Head of Commercial Launch Excellence

At Abivax, our purpose is simple: to improve patients' lives. As a global clinical-stage biotechnology company with headquarter in Paris and offices in the United States, we are advancing innovative therapies for people living with chronic inflammatory diseases.

While professional experience and qualifications are key for this role, make sure to check you have the preferable soft skills before applying if required.

We are looking for talented, purpose-driven individuals who want their work to have a meaningful impact. Every day, we challenge ourselves to ask: "How did I make a patient's life better today?" If that question inspires and motivates you, we invite you to join our team.

Position Summary

The Head of Commercial Launch Excellence blends strategic planning, operational leadership, executive communications, governance support, and launch readiness into one highly influential role. The Launch Excellence Lead will play a pivotal role in transforming the organization from a development-stage biotech into a launch-ready commercial enterprise, ensuring that strategic vision, operational execution, governance excellence, and stakeholder alignment come together to enable a successful launch of the company's first IBD therapy.

The Launch Excellence Lead will serve as the strategic and operational integrator responsible for driving enterprise-wide launch readiness for the company's lead investigational therapy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). As a key member of the Commercial Operations Leadership Team, this individual will lead the development of the launch excellence roadmap and supporting infrastructure, ensuring alignment across clinical, medical, regulatory, commercial, patient services, market access, and corporate functions.

This role will operate as the organization's central Commercial Project Management Office (PMO) lead, driving strategic decision-making, governance, cross-functional execution, and executive communications. The role is also responsible for managing external Commercial PMO support (i.e. Vynamic). The Launch Excellence Lead will help shape corporate and brand strategic choices, support external narrative development, and ensure leadership and Board stakeholders have the information required to make timely and informed decisions. The successful candidate will combine strategic thinking with exceptional operational execution and will thrive in a high-growth biotech environment where agility, influence, and cross-functional collaboration are essential.

Key Responsibilities / Essential Functions

Launch Strategy & Readiness

• Execute the enterprise launch excellence strategy and integrated launch roadmap for the company's lead IBD asset.
• Establish launch governance, workstreams, milestones, decision points, dependencies, and performance metrics across all functions.
• Build and implement the operational infrastructure, processes, tools, and forums necessary to support launch readiness.
• Drive cross-functional accountability and transparency to ensure launch plans remain on track.
• Identify strategic risks, resource gaps, and execution challenges and develop mitigation plans.

Strategic Operations & Enterprise Planning

• Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leadership regarding launch planning and enterprise priorities.
• Lead strategic operational planning processes that align corporate objectives with launch objectives.
• Translate corporate strategy into measurable operational goals and execution plans.
• Partner with functional leaders to ensure organizational readiness across Medical Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, Clinical Development, Commercial, Patient Services, Market Access, Finance, and Corporate Affairs.
• Drive enterprise-wide prioritization and decision-making as the organization transitions from development-stage to commercialization.

Corporate & Brand Strategy Support

• Facilitate cross-functional discussions that inform key corporate and brand strategic choices.
• Support development of commercial assumptions, launch scenarios, and go-to-market considerations.
• Collaborate with leadership on strategic positioning and preparation for major regulatory and commercial milestones.
• Ensure alignment between corporate strategy, asset strategy, and future brand strategy.

External Narrative & Stakeholder Messaging

• Partner with executive leadership and Corporate Communications/IR to shape and refine the company's external narrative surrounding the IBD program and future launch.
• Help develop consistent messaging across investor, scientific, medical, corporate, and commercial audiences.
• Coordinate preparation of strategic communications and presentations supporting key external engagements.
• Ensure alignment of internal strategy with external messaging and stakeholder expectations.

Commercial Project Management Office (PMO) Leadership

• Establish and lead the company's Commercial launch PMO and governance framework.
• Drive cross-functional planning, execution tracking, issue management, and decision escalation processes.
• Develop executive dashboards, milestone tracking tools, and launch readiness scorecards in partnership with Analytics & Insights team.
• Facilitate governance meetings and ensure timely follow-up on actions and decisions.
• Implement best practices in program management and organizational effectiveness.

