Associate Director, Commercial Learning and Development

We’re here for one reason and one reason only – to cure cancer. Every moment is dedicated to developing treatments and every action moves us one step closer to our goal. We’ve made incredible scientific breakthroughs and our pioneering personalized CAR T-cell therapies have changed the paradigm. But we're not finished yet.

Join Kite, as we make even bigger advances in cancer therapies, and help shape where our business and medical science goes next.

We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Kite and help create more tomorrows.

Job Description

Kite is seeking a highly motivated and experienced individual to join the U.S. Commercial Learning and Development team as an Associate Director of Commercial Learning & Development (CL&D). In this key commercial-focused role, you will be responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing high-impact sales and product training programs specifically for the commercial organization, including Market Access teams. A strong background in sales, commercial training, and oncology (particularly in hematology) is essential to ensure effective execution and alignment with business objectives.

As a member of the CL&D team, you will work closely with cross-functional partners in Commercial, Marketing, and Payer teams to identify, build, and deliver training programs that address the needs of our teams, drive performance, and support business growth.

This position is site Based in Santa Monica, CA (no ability for remote or relocation) with 50% travel for training initiatives, meetings, and project management skills.

Kite is transitioning from its current Santa Monica headquarters, with employees expected to relocate to our El Segundo office beginning in January 2027. While this role will be based in Santa Monica through 2026, applicants should take this planned relocation into consideration. Kite supports a flexible working policy, offering a balanced approach with two days of remote working and three days working onsite

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Training Strategy

• Together with the CL&D team, design and deliver commercial training programs that focus on improving selling techniques and fostering strong, customer-focused relationships.

• These programs will educate field personnel on product knowledge, therapeutic areas, and account management to improve effectiveness in customer interactions.

Therapeutic Expertise

• Maintain deep expertise in the therapeutic areas aligned with Kite’s CAR-T therapies, including disease states, products, treatment landscapes, and account management strategy to inform training content to support the commercial organization.

Collaborate with Cross-Functional Teams

• Work closely with key partners in Market Access, Sales, Marketing, Medical, and Channel and Patient Services teams to ensure training materials are aligned with product strategies and organizational needs. This includes coordinating with Regulatory, Legal, and Medical for the review and approval of new training material.

Training Content Development

• Develop and maintain core training modules that cover disease state, product knowledge, and selling skills to ensure the training programs address the evolving needs of commercial teams, including sales, account managers, and market access.

Commercial Onboarding & Continuous Development

• Support the creation and delivery of onboarding programs for new hires and ongoing training for existing team member to ensure all team members are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in their roles.

Project Management

• Manage relationships with external training vendors, oversee training project timelines, and ensure high-quality execution of training programs.

• Support the preparation and delivery of key National and POA meetings.

Basic Qualifications:

• Doctorate and 2+ years of experience

• Master’s degree and 8+ years of experience

• Bachelor’s degree and 10+ years of experience

• Associate degree and 12+ years of experience

• High School Diploma / GED degree and 14+ years of experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• 2+ years of experience in oncology, with a strong preference for experience in hematology, cell therapy, or stem cell transplant

• Proven background in sales, commercial sales training, or learning and development, ideally within the pharmaceutical or biotech industries.

• Experience in developing and executing training programs that support sales performance, account management skills, and product knowledge

• High level of initiative and desire to work in a dynamic, exciting work environment

• Strong expertise in curriculum development and learning platform technologies (LMS, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Professional)

• Exceptional presentation, facilitation, and written communication skills

• Ability to work cross-functionally in a solutions-oriented manner

• Ability to manage complex projects and coordinate cross-functional teams in the design, development, and execution of training initiatives.

• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets

People Leader Accountabilities

• Create Inclusion - knowing the business value of diverse teams, modeling inclusion, and embedding the value of diversity in the way they manage their teams.

• Develop Talent - understand the skills, experience, aspirations, and potential of their employees and coach them on current performance and future potential. They ensure employees are receiving the feedback and insight needed to grow, develop, and realize their purpose.

• Empower Teams - connect the team to the organization by aligning goals, purpose, and organizational objectives and holding them to account. They provide the support needed to remove barriers and connect their team to the broader ecosystem.

The salary range for this position is: $177,905.00 - $230,230.00. Kite considers a variety of factors when determining base compensation, including experience, qualifications, and geographic location. These considerations mean actual compensation will vary. This position may also be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, discretionary stock-based long-term incentives (eligibility may vary based on role), paid time off, and a benefits package. Benefits include company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans*.

For additional benefits information, visit:

• Eligible employees may participate in benefit plans, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans.

Kite is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of innovative cancer immunotherapies with a goal of providing rapid, long-term durable response and eliminating the burden of chronic care. The company is focused on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and T cell receptor (TCR) engineered cell therapies designed to empower the immune system's ability to recognize and kill tumors. Kite is based in Santa Monica, CA. For more information on Kite, please visit . Sign up to follow @KitePharma on Twitter at .

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Kite Pharma is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive work environment comprised of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. Employment decisions regarding recruitment and selection will be made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or other non-job related characteristics or other prohibited grounds specified in applicable federal, state and local laws. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicants who require accommodation in the job application process may contact View email address on click.appcast.io for assistance.

For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the 'Know Your Rights' ( poster.

NOTICE: EMPLOYEE POLYGRAPH PROTECTION ACT (

YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT

Kite Pharma will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, (c) consistent with the legal duty to furnish information; or (d) otherwise protected by law.

Our environment respects individual differences and recognizes each employee as an integral member of our company. Our workforce reflects these values and celebrates the individuals who make up our growing team.

Kite Pharma provides a work environment free of harassment and prohibited conduct. We promote and support individual differences and diversity of thoughts and opinion.

For Current Kite Pharma Employees and Contractors:

Please apply via the Internal Career Opportunities portal in Workday.

Change The World With Us

Everyone at Kite is grounded by one common goal – curing cancer. Every day, we aim to establish a direct line between that purpose and our day-to-day work.

We are creating Kite together, with the recognition that the best teams are built by the best people. We maintain an attitude of curiosity, and creativity with each challenge as we develop a new market for cancer therapies. We appreciate and respect one another, and most importantly, we don’t take success for granted.

While we’ve come a long way to make what others viewed as impossible, possible, we know one thing is certain. Today is just the beginning.