National Sales Lead

The National Sales Lead oversees the national field force responsible for commercializing our rare disease and cardio-metabolic specialty portfolio across Canada. This role translates brand strategy into flawless field execution, drives revenue, and builds a high-performing, patient-centric team of sales professionals.

Celystra is a small, high-growth company, making this a hands-on leadership role. The Lead is expected to coach in the field, engage directly with key accounts and thought leaders, and shape strategy. The role is accountable for achieving national sales targets while ensuring that patients are identified, diagnosed, and connected to appropriate care in rare and underdiagnosed disease areas.

MAIN ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Commercial Leadership and Business Results

• Deliver national sales, revenue, and profitability targets for the portfolio
• Develop and execute the national field sales plan, with short- and long-term objectives aligned to brand strategy
• Allocate territory, resources, and investments to maximize patient impact and return
• Monitor performance through dashboards and KPIs; identify gaps and course-correct quickly
• Provide accurate forecasting and field input into annual planning and budgeting

Sales Excellence and Coaching

• Set and drive sales standards across the full customer engagement cycle (strategic planning, pre-call, in-call, post-call)
• Conduct regular field coaching, in person and virtually, and hold direct reports accountable to coaching cadence
• Drive quality of dialogue, message consistency, and disciplined targeting of high-potential HCPs and centres

Key Account and Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead engagement with strategic accounts, including specialized centres, cardiology and rare disease clinics, hospital networks, and key opinion leaders
• Oversee key account plans and integrated customer planning across all regions
• Build relationships with influential stakeholders, patient organizations, and referral networks that support diagnosis and patient identification
• Understand provincial healthcare dynamics, including formulary, reimbursement, and access pathways, and their impact on the business

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with the cross-functional team to ensure aligned execution
• Gather and share field insights that inform brand strategy, messaging, and tactics
• Support deployment of omnichannel engagement alongside face-to-face activity
• Contribute to launch readiness and launch execution for new indications and products

People Leadership and Culture

• Recruit, develop, and retain a high-performing team; build individual development plans for each direct report
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, agility, and patient focus
• Lead change effectively in a growing, fast-moving organization
• Model flexibility and a willingness to step into hands-on work as needed

Compliance and Corporate Responsibility

• Maintain full compliance with all applicable regulations, industry codes, and company policies
• Ensure timely reporting of adverse events and product complaints in accordance with company procedures
• Manage field budgets responsibly and operate with integrity in all interactions

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Number of Direct Reports

6 to 10

Number of Indirect Reports

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION

• University degree in business, life sciences, or a related field (required)
• MBA or advanced degree in a relevant discipline (an asset)

EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 8 years of progressive pharmaceutical or biotech sales experience, including at least 3-5 years in a sales management or key account leadership role
• Demonstrated success leading field teams and achieving or exceeding national or regional targets
• Experience in rare disease, cardiology, or other specialty care strongly preferred
• Proven track record in at least one product launch, ideally in a small or emerging company environment
• Established relationships with specialists, centres of excellence, or advocacy groups (an asset)

SKILLS

• Strategic thinking: ability to build and execute national and regional business plans in complex, evolving environments
• Coaching and talent development: skilled at developing sales professionals through structured, observation-based feedback
• Cross-functional leadership: collaborates effectively with Marketing, Medical, Access, and senior leadership
• Commercial and analytical acumen: comfortable with data, forecasting, territory analytics, and CRM tools
• Communication: excellent verbal and written communication; strong presentation and influencing skills
• Agility and resourcefulness: thrives in a lean organization, comfortable with ambiguity and wearing multiple hats
• Patient-centric mindset: understands the diagnostic journey and challenges of rare and underdiagnosed conditions
• Language: fluency in English and French required (spoken and written), to engage stakeholders and colleagues across Canada

OTHER

• Travel: field-based role with up to 40% travel across Canada for field visits, coaching, customer engagement, and meetings
• Work environment: small, entrepreneurial company where team members take ownership, collaborate closely, and contribute beyond their formal job scope
• Compliance: must be able to meet all legal, regulatory, and code-of-conduct requirements for the role