Executive & Board Governance Support

• Lead preparation and alignment of Commercial materials for US Commercial Leadership Team, ComEx, and Board of Directors meetings.
• Coordinate development of executive-level presentations, briefing documents, decision papers, and strategic updates.
• Ensure cross-functional alignment on recommendations, risks, progress updates, and key decisions before governance reviews.
• Partner with executives to synthesize complex issues into clear strategic choices and decision frameworks.
• Manage governance calendars, meeting objectives, action items, and follow-up activities to ensure organizational alignment and execution.

Commercial Project Management Office (PMO) Leadership

• Establish and lead the company's Commercial launch PMO and governance framework.
• Drive cross-functional planning, execution tracking, issue management, and decision escalation processes.
• Develop executive dashboards, milestone tracking tools, and launch readiness scorecards in partnership with Analytics & Insights team.
• Facilitate governance meetings and ensure timely follow-up on actions and decisions.
• Implement best practices in program management and organizational effectiveness.

Executive & Board Governance Support

• Lead preparation and alignment of Commercial materials for US Commercial Leadership Team, ComEx, and Board of Directors meetings.
• Coordinate development of executive-level presentations, briefing documents, decision papers, and strategic updates.
• Ensure cross-functional alignment on recommendations, risks, progress updates, and key decisions before governance reviews.
• Partner with executives to synthesize complex issues into clear strategic choices and decision frameworks.
• Manage governance calendars, meeting objectives, action items, and follow-up activities to ensure organizational alignment and execution.

Performance Monitoring & Decision Support

• Create and monitor launch readiness KPIs, identified launch capabilities and enterprise performance metrics.
• Develop reporting mechanisms that provide visibility into launch progress, risks, and resource needs.
• Conduct scenario planning and support executive decision-making with actionable insights.
• Recommend process improvements that enhance speed, efficiency, and organizational effectiveness.

Post-Launch Optimization & Expansion

• Build and evolve a scalable Launch Excellence capability that supports the organization beyond the initial US launch.
• Drive post-launch optimization by identifying opportunities to strengthen commercial execution, organizational effectiveness, and cross-functional performance.
• Adapt launch excellence frameworks, capabilities, and best practices to support potential geographic expansion and entry into ex-US markets.
• Support lifecycle planning and launch readiness for potential additional indications and future growth opportunities.
• Partner with senior leadership to evolve launch and commercial capabilities as the company grows and its portfolio expands.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Life Sciences, Healthcare, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, healthcare consulting, or related industries.
• Significant experience in launch planning, strategic operations, Commercial PMO leadership, commercial strategy, or corporate strategy.
• Demonstrated success leading complex, cross-functional initiatives within a matrixed environment.
• Experience supporting executive leadership teams and governance forums.
• Exceptional project management, organizational, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong executive communication and presentation development capabilities.
• Ability to influence without authority and drive alignment across senior leaders.

Preferred

• Advanced degree (MBA, MPH, PharmD, PhD, or other relevant graduate degree).
• Experience supporting launch preparation for specialty pharmaceuticals, immunology, or gastroenterology.
• Experience preparing materials for Executive Committees and Boards of Directors.
• Familiarity with pre-commercial and emerging biotechnology company environments.
• Experience working on IBD, immunology, or inflammation-focused assets.

Knowledge, Skills & Competencies

• Enterprise mindset and strategic judgment.
• Strong business acumen and operational rigor.
• Executive presence and communication excellence.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and build structure.
• Cross-functional leadership and influence.
• Bias for action and accountability with a focus on execution excellence.
• Exceptional attention to detail balanced with big-picture thinking.
• Ability to translate complex information into clear strategic choices and decisions.
• Proven leadership capability in fast-paced, entrepreneurial environments.
• Ability to build and scale processes within a growing organization.
• Excellent problem-solving capabilities.
• Demonstrates integrity, professionalism, and a commitment to compliance.
• Effective change agent capable of leading through ambiguity and organizational growth.

This job description is intended to describe the general responsibilities and qualifications for this position and is not an exhaustive list of all duties. Responsibilities may change based on business needs, and Abivax reserves the right to modify this job description at any time. xhyhwjd

Reasonable accommodation will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the position.

Abivax is an Equal Opportunity Employer and makes all employment decisions without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.