Director, Patient Educator Lead

About Acadia Pharmaceuticals Acadia is committed to turning scientific promise into meaningful innovation that makes the difference for underserved neurological and rare disease communities around the world. Our commercial portfolio includes the first and only FDA-approved treatments for Parkinson’s disease psychosis and Rett syndrome. We are developing the next wave of therapeutic advancements with a robust and diverse pipeline that includes mid- to late-stage programs in Alzheimer’s disease psychosis and Lewy body dementia psychosis, along with earlier-stage programs that address other underserved patient needs. At Acadia, we’re here to be their difference. Position Summary The Director, Patient Educator Lead is a field-based leadership role within ACADIA’s commercial organization responsible for leading and developing a team of Patient Educators while directly supporting patients and caregivers living with Parkinson’s disease psychosis (PDP). Operating as a “player-coach,” this individual combines patient and caregiver engagement with team leadership, coaching, and strategic execution. This role is accountable for team performance against defined KPIs, including both the volume and quality of patient and caregiver interactions, and for delivering education that drives measurable impact on patient readiness to engage healthcare providers. The Director partners cross-functionally with Marketing, Sales, Advocacy, and Patient Support Services to expand disease awareness, improve patient readiness for treatment discussions, and advance ACADIA’s patient-focused mission. Success in this role requires shifting from activity-based engagement to outcomes-driven execution, ensuring patient education consistently results in more informed, confident, and action-ready patients and caregivers. Primary Responsibilities Patient & Caregiver Engagement Provide 1:1 education, in person or in a 1:1 setting, to patients, caregivers, and families regarding PDP, Nuplazid, and ACADIA support resources using approved materials. Support patients and caregivers with empathy and professionalism throughout their treatment journey. Partner with advocacy organizations, community groups, and professional societies to expand patient education efforts. Coordinate appropriate handoffs to Patient Access Managers (PAMs) for coverage and access support. Model best practices in patient engagement, communication, and education delivery for Patient Educators. Ensure all patient and caregiver interactions are outcomes-driven, with a focus on improving understanding of disease and increasing readiness to engage in treatment discussions with HCPs, consistent with approved and compliant messaging Team Leadership & Performance Management Lead, coach, and develop a team of Patient Educators through onboarding, field coaching, mentorship, and ongoing capability development. Establish clear expectations for engagement quality, compliance, execution, and proactive outreach. Own team performance against KPIs, proactively identifying gaps and taking corrective action through structured coaching, feedback, and development planning Conduct field observations, recurring coaching sessions, and performance reviews. Serve as an escalation point for complex patient or caregiver situations. Identify and scale best practices across the team to strengthen overall performance and consistency. Strategic Execution & Operational Accountability Drive team performance against established KPIs, including meaningful patient interactions, engagement quality, documentation standards, and timely PAM handoffs. Use performance data and field insights to identify trends, execution gaps, and opportunities for improvement. Develop and manage annual team and individual MBOs aligned with brand strategy, ensuring clear linkage between strategic priorities, field execution, and measurable performance outcomes Conduct quarterly assessments of execution against objectives and implement coaching or corrective actions as needed. Drive a proactive field engagement model in which Patient Educators actively create and expand patient and caregiver interaction opportunities, with clear expectations, tracking, and accountability for this behavior across the team Program Development & Cross-Functional Collaboration Lead planning and execution of patient and caregiver educational programs, speaker events and community based events. Partner with Marketing, Advocacy, Sales, and Patient Support Services to support disease awareness and patient engagement initiatives. Collaborate with Marketing on patient and caregiver advisory activities and insight gathering. Capture and synthesize patient and caregiver feedback to inform engagement strategies, educational resources, and field execution. Serve as a field representative of the patient and caregiver perspective in internal discussions. Ensure all activities comply with legal, regulatory, and company policies. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree required; healthcare or life sciences preferred. Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in pharmaceutical or biotech environments with a focus on patient education, patient support, or advocacy. Prior experience leading or mentoring a field‑based team strongly preferred. Background in patient education, patient navigation, clinical care, pharmacy, or community health education highly valued. Strong leadership, coaching, and mentoring skills, with demonstrated ability to assess performance and drive improvement in team effectiveness. Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills; able to translate complex science into patient‑friendly language. Compassionate, patient‑focused mindset with the ability to navigate sensitive conversations with empathy. Self‑starter with demonstrated ability to operate independently, prioritize effectively, and drive outcomes without reliance on external prompting. Strong understanding of compliance and regulatory frameworks within pharma/biotech. Must reside within reasonable proximity to a major airport. Requires eligibility to drive a company vehicle and ability to travel independently by air. Travel may be up to 75% of the time, including occasional after-hours work based on business needs. Bilingual (English/Spanish) is a plus. 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.

#LI-SM1 #LI-REMOTE

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

$190,000—$237,200 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 (US-based Employees): Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications in the exact way they are described in job postings. We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and innovative company, and we are looking for the BEST candidate for the job. That candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background or may meet the qualifications in a different way. We strongly encourage you to apply, especially if the reason you are the best candidate isn’t exactly what we describe here. It is the policy of Acadia to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and employment applicants without regard to considerations of race, including related to hairstyle, color, religion or religious creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, gender transition, country of origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, legally-protected medical condition or information, marital status, domestic partner status, family care status, military caregiver status, veteran or military status (including reserve status, National Guard status, and military service or obligation), status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, enrollment in a public assistance program, or any basis protected under federal, state or local law. As an equal opportunity employer, Acadia is committed to a diverse workforce. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. Furthermore, you may request additional support if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access Acadia’s career website due to your disability, along with any accommodations throughout the interview process. To request or inquire about your reasonable accommodation, please complete our Reasonable Accommodation Request Form or contact us at View email address on click.appcast.io or View phone number on click.appcast.io. Please note that reasonable accommodations granted throughout the recruiting process are not guaranteed to be the same accommodations given if hired. A new request will need to be submitted for any ADA accommodations after starting employment. California Applicants: Please see Additional Information for California Residents within our Privacy Policy. Canadian Applicants: Please see Additional Information for Canadian Residents within our Privacy Policy. Applicants in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Serbia: Please see Additional Information for Individuals in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Serbia within our Privacy Policy. Notice to Search Firms/Third-Party Recruitment Agencies (Recruiters): The Talent Acquisition team manages the recruitment and employment process for Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“Acadia”). Acadia does not accept resumes from recruiters or search firms without an executed search agreement in place. Resumes sent to Acadia employees in the absence of an executed search agreement will not obligate Acadia in any way with respect to the future employment of those individuals or potential remuneration to any recruiter or search firm. Candidates should never be submitted directly to our hiring managers or employees.