Position Overview

The incumbent will be responsible for driving learning and development interventions for the Therapeutic Business, with a strong focus on enhancing the capability, productivity and effectiveness of the field force.

The role requires a strategic, results-oriented and business-focused learning professional with a passion for developing people and driving organizational performance through impactful learning, capability-building and coaching interventions.

The incumbent will be responsible for planning and delivering induction and onboarding programs for current hires, including the development and delivery of training modules covering anatomy, disease areas, product knowledge, selling skills and customer engagement. The role will also be responsible for sustaining learning effectiveness through periodic classroom interventions, role-plays, cycle-meeting sessions and joint field coaching in partnership with business leaders.

The position will play an important role in benchmarking field-force productivity, identifying capability gaps and implementing targeted interventions to continuously improve individual and team performance.

Ideal Candidate

A senior pharmaceutical Learning & Development / Sales Training professional with 15+ years of industry experience and significant exposure to field-force training, induction, product and disease-area training, selling skills, coaching, capability development and commercial excellence. The ideal candidate should combine strong facilitation skills with strategic thinking, stakeholder management and a clear understanding of how learning interventions can translate into improved field performance and business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

1. Training Needs Identification & Learning Strategy

- Identify learning and capability-development needs in consultation with business and functional stakeholders.
- Develop training interventions aligned with business priorities, competencies and capability requirements.
- Design innovative and engaging learning approaches to improve field-force effectiveness and customer-centricity.
- Evaluate and leverage digital learning tools, platforms and new learning methodologies.
- Develop learning calendars and intervention plans based on business requirements.
- Coordinate training logistics, including venues, materials, schedules, nominations and participant communication.
- Partner with stakeholders to identify capability gaps and translate them into actionable learning interventions.

2. Training Design & Delivery

- Design and deliver structured induction programs for new hires, including content development and classroom facilitation.
- Develop and deliver training modules covering:
- Anatomy and disease areas
- Product knowledge
- Selling skills
- Customer engagement
- Competitive intelligence
- Communication and presentation skills

- Conduct periodic classroom training and refresher programs based on identified business needs.
- Facilitate role-plays, simulations and experiential learning interventions during cycle meetings and other business forums.




- Cascade training modules across regions/zones to ensure consistency of learning and capability standards.
- Support training requirements for new product launches, new indications and business-critical initiatives.
- Collaborate with business, operations and cross-functional teams to ensure effective execution of capability-building initiatives.
- Support digital learning initiatives and explore cutting-edge solutions to address business capability requirements.

3. Field Coaching & Sustaining Learning

- Conduct joint field work and field coaching in consultation with business leaders and regional stakeholders.
- Translate classroom learning into practical field application through structured coaching.
- Develop product and skill-based learning materials, write-ups and reinforcement tools.
- Conduct periodic assessments, quizzes and knowledge checks to measure learning effectiveness.
- Track and benchmark field-force productivity and capability metrics.
- Identify performance gaps and recommend targeted interventions.
- Establish and strengthen a continuous coaching culture through structured coaching initiatives, learning communications and periodic reinforcement.
- Monitor the effectiveness of training interventions and continuously improve programs based on feedback and business outcomes.

4. Business & Commercial Capability Support

- Partner with Sales and Marketing teams in developing customer-facing learning and communication materials.
- Support the development of visual aids, learning materials, LBLs and other sales-enablement tools.
- Provide relevant market insights and competitive intelligence to support business and capability initiatives.
- Support commercial excellence and digital capability-building initiatives.
- Contribute to launch-readiness and capability-building programs for new products and indications.
- Work closely with internal and external stakeholders to develop innovative solutions to business challenges.
- Partner with global/regional learning teams on onboarding, competency frameworks and capability-building initiatives.
- Support business cases, market research and stakeholder alignment for strategic learning initiatives.

5. Governance, Compliance & Budget Management

- Ensure all training activities are conducted in accordance with applicable organizational policies, ethical standards and regulatory requirements.
- Maintain appropriate standards relating to compliance, health and safety, financial controls and business conduct.
- Support training budgets through effective planning, cost management and utilization.
- Track training effectiveness, participation, completion and business impact through appropriate metrics.




- Maintain appropriate documentation and governance around learning interventions.

6. Stakeholder Management & Collaboration

- Build strong relationships with Sales, Marketing, HR, Medical, Compliance, Finance, Legal and other relevant functions.
- Work closely with regional and business leaders to understand capability requirements and develop targeted interventions.
- Collaborate with senior stakeholders to align learning initiatives with business priorities.
- Facilitate cross-functional initiatives involving diverse stakeholder groups.
- Partner with external learning/digital service providers wherever required.

7. Continuous Learning & Professional Development

- Continuously enhance knowledge of modern learning methodologies, digital learning and capability-building practices.
- Participate in internal and external learning programs, workshops and professional development initiatives.
- Maintain relevant professional networks and stay updated on emerging trends in learning and development.
- Collaborate with international/regional learning teams to leverage global best practices.

Candidate Profile

Education

- Graduate in Science / Life Sciences / Pharmacy or related discipline.
- Diploma/Certification in Training & Development or Learning & Development would be an advantage.

Experience

- 15+ years of overall experience within the Pharmaceutical industry.
- Minimum 10+ years of experience in Corporate / Regional Training, Sales Training or Learning & Development.
- Experience with a leading multinational or reputed Indian pharmaceutical organization preferred.
- Strong exposure to field-force capability development, sales training, induction, product training and coaching.
- Experience working closely with Sales and Marketing teams in a pharmaceutical environment.
- Exposure to new product launches, therapeutic areas and commercial capability development would be advantageous.

Key Competencies

- Strategic thinking and business orientation
- Strong learning & capability-building expertise
- Excellent facilitation and presentation skills
- Strong communication and influencing ability
- Storytelling and engaging training delivery
- Strong stakeholder management and collaboration
- Coaching and mentoring capability
- Analytical and problem-solving skills
- Negotiation and influencing skills
- Customer-centric mindset
- Ability to translate business requirements into learning interventions
- Strong understanding of field-force productivity and performance metrics
- Ability to work effectively across functions and geographies

Key Success Measures

- Effectiveness of new-hire induction and onboarding
- Improvement in field-force capability and productivity
- Training participation, knowledge retention and application
- Effectiveness of coaching and field interventions
- Capability enhancement across therapeutic teams
- Quality and consistency of training programs
- Stakeholder satisfaction and business alignment
- Contribution of learning interventions to commercial performance

📌 Senior Manager Sales Training (Bengaluru)
🏢 Abbvie
📍 Bengaluru