Senior Marketing Manager - Switzerland at Ascendis Pharma · Zurich

Are you excited by the opportunity to build and shape a marketing function from the ground up? Do you thrive in an entrepreneurial environment where initiative, rigorous thinking, and accountability are valued? Would you like to play a key role in bringing innovative therapies to patients and healthcare professionals in Switzerland? Then join Ascendis Pharma at an exciting stage of growth and help bring innovation to life.

Ascendis Pharma is a global biopharmaceutical company committed to making a meaningful difference in patients’ lives. Guided by our core values of Patients, Science, and Passion, we are applying our innovative TransCon® technology platform to fulfill our mission of developing new therapies that demonstrate best-in-class potential to address unmet medical needs.

At our headquarters in Hellerup, Denmark, research facilities in Heidelberg, Germany, and additional offices across Europe and the United States, we are advancing programs in our Endocrinology Rare Disease portfolio. We also collaborate with partners on the development of TransCon-based products in other therapeutic areas and markets.

We are seeking a strategic, entrepreneurial, and hands-on Senior Marketing Manager to play a key role in establishing and shaping the marketing function for Ascendis Pharma in Switzerland.

This is a unique opportunity to build something real from the ground up. As Ascendis Pharma continues to establish and grow its presence in Switzerland, you will play a central role in shaping the local marketing agenda, developing and executing brand strategies, and preparing for and driving successful product launches.

In this role, you will translate Global and Regional strategies into impactful local initiatives while ensuring alignment with local market needs, regulations, and commercial objectives. You will work closely with the Swiss cross-functional team as well as European and Global colleagues, building strong partnerships across the organization and helping establish the commercial foundation for Ascendis Pharma in Switzerland.

You will thrive in an entrepreneurial environment characterized by flat hierarchies, fast decision-making, and a culture where rigorous thinking, initiative, and accountability are valued and rewarded. We are looking for someone who is comfortable navigating ambiguity, building structures where they do not yet exist, and translating insights and strategy into decisive action.

You will report directly to the Country Manager Switzerland and work closely with local, Regional, and Global colleagues across Marketing, Medical, Market Access, Quality, Compliance, Product Supply, and Legal.

Your key responsibilities will be:

Build and Shape the Marketing Function

• Establish and lead the brand and marketing function for Switzerland from the ground up
• Lead cross-functional, evidence-based brand strategies and plans, building on Global and Regional marketing strategies and materials while ensuring alignment with local regulations
• Develop promotional campaigns and tactical plans across the portfolio
• Support portfolio strategies and contribute to the development of the local commercial agenda
• Own the KPI framework and project overview and drive continuous performance optimization
• Manage and track budgets and expenses

Drive Product Launches and Commercial Excellence

• Drive product launches through structured launch readiness frameworks and clear go/no-go criteria
• Lead market research and competitor analyses to systematically identify opportunities and risks
• Assess the impact of digital channels on healthcare professionals and optimize engagement strategies
• Place customers at the centre of what we do by understanding their needs and identifying appropriate solutions

Lead Cross-Functional Collaboration and External Engagement

• Collaborate with local and Regional functions, including Marketing, Medical, Market Access, Quality, Compliance, Product Supply, and Legal, to support launch preparation and execution
• Act as a key player in the organization of customer events, including advisory boards, symposia, congress activities, and launch meetings
• Drive project management across key marketing initiatives
• Liaise with and manage external agencies across advertising, PR, and communications to ensure campaign effectiveness
• Lead and coordinate the communication strategy across relevant channels

Ensure Compliance and High-Quality Execution

• Ensure compliance with local regulations, industry codes, and company policies across all marketing activities
• Drive high-quality and effective execution across marketing initiatives

Qualifications and Skills

We are looking for a strategic and commercially minded marketing professional with strong pharmaceutical or biotech experience, who combines analytical rigor with the ability to translate insights into clear priorities and impactful action.

• Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences, Pharmacy, Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field required; an advanced degree such as a Master’s degree, MBA, PharmD, or equivalent is preferred
• 5+ years of pharmaceutical or biotech marketing experience
• Launch experience and a proven track record in brand management with measurable outcomes
• Experience building structures and ways of working in ambiguous or evolving environments
• Strong analytical skills combined with the drive to translate insights into decisive action
• Comfortable challenging assumptions — including your own — through data and structured reasoning
• Experience in rare diseases, specialty care, or highly specialized therapeutic areas is an advantage
• Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities
• Strong communication skills and the ability to prepare and deliver presentations to a variety of audiences
• Independent and self-driven, while also highly collaborative and team-oriented
• Fluent in German and English; French and/or Italian are a plus

Key Competencies

You are a highly motivated self-starter with a strong commercial mindset and a natural ability to turn strategy into action. You thrive when given the opportunity to build, shape, and create, and you are comfortable navigating an environment where not everything is already defined.

You combine analytical rigor with creativity and a pragmatic, hands-on approach. You are curious and comfortable challenging assumptions and can translate complex information and market insights into clear priorities and impactful actions.

You thrive in a cross-functional and matrixed environment and are able to build strong relationships with stakeholders across different functions and levels of the organization. Whether working independently or collaboratively, you bring a structured, proactive, and solution-oriented approach.

You have an entrepreneurial mindset and a strong sense of accountability. You are excited by the opportunity to help build Ascendis Pharma's presence in Switzerland and to make a meaningful impact for patients and healthcare professionals.

Apply now

We evaluate applications when received, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. Please note that we conduct interviews on a rolling basis and reserve the right to remove the job posting at any time.

To ensure your application is reviewed, please submit it through the specified platform. Applications sent by email or other channels will not be evaluated.

Applications must be submitted in English and will be treated confidentially.

A note to recruiters:

We do not allow external search party solicitation. Presentation of candidates without written permission from the Ascendis Pharma HR team (specifically from a Talent