Associate Director, US Value & Access

Ionis•Carlsbad, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director, US Value & Access will play a critical role in shaping US value and access strategy for Ionis’ innovative products, supporting the company’s transformation into a fully integrated biotechnology organization. This individual will be responsible for leading development of payer and access marketing materials, developing and conducting training for field teams, and working with the US payer account team, Field Reimbursement and Sales Force to navigate reimbursement issues and enable timely patient access for Ionis’ launch products. This position will report to the Director, US Value & Access and will serve as the strategic access lead for launch and inline brands, translating complex payer and market dynamics into clear direction for cross-functional teams.

Requirements

Undergraduate bachelor’s degree required, ideally in health sciences or business/marketing; MBA or other advanced degree preferred
At least 12 years of bio/pharmaceutical experience with previous experience in payer and/or access marketing of 3+ years preferred
Applies expertise in market access, reimbursement, and payer marketing, with the ability to integrate policy, clinical, and commercial considerations
Shapes functional and brand-level strategy, contributing to the development of company objectives through insight-driven, innovative access solutions
Recognized as an internal subject matter expert in market access and reimbursement, with a track record of influencing senior and cross-functional stakeholders
New product launch experience in the US required, preference for specialty drug launch
Experience with both Pharmacy and Medical Benefit products, with knowledge of rare disease, orphan, or ultra-orphan product experience highly desirable
Experience working with agencies on creation of materials and obtaining approvals with promotional material review committees
Ability to partner / effectively collaborate across functions to gain alignment on approach, responsibilities, material development, and timelines
Demonstrated ability and proven history of driving projects and initiatives to completion
Highly organized and detail oriented, with strong project management and presentation and writing skills, proactive communications

Responsibilities

Lead comprehensive analyses of the access landscape including channel mix, current coverage, competitive dynamics, payer unmet need and willingness to pay, Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) implications, and consideration of the impact of different future payer management strategies
Serve as the access marketing strategic lead in brand planning, owning access-related strategic input and decision-making, and guiding market access marketing tactical execution plans for new to market HAE therapy for customer-facing field teams
Own the development and evolution of the communication strategy and tools for formulary decision makers (Payers, PBMs, Institutions, etc.) including value narratives, core access platforms, training strategy, and pull-through tools
Set strategy and provide oversight for development of access materials for HCPs and Patients, ensuring alignment to brand strategy, regulatory standards, and customer insights
Provide strategic leadership and influence cross-functional partners including Marketing, Patient Services, HEOR, Medical Affairs, and Trade & Distribution on access-related messaging, materials, and field readiness
Design and lead the promotional plan, programs, multi-channel communications platform and tactics to pull-through market access strategy (training materials, selling resources/tools, and field sales integration)
Anticipate evolving market and policy dynamics and synthesize complex market, payer, and competitive data to proactively shape access strategy, identify material risks, and recommend mitigation plans at the brand and portfolio level
Lead and be accountable for management of key agency partners in the execution of market development strategy and tactical plans, including strategic direction, performance management, and budget stewardship
Provide strategic guidance on navigating materials through the Promotional Review Committee (PRC) process, anticipating risk, shaping discussions, and enabling timely approvals
Establish and sustain advanced cross-functional partnerships and formal networks with peers in key functions, including Brand Marketing, HEOR, Field Medical Directors, Sales, Medical Affairs, and PRC, to align access strategy, evidence needs, and execution priorities
Own vendor strategy, including setting strategic direction, providing input into contract negotiations, and overseeing implementation and performance against agreed-upon service levels, budgets, and timelines