures alignment with cross-functional partners. Reporting into Marketing, the Patient Navigator Lead plays a key role in educating around Parkinsons Disease Psychosis, bridging early engagement with Health Care Providers and adherence gaps, advancing ACADIA’s patient-focused mission.

Primary Responsibilities:

Direct Patient & Caregiver Engagement

• Deliver 1:1 education (virtual and in-person) to patients, caregivers, and families on PDP, Nuplazid, and ACADIA Connect using approved materials.
• Provide support, ensuring patients and caregivers feel heard and connected throughout their journey.
• Partner with advocacy groups, community organizations, and professional societies to expand reach and impact.
• Coordinate smooth handoffs to Patient Access Managers (PAMs) for coverage and access support.

Team Leadership & Coaching

• Serve as a mentor and role model to Patient Navigators, providing coaching, best practice sharing, and ongoing professional development.
• Lead onboarding and training of new Patient Navigators to ensure consistency in disease education and patient support delivery.
• Monitor team performance and provide regular feedback to drive excellence and compliance.
• Act as a primary point of escalation for complex patient/caregiver situations and provide guidance to team members.

Program Development & Execution

• Lead planning and execution of patient and caregiver educational programs, workshops, and webinars, ensuring alignment with brand strategy.
• Coordinate field supported patient events, speaker programs, coaching patient/caregiver speakers, and serving as a key contact for program execution.
• Partner with Marketing, Advocacy, and Sales to identify opportunities for impactful education and engagement initiatives.

Insights

• Collaborate with Marketing to help support patient and caregiver advisory boards, including, where appropriate, participant identification and coordination.
• Capture and synthesize insights from patients, caregivers, and community events to inform brand strategy and resource development.
• Identify unmet educational needs and propose innovative solutions to address them.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Actively collaborate with Field Sales, Patient Support Services, Marketing, and Advocacy to increase disease awareness and support earlier diagnosis.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of PDP, Nuplazid, and ACADIA’s patient support services through ongoing education and conference participation.
• Serve as a field voice to internal stakeholders, representing the patient and caregiver perspective in strategic discussions.
• Ensure all activities are conducted in compliance with legal, regulatory, and company policies, while demonstrating ACADIA’s values.

Key Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required; healthcare or life sciences preferred. Advanced degree preferred.
• 8-10 years of relevant experience in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry with a focus on patient support, education, or advocacy.
• Prior experience leading or mentoring a field-based team strongly preferred.
• Background in patient navigation, clinical care, pharmacy, or community health education highly valued.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and mentoring skills, with a proven ability to develop others.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills; able to translate complex science into patient-friendly language.
• Compassionate, patient-focused mindset with ability to navigate sensitive conversations with empathy.
• Self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced environment and demonstrates innovation in patient engagement.
• Strong understanding of compliance and regulatory frameworks within pharma/biotech.
• Field-based role requiring ~60% extensive travel, including some evenings and weekends; proximity to a major airport is essential.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) is a plus.

Core Competencies:

• Patient-Centered Focus -Dedicated to improving patient and caregiver experiences.
• Empathy & Emotional Intelligence – Skilled at providing compassionate support.
• Collaboration & Teamwork – Works effectively across functions and with external partners.
• Strong Communication – Clear and effective educator with patients, caregivers, and internal teams.
• Adaptability & Initiative – Proactive in meeting evolving patient needs.
• Privacy, Compliance & Confidentiality – Consistently safeguards patient health information and adheres to company compliance and privacy standards; exercises discretion in all patient and caregiver interactions

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.  This position requires the ability to travel independently overnight and/or work after hours as required by travel schedule or business needs.

Must reside within the territory (or within 30 miles of its border) and, depending on territory needs, within reasonable proximity to a major airport. Requires eligibility to drive a company vehicle and ability to travel independently by air. Travel may be up to 75% of the time, including occasional after-hours work based on business needs.

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