Interim Director Sales Training, Europe

Director Sales Training, Europe (1 year contract)

Location: Zug, Switzerland

Employment Type: Full time, Hybrid

Contract: 1 year with possibility of extension

Reports to: Head of Marketing, Europe

Role Overview

Your primary responsibility will be to create a holistic European Commercial training & Capability. In this role, you will be responsible for identifying leading-edge, innovative training solutions that enable customer engagement, education, and prescribing. The role will also hold comprehensive oversight of commercial training activities for Europe, establishing objective, evidence-based standards for excellence.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Learning Architecture

• Architect the European Capability Blueprint: Define and own the multi-year European Commercial Training & Capabilities strategy, aligning learning pathways directly with European commercial business objectives and launch rollouts.
• Build Core Competency Models: Establish scalable competency frameworks, onboarding tracks, and continuous learning pathways for Key Account Managers (KAMs), First-Line Managers, and field teams across European affiliates.

Active Facilitation & Content Co-Creation

• Directly Design & Facilitate High-Impact Training: Personally author curriculum and lead interactive, high-stakes workshops (e.g., initial sales bootcamps, advanced negotiation, value-based selling, and launch execution).
• Co-Travel & Field Coaching: Conduct regular joint field visits and KAM co-travel across European key markets to coach field teams directly, observe execution challenges firsthand, and refine curriculum based on real-world customer dynamics.
• Rapid-Response Resource Development: Hands-on creation of tactical, point-of-need ("just-in-time") toolkits, objection-handling guides, and digital micro-learning assets supporting immediate field needs.

Launch Readiness & Commercial Execution

• Enable Commercial Launch Preparedness: Lead the hands-on design and execution of commercial launch readiness training for upcoming product launches across European target markets.
• Omnichannel & Digital Engagement Capability: Train and upskill KAMs and field leaders on hybrid customer engagement, ensuring seamless integration of digital tools, remote calls, and CRM workflow into daily account planning.

Performance Analytics & Stakeholder Partnering

• Measure Business Impact & ROI: Establish practical metrics and dashboarding to track training completion, field competency progression, and tangible ROI on commercial performance.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Country GMs, Sales Leaders, Marketing, Market Access, Medical Affairs, and Compliance to ensure training content is localized, compliant, and aligned with regional commercial strategies.

European Training

• Direct and supervise all Sales Training activities across Europe, ensuring selection, development, and competency metrics are structured and evaluated using objective criteria.
• Develop specific training plans aligned with marketing and sales strategic direction, executed within budget, by deeply understanding the challenges Key Account Management (KAM) and Sales Managers face.
• Facilitate comprehensive training solutions, including core initial training and ongoing curriculum designed to enhance KAM competencies.
• Measure the effectiveness of training using quantitative analytics to enhance overall offerings and ensure clear ROI.
• Partner with customer-facing teams and sales leadership to optimize digital and virtual customer engagement training and pull-through.
• Consult with marketing and sales team members on just-in-time training approaches supporting tactical implementation.
• Partner effectively with Market Access, Compliance, GMs, Corporate, HR, and other stakeholders to develop and deliver essential training.
• Address the unique challenges of serving field-based audiences when developing comprehensive training solutions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate effectively with Brand Marketing, Creative/CRM/Digital agencies, Market Research, Analytics, IT, Sales Operations, HR and Medical/Regulatory/Legal business partners.
• Troubleshoot roadblocks and identify creative, compliant solutions to facilitate the forward motion of new initiatives.

Qualifications

• BS/BA degree with 12+ years of experience including 7+ years of pharmaceutical experience with product launch experience and minimum of 5 years sales training experience. Fluent in English, other relevant European languages are an advantage.
• Demonstrable experience across a range of practical digital disciplines such as paid media, SEO, digital analytics, UX design, email marketing, etc.
• Significant experience working with creative and media agencies is required
• Be able to manage and work within financial and budgetary goals
• An understanding of EFPIA and local regulations for drug promotions and experience in working with legal, medical and regulatory review processes
• Understands challenges of serving field-based audiences when developing training solutions