Associate Director – Patient Assistance Program & Co-Pay Programs

Takeda • Boston, MA

16d • Hybrid

About The Position

As a member of Takeda Oncology, your work will contribute to our bold, inspiring vision: We aspire to cure cancer. Here, you'll build a career grounded in purpose and be empowered to deliver your best. The Associate Director, Patient Assistance Program (PAP) & Co-Pay Programs is responsible for the operational management, governance, and compliance oversight of all financial patient support programs supporting the organization’s U.S. oncology portfolio. The role serves as the internal operational owner of PAP and Co-Pay assistance programs and ensures appropriate eligibility determinations, vendor performance management, regulatory compliance, and patient access continuity. The Associate Director partners cross-functionally with Market Access, Legal, Compliance, Finance, Trade & Distribution, Field Reimbursement, and Hub vendors to implement program governance frameworks and ensure operational execution aligns with company policies and regulatory requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required (e.g., Business, Healthcare Administration, Public Health, Life Sciences, Nursing, or related field).
• 7+ years of experience in patient services, reimbursement operations, market access, hub services, or related healthcare/biopharma functions required.
• Strong background in reimbursement, including benefit verification, prior authorization processes, specialty pharmacy operations, and financial support programs (PAP, co-pay, foundations) required.
• Experience managing hub or patient services vendor relationships, including oversight of SLAs, KPIs, and operational performance required.
• Knowledge of U.S. healthcare regulations impacting patient support programs (e.g., OIG guidance, compliance requirements) required.
• Expert knowledge of patient access and reimbursement including benefit verification, prior authorization processes, specialty pharmacy workflows, and financial support program operations (PAP, co-pay, foundations).
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, and develop operational improvements.
• Vendor management expertise, including oversight of SLAs, KPIs, quality controls, and issue resolution.
• Travel requirement 15% for vendor site visits, internal meetings, audits, and other business-critical engagements.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree preferred.
• Experience working within oncology patient support models preferred.
• Background supporting buy-and-bill, specialty distribution, or complex access pathways preferred.
• Prior experience leading cross-functional teams and managing program audits or compliance reviews preferred.

Responsibilities

• PAP Governance & Eligibility Oversight
• Provide operational oversight of all Patient Assistance Program workflows administered through the hub vendor
• Review PAP eligibility determinations prior to final approval and product dispensing
• Partner with Field Reimbursement & Distribution teams to review complex patient cases, implement case documentation standards to ensure audit readiness and regulatory compliance
• Coordinate provider-office coverage pathway validation for Buy & Bill administered therapies
• Co-Pay Program Operations
• Manage day-to-day operational oversight of commercial co-pay assistance programs
• Monitor and address accumulator and maximizer program impacts through vendor coordination
• Ensure program parameters comply with internal compliance standards and applicable regulations
• Review utilization metrics and identify opportunities to improve patient affordability and adherence

Benefits

• U.S. based employees may be eligible to participate in medical, dental, vision insurance, a 401(k) plan and company match, short-term and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, a tuition reimbursement program, paid volunteer time off, company holidays, and well-being benefits, among others.
• U.S. based employees are also eligible to receive, per calendar year, up to 80 hours of sick time, and new hires are eligible to accrue up to 120 hours of paid vacation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level