Commercial Launch Excellence Consultant
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced Interim Commercial Launch Excellence Consultant to provide strategic and operational leadership across a robust portfolio of product launches. This consultant will partner with cross-functional teams to drive launch readiness, enhance execution consistency, identify and mitigate risks, and establish scalable launch excellence capabilities across the organization.
This is a highly visible interim consulting engagement supporting multiple concurrent launches. The ideal candidate brings a proven track record of successfully leading products from pre-launch planning through commercialization while influencing senior stakeholders across complex matrixed environments.
Key Responsibilities
Launch Strategy & Execution
- Partner with commercial, marketing, medical, market access, sales, operations, and other cross-functional teams to develop and execute launch plans.
- Support multiple product launches simultaneously, ensuring alignment, accountability, and timely execution of critical milestones.
- Drive launch readiness assessments and facilitate cross-functional reviews to identify gaps, risks, and dependencies.
- Establish governance structures, operational rhythms, and decision-making frameworks to support launch execution.
- Track launch progress, monitor key deliverables, and escalate issues requiring executive attention.
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Serve as a strategic advisor to launch teams, helping navigate complex organizational and operational challenges.
- Facilitate collaboration across key stakeholder groups, ensuring alignment on launch objectives and priorities.
- Influence leaders and teams without direct authority to drive execution and achieve launch goals.
- Lead workshops, planning sessions, and governance meetings to accelerate decision-making and issue resolution.
Launch Excellence & Capability Building
- Identify recurring launch challenges and implement standardized processes, tools, and best practices.
- Help strengthen enterprise launch excellence capabilities by creating repeatable frameworks and methodologies.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance launch planning, execution, and performance measurement.
- Contribute to the development and refinement of launch management tools, templates, and operating models.
Risk Management & Operational Readiness
- Proactively identify launch risks and develop mitigation strategies.
- Assess organizational readiness across commercial and functional stakeholders.
- Ensure key launch functions are coordinated and prepared to support successful commercialization.
- Provide leadership with actionable insights, recommendations, and status updates on launch health and readiness.
Required Qualifications
- 10+ years of experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, or related life sciences industries.
- Demonstrated success leading multiple product launches from pre-launch planning through commercialization.
- Deep understanding of commercial launch planning, launch governance, and cross-functional execution.
- Experience partnering with Market Access, Commercial Operations, Marketing, Medical Affairs, Sales, and related commercial functions.
- Proven ability to manage complex initiatives involving multiple stakeholders across matrixed organizations.
- Strong executive presence with the ability to influence and drive alignment without direct authority.
- Exceptional project leadership, facilitation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience establishing, scaling, or improving launch excellence capabilities within a commercial organization.
- Familiarity with SmartLaunch or similar launch planning and readiness platforms.
- Experience identifying common launch risks and implementing standardized best practices across multiple brands or product portfolios.
- Background supporting launches across multiple therapeutic areas.
- Consulting experience supporting large-scale commercialization or launch transformation initiatives.
Ideal Background
- Commercial Launch Excellence Lead
- Launch Strategy Consultant
- Commercialization Consultant
- Launch Readiness Lead
- Product Launch Director
- Commercial Operations Consultant
- Portfolio Launch Lead
- Strategic Program Lead, Product Launches
About Korn Ferry
Korn Ferry unleashes potential in people, teams, and organizations. We work with our clients to design optimal organization structures, roles, and responsibilities. We help them hire the right people and advise them on how to reward and motivate their workforce while developing professionals as they navigate and advance their careers. To learn more, please visit Korn Ferry at www.Kornferry.com
