Director, HEOR – Orexin Franchise

Centessa Pharmaceuticals•Boston, MA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Centessa Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage company focused on developing orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonists for sleep-wake disorders, is seeking a Director, Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) to lead HEOR strategies for its Orexin Franchise. This role involves generating global and regional evidence to support regulatory requirements, HTA dossiers, and payer negotiations. The Director will collaborate with various internal teams (Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, Market Access, Commercial, Legal, Regulatory) and external partners to develop and execute research plans throughout the product lifecycle, from early development to post-launch value demonstration. The position is based in Boston, Massachusetts, and the company was recognized as a Great Place to Work® in 2026.

Requirements

Advanced degree (PhD, PharmD, or Master's) in health economics and outcomes research, pharmacoepidemiology, epidemiology, public health, health services research, health policy, pharmacy, or a related field.
10+ years of relevant experience in health economics, outcomes research, epidemiology, or related disciplines within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, academic, or consulting sectors.
Experience designing and conducting studies using healthcare databases and other real-world data sources (claims, EHR, registries).
Experience developing PRO strategies and/or RWE designs such as external or synthetic control arms.
Strong knowledge of the regulatory and payer landscape, including experience designing evidence strategies that meet payer and regulatory requirements for novel therapies.
Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a matrixed organization.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience contributing to scientific publications and presentations for varied audiences.
Experience working effectively across cross-functional teams and with external vendors, research partners, and thought leaders.
Collaborative working style with strong emotional intelligence, able to influence and build consensus across teams, functions, and geographies.

Nice To Haves

Relevant Neuroscience and Sleep area experience preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Lead the development of comprehensive HEOR strategies and operational plans for the assigned asset, establishing an early value proposition and sustaining value demonstration.
Identify and address unmet medical needs, access barriers, and value gaps in collaboration with cross-functional teams to inform evidence and value narratives.
Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to identify evidence needs and translate strategic objectives into actionable, accountable research plans.
Design and incorporate PRO strategies into clinical development plans and support early market access planning.
Maintain current knowledge of the regulatory, payer, and policy landscape relevant to PRO use, and assess implications for evidence generation.
Lead and manage HEOR studies, including retrospective and prospective observational studies, database analyses (claims, EHR, registries), and innovative designs such as external control arms to contextualize single-arm trial data.
Support the development of health economic models, AMCP dossiers, value communication materials, and literature reviews to support launch readiness and ongoing value demonstration.
Ensure all research initiatives adhere to internal study governance and scientific/ethical standards, including securing necessary approvals and cross-functional alignment.
Manage external vendors, consultants, CROs, and research partners to ensure high-quality, on-time study execution and appropriate budget management.
Measure and track the impact of generated evidence, translating research outputs into practical tools (e.g., value decks, field materials) in partnership with scientific communications and patient advocacy team members.
Communicate study findings, evidence strategy, and strategic impact to internal stakeholders, including Medical Affairs and functional leadership, and contribute to training and education efforts.
Support the development of scientific publications, congress presentations, and other scientific communications for technical and non-technical audiences.
Represent Centessa at scientific meetings, conferences, and professional forums as appropriate.
Ability to navigate a global organization, to ensure regional evidence strategies align with global value narratives.