Ascendis Pharma is a dynamic, fast-growing global biopharmaceutical company with locations in Denmark, Europe, and the United States. Today, we're advancing programs in Endocrinology Rare Disease and Oncology. Here at Ascendis, we pride ourselves on exceptional science, visionary leadership, and skilled and passionate colleagues. Guided by our core values of Patients, Science, and Passion, we use our TransCon® drug development platform to fulfill our mission of developing new and potentially best-in-class therapies to address unmet medical needs. Our culture fosters a place where skilled, adaptable, and highly resourceful professionals can truly make their mark. We offer a dynamic workplace for employees to grow and develop their skills. The Associate Director Sales Operations and Incentive Compensation plays a crucial role in driving strategy and execution of Sales Operations. This includes but is not limited to oversight of Field incentive compensation planning and implementation, territory management, promotional activity tracking, fleet, budget management, and reporting. This role will be the main point of contact for internal and external partners and will be responsible for reporting results and weekly trends back to leadership. Additionally, this role will be exposed to and participate in many of the other Sales Operations functions supporting the field force including but not limited to reporting, analysis and productivity. The position will be based in Princeton, New Jersey. Key Responsibilities + Lead Sales Operations process and systems to enhance efficiency and productivity + Solid Experience in Sales Force Design, Alignment, Targeting, Call Planning, and Incentive Compensation + Collaborate with broader Commercial Operations team to review data, improve existing processes, and on new projects to support the business + Oversees sales incentive compensation plans (IC); the models and analysis of potential IC, forecasting performance, territory management design and associated expenses. Solicits input on current and potential plan designs from various stakeholders. Reviews and is first line approval for all plans and payouts. + Partner with Global IT to develop dashboards, KPIs, and reports to monitor the performance of commercial initiatives. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design impactful, insightful reports and provide training to the field team as needed. + Collaborates with Internal and External stakeholders including, Sales and Marketing, Finance, Customer Service and Medical to communicate and drive programs throughout the organization. Requirements + Bachelor’s Degree required; Master’s Degree or MBA preferred + Minimum of 8 years of work in the life science industry within sales operations + At least 3 years or more of direct Sales Operations experience in incentive compensation processing and design + Experience leading/managing vendors in the life science industry + Experience working in a matrix environment, with the ability to manage multiple customer needs and working on projects that run simultaneously and are interdependent + Excellent oral and written communication skills + Experience in Specialty or Rare Disease, preferred + Proven history of working and delivering on multiple projects simultaneously, with tight deadlines and changing priorities is required + Advanced knowledge of MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) is required. Tableau preferred. + Self-starter, proactive in nature, actively participates and self-motivated + Excellent communication and training skills to effectively convey complex technical information to non-technical stakeholders. + Understanding of the pharmaceutical landscape, including knowledge of commercial infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, drug development processes, and healthcare systems + Ability to adapt to evolving business needs and technologies and stay updated with the latest advancements in data analytics tools, techniques, and industry trends. + Attention to detail and the ability to work independently, within a multi-disciplinary team, and with external partners and vendors. + Strong written and verbal communication skills + Ability to travel up to 15% of the time domestically and internationally A note to recruiters: We do not allow external search party solicitation. Presentation of candidates without written permission from the Ascendis Pharma Inc Human Resources team (specifically from: Talent Acquisition Partner or Human Resources Director) is not allowed. If this occurs your ownership of these candidates will not be acknowledged. Benefits + 401(k) plan with company match + Medical, dental, and vision plans + Company-offered Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance + Company-provided short and long-term disability benefits + Unique offerings of Pet Insurance and Legal Insurance + Employee Assistance Program + Employee Discounts + Professional Development + Health Saving Account (HSA) + Flexible Spending Accounts + Various incentive compensation plans + Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity Insurance + Mental Health resources + Paid leave benefits for new parents