Executive Director, US Commercial Technology

Overview / Purpose 

As Vertex’s US portfolio and pipeline expand, the Executive Director, US Commercial Technology is the senior technology leader accountable for end‑to‑end technology partnership, delivery outcomes, and operational performance for US Commercial priorities across multiple business units and horizontal capabilities. This role serves as the single, accountable technology point of contact for the SVP, US Commercial leadership and represents DTE function across US commercialization planning, governance, and execution. The role leads a team of senior technology and AI leaders and orchestrates shared/platform teams  to deliver measurable improvements in customer engagement, go‑to‑market effectiveness, patient services and contact center experience, operational excellence, and compliant use of data and AI in a regulated environment. 

Organization Scale  

• People's leadership scope: ~23 employees (direct and indirect). 

• Financial scope: ~$65M annual budget responsibility (operating and/or vendor/program spend within remit). 

Direct Reports / Scope (2026 design) 

• Senior Directors leading US technology partnership and delivery for:  

• (1) Pain, CF, Market Access & US Commercial Operations;  

• (2) Kidney, and Patient Services Program; and  

• (3) Heme/T1D, Cell and Gene Therapies (CGT) commercialization technology. 

• Matrixed partnership with global platform leaders for CRM/digital engagement, customer engagement platforms, and AI product management to ensure US requirements, governance, and adoption are delivered. 

Key Responsibilities 

Executive Business Partnership & Stakeholder Leadership 

• Serve as senior technology advisor to SVP of US commercial and US Commercial leadership team; anticipate needs, shape demand, and influence business decisions through clear, evidence‑based recommendations. 

• Deliver thought leadership and guidance through the US Commercial AI Transformation 

• Represent DTE as the senior technology leader for US Commercial forums  and ensure alignment across Commercial, Medical, Legal/Compliance, Privacy, Security, Data Governance, and Finance partners. 

• Communicate complex technology, data, and AI topics in crisp business terms; escalate risks and decisions with clear options. 

US Commercial Technology Strategy  

• Define and continuously refine the US Commercial Technology strategy and multi‑year investment roadmap aligned to US commercial goals and the broader Technology and AI vision. 

• Translate strategy into an integrated portfolio across business capabilities (BU partnership, patient services, market access/contracting, field excellence) and enabling technology (data/analytics, AI adoption, integration, quality/compliance). 

• Establish the operating model and decision rights for US Commercial Technology, clarifying what is owned within the team vs. what is delivered via shared/global platform teams. 

Portfolio Governance, Value Delivery & Operational Excellence 

• Own prioritization, delivery governance, and value realization for the US Commercial Technology portfolio; ensure transparent tradeoffs, disciplined execution, and measurable outcomes. 

• Ensure reliable run performance for business‑critical systems and services within scope, including incident, problem, change, and release management expectations appropriate for regulated commercial operations. 

• Establish OKRs and value metrics tied to commercial outcomes (e.g., customer engagement effectiveness, cycle time, productivity, quality, and risk reduction), and report progress to senior business and technology leadership. 

Platform Enablement & Cross‑team Integration 

• Drive US requirements and adoption for shared/global platforms (e.g., CRM and digital engagement, Martech, customer engagement platforms) through tight partnership with platform owners and architecture leaders. 

• Ensure US Commercial capabilities are integrated end‑to‑end (data flows, identity/access, content, contracting, patient services) and that solutions are interoperable and scalable across BUs. 

• Lead vendor strategy and buy‑vs‑build decisions within scope; rationalize and manage vendor performance in partnership with procurement and platform owners. 

AI Strategy and Adoption 

• Partner with AI Product Management and data/analytics leaders to identify, prioritize, and scale the highest‑value US commercial AI and analytics use cases (e.g., field force excellence, content lifecycle, contracting and deal enablement, patient services automation). 

• Ensure responsible AI practices: promotional and regulatory compliance, privacy/security guardrails, model risk management, and appropriate human‑in‑the‑loop controls. 

Financial Stewardship & Vendor Management 

• Own budget planning, forecasting, and ongoing financial stewardship across the ~$65M spend in scope, ensuring disciplined investment decisions and clear linkage to value and risk reduction. 

• Drive cost transparency and ROI-based decision-making across programs and vendors; partner with Finance and Strategic Sourcing on contracts, renewals, and vendor performance management. 

Risk Management, Compliance & Controls 

• Ensure systems and solutions within scope meet Vertex policies and applicable global/local regulations related to privacy, security, promotional compliance, and data protection. 

• Own third‑party risk management expectations for vendors in scope; ensure business continuity and resilience planning is in place for critical services. 

• Partner with Quality/Regulatory, Security, Privacy, and Legal/Compliance to embed controls and audit readiness into delivery and operations. 

People Leadership, Talent & Culture 

• Lead, develop, and retain a high‑performing, inclusive leadership team; build succession depth and strengthen capability in product, data, and AI delivery. 

• Mature ways of working and coach leaders on outcomes‑based prioritization, accountability, and continuous improvement. 

Minimum Qualifications 

• 15+ years of progressive experience in technology, digital, data, or analytics roles, including substantial experience leading commercial‑facing technology organizations within life sciences or similarly regulated industries. 

• 7+ years leading leaders (e.g., Directors/Senior Directors) with accountability for multi‑portfolio delivery and operations. 

• Deep Life Sciences Commercial domain and business process expertise along with working knowledge of major commercial technology software platforms (e.g. Veeva, Salesforce, Snowflake, PowerBI, Model N) 

• Demonstrated success delivering business outcomes through commercial platforms and capabilities (e.g., CRM/digital engagement, market access/contracting enablement, patient services/contact center, analytics) and scaling modern data/AI solutions responsibly. 

• Ability to influence senior executives and governance bodies; exceptional executive communication skills. 

• Strong working knowledge of security, privacy, data governance, and regulatory requirements relevant to commercial operations. 

• Demonstrated financial management experience (budget ownership, vendor portfolio oversight, forecasting, and value tracking).