Associate Director US Oncology Payer/Market Access

Merck•North Wales, PA

2d•$142,400 - $224,100•Remote

About The Position

The Associate Director, US Oncology Payer/Market Access supports tactical execution and strategy development for oncology products, including an alliance product and a new product. The role collaborates with brand teams, alliance partners, internal functions, and external agencies to develop and implement market access strategies for current and future indications. Customer segments include health plans, Medicare, Medicaid, federal programs, pharmacy, hospitals, and group purchasing organizations. The position manages early access planning and contributes to work on list pricing, lifecycle gross-to-net, discounting and contracting assumptions, impacts of IRA legislation, site-of-care considerations, and value messaging for payers and providers. It also supports payer value propositions, channel strategies, branded promotional initiatives, field-facing communications and resources, product forecasting, and assessment of patient out-of-pocket costs across pharmacy and medical benefits. The role reports to the Director, Oncology Market Access – Orals & Alliances. It is based in Upper Gwynedd, Pennsylvania, with a hybrid work model or remote option. The position has a 10% travel requirement and first-shift day schedule.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree (BA/BS).
At least five years of combined experience in pharmaceutical marketing, marketing customer management, managed care, or sales.
Strategic thinking, problem-solving, analytical and critical-thinking, and planning skills.
Proactive approach and ability to manage change, anticipate risks, and design controls or mitigation.
Excellent written and verbal leadership and communication skills.
Ability to lead across departments and roles and effectively engage senior management.
Strong judgment, prioritization, and decision-making skills, with understanding of broader corporate strategies.
Ability to work comfortably and confidently with teams from varied backgrounds, demonstrate inclusive behaviors, and actively seek diverse perspectives and experiences.
Understanding of healthcare trends and policy issues affecting pharmacy and medical benefits and their potential impact on business opportunities.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree (MBA).
Associate Director-level marketing or managed care/payer marketing experience.
Experience in oncology, oncology payer, or market access for oral oncology medicines.
Experience working in alliances and collaborations with external partners.
Digital promotion experience.

Responsibilities

Work with alliance partners, internal functions, and external agency partners to develop customer-specific strategies and execute plans that support patient access and business growth.
Collaborate with internal teams and alliance partners to develop and execute comprehensive payer and market access strategies for oncology medicines and align them with brand marketing objectives for current and future indications.
Contribute to payer value propositions, channel-specific strategies, and branded promotional initiatives.
Serve as the accountable point of contact for resource support and ongoing planning of messaging and communications for field-facing teams, including Oncology Sales Teams and Key Accounts.
Provide US-perspective input to Global Access Teams, new product planning teams, Health Economics and Outcomes Research, and emerging business development opportunities.
Work cross-functionally with Organized Customer Access and Reimbursement, Market Research, policy, Global Market Access, Health Economics and Outcomes Research, compliance, legal, pricing, and other teams to develop value propositions that support access and reimbursement consistent with product labeling.
Support alliance and new product forecasting discussions as needed.
Understand the patient cost impact, including out-of-pocket costs for monotherapy and combination therapies across pharmacy and medical benefits.
Manage early access planning and contribute to list pricing, lifecycle gross-to-net, discount and contracting assumptions, IRA legislation impacts, site-of-care considerations, and payer and provider value messaging.