Associate Director, Early Pipeline, Patient and Market Access

Takeda•Cambridge, MA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

This role sits at the intersection of market access strategy and clinical/commercial development, serving as the dedicated market access voice for early pipeline assets (typically 2–3+ years from launch). The ideal candidate brings a deep understanding of the US access landscape, strong strategic instincts, and the ability to influence cross-functional decisions upstream — before key development choices are locked in. At Takeda, we are transforming patient care through the development of novel specialty pharmaceuticals and best in class patient support programs. Takeda is a patient-focused company that will inspire and empower you to grow through life-changing work. Certified as a Global Top Employer, Takeda offers stimulating careers, encourages innovation, and strives for excellence in everything we do. We foster an inclusive, collaborative workplace, in which our teams are united by an unwavering commitment to deliver Better Health and a Brighter Future to people around the world. Takeda is an industry-leading, global pharmaceutical company with an unwavering dedication to putting patients at the center of everything we do. We live our values of Takeda-ism – Integrity, Fairness, Honesty, and Perseverance – and are united by our mission to strive towards Better Health and a Brighter Future for people worldwide through leading innovation in medicine. Here, everyone matters and you will be a vital contributor to our inspiring, bold mission. At Takeda, you will make an impact on people’s lives – including your own.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required
7+ years of experience in U.S. Market Access, Payer Strategy, Channel Strategy, HEOR/Policy, or Enterprise Strategy roles required
Strong understanding of U.S. payer archetypes, PBMs, SP networks, employer dynamics, and access innovation models
Demonstrated ability to connect enterprise level insights across brands, channels, and capabilities
Experience working within matrixed environments with cross functional teams (Commercial, A&I, HEOR, Patient Services, Trade, Medical)
Strong analytical, communication, storytelling, and executive ready presentation skills
Strategically Oriented — capable of connecting ecosystem trends to enterprise implications
Insight Driven — comfortable distilling analytics, policy, and market intelligence into clear recommendations
Collaborative — able to align and influence across PAMA and USBU teams
Enterprise Minded — sees across silos and aligns tactics to long-term enterprise goals
Action Oriented — capable of operationalizing strategy into structured workplans and cross functional execution

Nice To Haves

master’s preferred

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain the US market access strategy for early pipeline assets, ensuring payer, pricing, distribution, patient access perspectives are embedded into product development from the outset
Define and pressure-test market access assumptions — including pricing, GtN (payer contracting, provider discounts / incentives, copay, etc), distribution model, reimbursement dynamics, coverage and approval rate uptake, etc) — to inform investment decisions, revenue forecasting, and demand planning
Identify value evidence gaps and work cross-functionally to ensure clinical development plans are designed to generate data that supports future payer negotiations and coverage decisions
Partner with Global Market Access and SPD NPP on insights generation (primary research, secondary analytics, advisory boards) to ground assumptions in current and evolving access ecosystem dynamics
Represent the US Business Unit in global product investment forums, contributing perspective on the US competitive landscape, access evolution, healthcare ecosystem shifts, study design needs
Develop briefing materials, white papers, and strategic recommendations that shape senior leadership decisions on pipeline prioritization and investment
Identify and prioritize market access focus areas (issues, opportunities) where external partnerships could accelerate or strengthen the strategy
Conduct targeted research and direct outreach to evaluate potential partners across the ecosystem: from established entities to emerging innovators
Develop partnership concepts and manage selective execution, determining which initiatives are best housed within the PAMA function versus handed off to brand teams at a later stage
Build a pipeline of external relationships that enhances the organization's market access intelligence and capabilities over time
Develop high-quality early asset strategy materials, leadership updates, and executive presentations tailored to senior audiences
Support key governance forums — including BRC, PRC, and PAMA LT review sessions — ensuring market access perspectives are clearly articulated and decision-ready
Partner with cross-functional stakeholders (Clinical, Medical Affairs, HEOR, Regulatory, Finance, Commercial) to drive alignment on market access assumptions and strategic direction
Serve as a consistent communication bridge across internal stakeholders, enabling transparency, early alignment, and informed decision-making before critical development milestones