Marketing Director

This is a hybrid opportunity based out of Concord, CA where you'll work a few days a month in the office.

Summary & Scope of Position

Cerus is seeking an experienced and strategic marketing leader to drive commercial marketing initiatives supporting the continued growth of the INTERCEPT Blood System portfolio and future product launches. This role will lead integrated marketing strategy and execution across hospital, blood center, and healthcare stakeholder audiences, with a strong emphasis on product launch readiness, commercialization excellence, customer engagement, and market expansion.

The Marketing Director will partner cross-functionally with Commercial, Medical Affairs, Clinical, Regulatory, Government Affairs, and Sales teams to develop and execute marketing strategies that strengthen Cerus' market leadership and support successful launches of new products, indications, and geographies. The ideal candidate combines strong strategic thinking with operational execution and has demonstrated success leading product launches in biotech, medical device, diagnostics, or healthcare environments.

This position requires a collaborative leader who thrives in a fast-paced, matrixed organization and can translate customer insights and market dynamics into compelling commercial strategies and measurable business impact.

Primary Responsibilities

Product Launch & Commercial Strategy

• Lead launch planning and commercialization activities for new products, indications, and geographic expansions, including launch readiness, market development, messaging, and customer adoption strategies.
• Develop and execute integrated marketing plans aligned with corporate and commercial objectives.
• Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure successful execution of launch milestones, customer engagement plans, and field readiness initiatives.
• Drive segmentation, positioning, and value proposition development across target customer groups, including hospitals, blood centers, physicians, and healthcare administrators.
• Translate market research, customer insights, competitive intelligence, and clinical data into actionable marketing strategies.

Marketing & Customer Engagement

• Develop and oversee multi-channel marketing campaigns, including collateral, digital, congress, peer-to-peer, advocacy, and field-based initiatives.
• Lead communication planning, content strategy, and development of promotional and educational materials across customer audiences.
• Partner with Sales and market development teams to optimize customer engagement and ensure alignment between strategy and regional execution.
• Support development of customer journey strategies and omnichannel engagement approaches to improve customer experience and commercial performance.
• Manage advisory boards, speaker bureau, advocate development programs, and key external stakeholder engagement activities.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate closely with Medical Affairs, Clinical, Regulatory, Legal, and Government Affairs to ensure compliant and effective communications.
• Serve as a strategic marketing partner to senior leadership and provide commercial input into portfolio planning and business development initiatives.
• Influence cross-functional teams and drive alignment in a complex, matrixed environment.
• Manage external agencies and vendors to deliver high-quality marketing initiatives on time and within budget.

Performance & Operational Excellence

• Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and measurement frameworks to evaluate marketing effectiveness and optimize campaigns.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activities, and customer needs to inform strategic adjustments and identify growth opportunities.
• Maintain knowledge of emerging digital marketing capabilities, tools, and industry best practices.
• Contribute to annual commercial planning, budgeting, and resource prioritization activities.

Qualifications / Requirements / Skills

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in healthcare, biotech, pharmaceutical, diagnostics, or medical device marketing and/or commercial roles.
• Prior director level experience required.
• Demonstrated success leading product launches and commercialization initiatives in regulated healthcare markets required.
• Experience marketing to hospital systems, physicians, blood centers, or healthcare stakeholders required.
• Strong understanding of healthcare commercialization, customer segmentation, market development, and omnichannel marketing strategies.
• Proven ability to develop and execute strategic marketing plans that drive measurable business results.
• Experience collaborating cross-functionally within matrixed global organizations.
• Strong communication, presentation, and storytelling skills with the ability to influence senior leadership and external stakeholders.
• Excellent project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Experience managing agencies, vendors, and marketing budgets.
• Demonstrated ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on execution.
• Strong analytical mindset with experience leveraging market research and performance metrics to drive decision-making.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic thinker with strong commercial acumen
• Customer-focused and insight-driven
• Collaborative and highly influential across functions
• Results-oriented with strong sense of urgency and accountability
• Adaptable and comfortable operating in evolving market environments
• Effective people leader who develops and inspires teams
• Strong executive presence and communication skills

We understand that our people are essential to our success. This philosophy is revealed in our competitive benefits package, designed to improve employees' lives both on and off the job.

Benefits plans: medical, dental, vision, domestic partner benefits, paid maternity and paternity leaves, healthcare and dependent care flexible spending, life and accidental death insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, matching 401(k), RSUs

Work and family: EAP, legal and financial services, health club membership discounts, tuition reimbursement

Compensation: The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $195,000-$248,000 annually. Base pay is one part of the total package to compensate and recognize employees for their work.