Senior Director, Access Strategy, Rheumatology

Job Title:

Senior Director, Access Strategy, Rheumatology

Location:

Cambridge or Morristown

Reports To:

General Manager, Rheumatology

About the job

Join the team transforming care for people with immune challenges, rare diseases, cancers, and neurological conditions. In Specialty Care, you’ll help deliver breakthrough treatments that bring hope to patients with some of the highest unmet needs.

_Overview:_

The Sr. Director of Access Strategy, Rheumatology is responsible for leading access strategy and execution of pricing/contracting strategy and GTN management, channel strategy, patient copay and other patient services related to coverage, reimbursement and patient access. They are responsible for defining, developing and leading the market access strategy for the therapeutic area. Reporting directly to the General Manager, US Rheumatology, this role will act as a thought partner and consultant by presenting scope analysis, strategic options and recommendations ensuring the strategy for formulary access and financial objectives (revenue, net sales, BOI) are overdelivering for the portfolio of innovative therapies. This highly visible role must provide a holistic understanding of both brand and access strategy.

About Sanofi

We’re an R&D-driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people’s lives and delivering compelling growth. Our deep understanding of the immune system – and innovative pipeline – enables us to invent medicines and vaccines that treat and protect millions of people around the world. Together, we chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives.

_Main Responsibilities:_

Access Strategy & Market Access Excellence:

• Collaborate with the General Manager & senior leadership to set strategic direction for market access, pricing, channel strategy, and reimbursement.
• Develop and execute a robust, evidence-based market access strategy that maximizes payer adoption and patient access to critical therapies.
• Lead the creation of value propositions that demonstrate the economic and clinical benefits of products to payers, healthcare providers, and stakeholders.
• Develop and communicate robust market access strategies and plans, including clear articulation of the brands’ value story, and help to integrate them into the overall brand plan.
• Lead preparations for brand lifecycle management strategies, including evidence generation and pricing to maximize IRA negotiations with CMS
• Assess ongoing indication development strategies within Sanofi and with alliance partner; provide market access input into risks and opportunities, valuations and forecasts
• Apply policy and payer policy trends to inform contracting strategy evolution
• Partner with HEVA business partners to inform real world evidence generation and ensure health economic activities are in place to meet the needs of payers.
• Lead efforts to anticipate and adapt to changes in the regulatory and reimbursement landscape, ensuring compliance and sustained market access.
• Identify gaps in current market access understanding and develop plans to gain direct payer insights through primary research, advisory boards, etc., and work with vendors to implement projects in a timely, impactful manner.
• Lead pull through opportunities and execution of pull through strategy for all channels and geographies based upon formulary position and opportunity.
• Provide strategic and executional support for product launches, including market research, pricing strategy, contracting, and messaging to ensure successful market entry and adoption.

Gross-to-Net (GTN) Strategy & Financial Oversight:

• Oversee and optimize the GTN for the therapeutic area, ensuring that pricing, rebates, and discounts [by channel] are managed efficiently to optimize net sales / BOI.
• Monitor and analyze GTN performance, providing recommendations to senior leadership to mitigate risks and maximize profitability.
• Work closely with Market Access Shared Services, Finance, Forecasting, Patient Support Services, Trade, Legal, and other cross functional stakeholders to identify opportunities to improve the brand gross-to-net while ensuring ease of access for patients at dispense.
• As part of GTN management, ensuring success at all payers as well as the deployment of thoughtful copay programs will be a key focus. Partnering with these key functions [Trade, Patient Support Services] will be essential in the overall success of the therapeutic area.
• Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) and track progress against access and financial goals.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Lead coordination of all access strategy elements via collaboration with cross-functional teams, including Market Access Shared Services, Brand Strategy, Medical Affairs, Regulatory, Patient Support Services, distribution and Finance, to integrate access considerations into product development, launch, and lifecycle management.
• Ensure alignment of access strategies with the overall business objectives, providing guidance to senior leadership on access-related decisions.
• Serve as the TA subject matter expert for market access and GTN, providing strategic insights to influence key decisions at the leadership level.
• Work closely with Business Insights & Solutions (BIS) to monitor the competitive landscape & intelligence, track payer behavior, market trends, and industry developments to inform access and pricing strategies.
• Collaborates with Market Access Account Management team to ensure access strategies are executed with customers

Leadership & Team Development:

• Lead, mentor, and develop Kevzara Access Strategy team of Access Strategy, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and innovation.
• Ensure alignment between team activities and broader therapeutic area and organizational goals.
• Oversee the performance of the team, providing guidance, coaching, and professional development opportunities to drive team success and career growth.

About You

_Qualifications:_

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (MBA, M.S., PharmD, PhD) preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in commercial roles, including significant direct experience in US market access (account management, payer marketing, contracting, pricing)
• Experience working in highly competitive and contracted therapeutic areas, such as rheumatology or other immunology categories
• Proven track record of managing teams and leading strategic initiatives across complex therapeutic areas.
• Solid understanding of strategic pricing and commercial contracting strategy, process and rules.
• Experience developing and executing lifecycle management strategies and within dynamic policy and legislative environment
• Experience launching new indications, including strong understanding of launching new formulations across medical and pharmacy benefit
• Strong strategic thinking and analytical mindset, with a focus on financial optimization, and risk management.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to build, motivate, and develop high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence and negotiate with senior executives, payers, and external stakeholders.
• High degree of business acumen, with the ability to balance strategic objectives with financial imperatives.
• Ability to navigate complex, highly regulated environments and manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Demonstrated analytical and financial skillsets.
• Ability to balance brand and access objectives when they may be in conflict

_Other:_

Travel anticipated to be approximately 30% between field, Sanofi Specialty Care HQ, and other meetings as appropriate.

Why Choose Us?

• Bring the miracles of science to life alongside a supportive, future-focused team.
• Discover endless opportunities to grow your talent and drive your career, whether it’s through a promotion or lateral move, at home or internationally.
• Enjoy a thoughtful, well-crafted rewards package that recognizes your contribution and amplifies your impact.
• Take good care of yourself and your family, with a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits including high-quality healthcare, prevention and wellness programs and at least 14 weeks’ gender-neutral parental leave.