Associate Director, Marketing Cambridge, MA

Associate Director, Marketing This position is currently based in our Cambridge, MA office. Please note that our offices will be relocating to Waltham, MA later this year, and this role will transition accordingly. We follow a flexible, “magnet not mandate” approach to in‑office work, encouraging collaboration and onsite engagement while supporting hybrid flexibility based on role and business needs. Nearly 37 million Americans are currently affected by Chronic Kidney Disease. 37 million. At Akebia we take that number very seriously and every day we come to work, with the purpose of bettering the lives of each person impacted by kidney disease and the renal community that serves them. Our tenacious, passionate employees’ challenge the status quo and work to develop unique therapeutics that have the potential to set new standards of care for people living with kidney disease. This is life‑changing work, and we are all in, are you? Job Summary Akebia is seeking an experienced, mission‑oriented and collaborative Associate Director to play a pivotal role in driving adoption and sustained growth of Vafseo. This position will focus on executing brand strategies, optimizing business performance and deepening engagement with key nephrology stakeholders. The ideal candidate is a hands‑on, data‑driven marketer who excels at translating insights into compelling value stories, brings a mix of strategic thinking and tactical agility and has experience or interest in AI technologies. Akebia has a strong cross‑functional team, and this position will serve as an integral member to advance the strategic and tactical plans for Vafseo. The Associate Director will partner closely with Field Sales, Sales Training, Commercial Analytics, Legal, Regulatory and Medical Affairs colleagues in order to successfully develop and execute marketing programs and initiatives. This role reports directly to the Director, Marketing. Specific Job Responsibilities Lead personal promotion and peer‑to‑peer strategy and execution for Vafseo including creation of all assets and content for HCPs and patients Ensure alignment across brand messaging, promotional materials and customer engagement initiatives Lead advisory boards to strengthen scientific and brand credibility Partner with speaker program operations to optimize engagement and pull through of promotional speaker programs Partner with medical and meetings management to develop conference strategy and lead congress promotion efforts to maximize brand presence Partner closely with field sales, market access and sales training to ensure effective implementation of brand messaging and key marketing initiatives Effectively manage agencies to achieve high quality deliverables within time and budget scopes Collaborate effectively with Promotional Review Committee (PRC) partners to ensure execution aligns with brand strategy and marketing timelines. Support additional marketing initiatives and special projects as needed, including brand planning, budget tracking, and other ad hoc assignments to advance business objectives Measure and optimize personal promotion and peer‑to‑peer tactic effectiveness Support strategic project initiatives to drive future brand growth and operational efficiencies, including AI‑enabled solutions Manage budget to corporate targets Contribute to a collaborative, mission‑driven culture focused on delivering meaningful outcomes for patients Basic Qualifications Bachelor’s Degree required, MBA is a plus 7+ years of proven experience in brand marketing with a minimum of 3 years of HCP or patient product management experience Preferred Qualifications Experience in nephrology is a plus Proven project and vendor management skills Proven ability to influence without authority and partner with cross‑functional teams Proven project and vendor management skills including budget management, planning, prioritization, objective setting, and logistics execution Strong written and presentation skills Up to 15% travel to attend sales meetings, customer visits, and relevant medical meetings/congresses within the U.S. Compensation Targeted Base: $177,175 -$218,863* *Base Compensation for this role will depend on a number of factors including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience, and may fall outside of the range shown. Base pay is only one component of the company’s total rewards package, all regular employees are also eligible for the corporate bonus program or the incentive compensation program (if applicable), as well as equity. Additional benefits include health care, vision, dental, retirement, PTO, etc. Are you an Akebian? An Akebian is curious, empathetic, and values making connections to people and ideas. Akebian’s aren’t afraid of diving in and owning a process or a problem, because we all want to deliver a great solution. Akebian’s believe that we are better together because we are all working toward a common purpose – to better the life of each person impacted by kidney disease. Want to learn more about what it means to be an Akebian? Visit our website: Akebia is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all job applicants. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors prohibited by law. #J-18808-Ljbffr Akebia Therapeutics(R), Inc.