Director, Trade and Distribution

About the job

• The Director, Trade & Distribution serves as Deciphera's lead for U.S. trade and distribution activities across the oncology and rare disease portfolio. This highly visible leadership role is responsible for developing trade and distribution strategy, managing specialty pharmacy, distributor, wholesaler, and third-party logistics (3PL) partnerships, and ensuring reliable product availability and operational excellence.
• This role serves as the primary business owner for Deciphera's trade and distribution partner network, helping shape future strategy while overseeing the operational execution required to support current products and future launches.
• The successful candidate will combine strategic leadership with hands-on operational expertise, working closely across Market Access, Supply Chain, Patient Support, Finance, Legal, Compliance, Quality, and Commercial teams. This role offers a unique opportunity to influence how trade and distribution functions evolve within a growing biotechnology company while helping support future product launches and portfolio expansion.
• What You'll Do
• Lead relationships with specialty pharmacies, distributors, wholesalers, 3PL providers, and other trade partners to ensure strong business performance, service levels, and operational execution.
• Develop and execute trade and distribution strategies aligned with Market Access objectives, portfolio growth, and future commercialization plans.
• Oversee outsourced distribution activities including inventory visibility, fulfillment, product movement, returns, service performance, and operational issue resolution.
• Support launch planning and distribution readiness activities for new products, indications, and portfolio expansions.
• Lead partner business reviews, performance management discussions, contract renewals, negotiations, and operational improvement initiatives.
• Partner closely with Supply Chain, Patient Support, Finance, Legal, Compliance, and Commercial teams to ensure alignment, continuity of supply, and operational excellence.
• Monitor channel performance, inventory, data quality, and service metrics while identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Serve as a strategic business partner, providing trade, distribution, and channel insights that help inform organizational decision-making and future growth.

• What We're Looking For
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Life Sciences, Healthcare, Supply Chain, or a related field.
• 15+ years of progressive pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry experience.
• 10+ years of experience managing distribution operations, trade operations, channel operations, or related functions.
• 8+ years of experience managing Specialty Pharmacy (SP), distributor, wholesaler, and/or third-party logistics (3PL) relationships.
• Demonstrated expertise in U.S. specialty pharmacy, specialty distribution, and 3PL operating models.
• Experience leading partner relationships, account planning, business reviews, negotiations, and service-performance improvement initiatives.
• Experience overseeing outsourced distribution operations, including inventory management, fulfillment, returns, reporting, and operational issue resolution.
• Strong analytical, communication, project management, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
• Proven ability to influence cross-functional decisions and work effectively in a growing organization with evolving priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to build strong partnerships across organizational boundaries and contribute effectively in highly collaborative environments.
• Preferred Qualifications
• Experience supporting oncology, rare disease, biologics, or other specialty pharmaceutical products.
• Experience with specialty pharmacy networks, limited distribution models, buy-and-bill channels, or specialty distribution organizations.
• Experience supporting product launches, channel strategy development, distribution model implementation, or trade readiness initiatives.
• Working knowledge of order-to-cash processes, inventory management, channel data, state licensing requirements, and distribution compliance.
• Experience leading partner selection activities, requests for proposal (RFPs), contract implementation, or distribution network evolution.
• Advanced degree such as an MBA, MPH, PharmD, or related discipline.

Deciphera, a member of Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing important new medicines and providing hope to people living with cancer, neurologic and autoimmune disease. Deciphera is leveraging its proprietary switch-control kinase inhibitor platform and deep expertise in kinase biology to develop a broad portfolio of innovative medicines. In addition to advancing multiple product candidates from Deciphera’s platform in clinical studies, QINLOCK® (ripretinib) is Deciphera’s switch-control kinase inhibitor approved in many countries including the European Union and the United States for the treatment of adult patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) who have received prior treatment with 3 or more kinase inhibitors, including imatinib. ROMVIMZA® (vimseltinib) is a kinase inhibitor approved in the United States for adult patients with symptomatic tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT) for which surgical resection will potentially cause worsening functional limitation or severe morbidity, and in the European Union for adult patients with TGCT associated with clinically relevant physical function deterioration and in whom surgical options have been exhausted or would induce unacceptable morbidity or disability.
The spirit of collaboration that has brought medications to life continues to guide how we operate, grow, and discover new breakthroughs. We cultivate an inclusive culture that values curiosity, creativity, and shared accountability, empowering individuals to challenge the unknown together.
Deciphera offers competitive compensation, including equity-based compensation, and a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, 401(k) retirement plan, life insurance and a flexible spending account for either health care and/or dependent care.