Overview Join to apply for the Area Director, Neuroscience Sales- West role at Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. About Acadia Pharmaceuticals: Acadia is advancing breakthroughs in neuroscience to elevate life. Since our founding, we have been working at the forefront of healthcare to bring vital solutions to people who need them most. We developed and commercialized the first and only FDA-approved drug to treat hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease psychosis, and the first and only approved drug in the United States and Canada for the treatment of Rett syndrome. Our clinical-stage development efforts are focused on Prader-Willi syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease psychosis, and multiple other programs targeting neuro-psychiatric and neuro-rare diseases. Position location: Remote with near-term regional focus in the United States. The Area Director, Neuroscience Sales is responsible for leading Acadia’s Neuroscience sales organization within their assigned region of the United States. This role oversees the Regional Sales Managers and Sales Specialists within their region, managing performance, budgets, and execution of sales strategies in alignment with corporate objectives. The Area Director fosters a customer-focused culture, develops high-performing teams, and collaborates closely with cross-functional partners to drive sustainable growth.

Primary Responsibilities

Lead recruitment, development, coaching, and retention of high-performing Regional Sales Managers and Sales Specialists within assigned region (West or East).

Partner with Marketing, Market Access, and other commercial functions to ensure coordinated execution and differentiated customer engagement within the region.

Provide regional performance insights to senior leadership based on market analysis, competitive intelligence, and field feedback.

Monitor sales performance, identify opportunities for improvement, and implement corrective actions to meet regional goals.

Manage Regional Sales Manager performance, offering recognition, feedback, and targeted development plans to promote accountability and excellence.

Maintain direct engagement with sales representatives, key customers, and stakeholders within the region to ensure alignment with strategy.

Oversee regional budget, tracking results and adjusting plans to achieve sales targets.

Ensure regional compliance with all company policies, legal guidelines, and regulatory requirements.

Support governance and communication processes that align the region with Acadia’s mission, vision, and values.

Meet or exceed regional sales forecasts and KPIs, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Education / Experience / Skills

Bachelor’s degree required; life science, business, or a related field preferred.

12+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, with a mix of commercial and cross-functional roles (sales, marketing, market access, training, operations, or patient support).

8+ years of leadership experience, including at least 1 year in second-line leadership (leading first-line managers) demonstrating the ability to lead specialty-focused teams; experience with limited distribution networks preferred.

Demonstrated ability to deliver sales results and develop sales leaders.

Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build lasting relationships internally and externally.

Solid business acumen with the ability to identify future opportunities and evolving customer needs.

Skilled in negotiation, influencing, and change management.

Ability to create and communicate a clear vision, aligning resources to achieve goals.

Valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record.

Travel up to 80% of the time (depending on territory geography) and work after hours if required by travel schedule or business issues. May also be required to live within a reasonable distance to a major airport.

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.

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Compensation & Benefits In addition to a competitive base salary, this position is also eligible for discretionary bonus and equity awards based on factors such as individual and organizational performance. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance, and location.

Salary Range: $247,000—$263,300 USD

What we offer US-based Employees

Competitive base, bonus, new hire and ongoing equity packages

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Employer-paid life, disability, business travel and EAP coverage

401(k) Plan with a fully vested company match 1:1 up to 5%

Employee Stock Purchase Plan with a 2-year purchase price lock-in

15+ vacation days

13 -15 paid holidays, including office closure between December 24th and January 1st

10 days of paid sick time

Paid parental leave benefit

Tuition assistance

EEO Statement Acadia is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and innovative company and encourage you to apply if you meet the qualifications in a different way than described.

Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities. For accommodation requests, please contact talentacquisition@acadia-pharm.com or 858-261-2923.

California Applicants: see Privacy Policy for additional information. Canadian Applicants: see Privacy Policy. EEA/UK/Serbia Applicants: see Privacy Policy.

Notice to Search Firms/Third-Party Recruitment Agencies: Acadia does not accept resumes from recruiters without an executed search agreement in place.

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