Rare Disease Director

Company: Palvella Therapeutics
Location: Multiple

Position Overview

Palvella Therapeutics (NASDAQ: PVLA) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies for serious, rare skin and vascular conditions that currently have no FDA-approved therapies. With a pipeline of potentially first-in-disease assets and a clear path toward commercialization, Palvella offers a unique opportunity to join at a pivotal moment—helping bring meaningful therapies to patients with significant unmet medical needs.

At the core of Palvella’s innovation is its patented QTORIN™ platform, which is designed to deliver therapies directly to affected tissue while minimizing systemic exposure. The platform supports the development of topical therapies that penetrate deep into the layers of the skin, reflecting Palvella’s commitment to pairing scientific precision with real-world applicability for patients and clinicians.

Palvella’s lead product candidate, QTORIN™ rapamycin, is being evaluated in clinical programs for microcystic lymphatic malformations (mLM) and cutaneous venous malformations (cVM). With positive Phase 3 data in mLM and a potential first commercial launch anticipated in early 2027 in mLM, this is a pivotal time to join Palvella, contribute to building its first commercial organization, and make a direct impact on patients, families, and the broader rare skin disease community.

The company is gearing up for what will be a transformational year in 2026 by adding a number of roles in preparation for NDA filing in 2H 2026 and commercialization in early 2027.

The Executive Team

You’ll be joining a passionate, agile, and deeply experienced leadership team, including:

• Wes Kaupinen, Founder and Chief Executive Officer
• Jeff Martini, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer
• Matthew Korenberg, Chief Financial Officer
• Ashley Kline, Chief Commercial Officer
• Kathy Goin, Chief Operating Officer
• David Osborne, Ph.D., Chief Innovation Officer

You will report directly to Kent Taylor, Senior Vice President, Head of Sales.

The Role: Rare Disease Director

The Rare Disease Director (RDD) is responsible for leading, developing, and executing the commercial strategy across a defined geographic region. This role drives sales performance by building a high-performing, compliant, and patient-focused sales team while fostering strong cross-functional collaboration.

The RDD plays a critical role in translating national strategy into local execution, ensuring alignment with brand objectives, and delivering sustainable business results within targeted specialty offices, institutions and Vascular Anomaly Centers across an individually assigned geography.

Role & Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

• Recruit, hire, and develop a high-performing team of Rare Disease Specialists
• Create a culture of accountability, inclusion, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Provide consistent coaching, field engagement, and performance management
• Lead by example with a strong focus on ethical, compliant behavior

Business Execution

• Deliver against regional sales targets and KPIs
• Translate national brand strategy into actionable regional and territory business plans
• Identify opportunities for growth and adjust strategy accordingly

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Marketing, Field marketing, Market and Patient Access and Medical Affairs
• Ensure effective pull-through of brand messaging and initiatives
• Collaborate on access strategy and challenges, along with customer insights

Customer Engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with VAC’s, key opinion leaders (KOLs), health systems, and strategic accounts
• Support the team in navigating complex customer environments
• Ensure a deep understanding of customer needs and patient journey

Operational Excellence

• Ensure compliance with all regulatory, legal, and company policies
• Manage regional budget and resources effectively
• Leverage CRM and data analytics tools to drive decision-making

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred
• 10+ years of pharmaceutical/biotech sales experience
• 5+ years of people leadership experience (preferably second-line leadership)
• Proven track record of delivering sales results in specialty markets
• Strong coaching, leadership, and team development capabilities

Preferred

• Experience in rare disease, immunology, or specialty therapeutics
• Launch experience or working in a high-growth environment
• Experience leading through change or scaling teams

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinking with strong execution focus
• Ability to inspire, motivate, and elevate team performance
• High emotional intelligence and trust-building skills
• Data-driven decision making
• Agility and comfort in fast-paced, evolving environments

Locations & Work Model

This position requires up to 50% travel, both within and outside of the assigned territory. Occasional overnight travel will be required.

• Northeast: New York, Philadelphia, Boston
• Southeast: Florida, Atlanta, Carolinas
• Midwest: Chicagoland
• Central: Texas (Dallas/Houston)
• Northwest: San Francisco Bay Area or Seattle
• Southwest: Southern California or Arizona

Additional Details

Salary Range: $220,000 – $280,000 Annually
Actual salary may vary and will be commensurate with level of industry or rare disease experience.

This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees in this position. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to the job. 

Palvella is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.