Director of Government Pricing & Contract Operations

Vera Therapeutics, Inc.•Brisbane, CA

22d

About The Position

Vera Therapeutics (Nasdaq: VERA), is a late clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing treatments for serious immunological diseases. Vera’s mission is to advance treatments that target the source of immunologic diseases in order to change the standard of care for patients. Vera’s lead product candidate is atacicept, a fusion protein self-administered at home as a subcutaneous once weekly injection that blocks both B-cell Activating Factor (BAFF) and A Proliferation Inducing Ligand (APRIL), which stimulate B cells to produce autoantibodies contributing to certain autoimmune diseases, including IgA nephropathy. Vera is also evaluating the role of atacicept in other immunologic disorders. Additionally, Vera is developing VT-109, a novel, next-generation dual BAFF/APRIL inhibitor in preclinical development, and MAU868, a monoclonal antibody designed to neutralize infection with BK virus, a polyomavirus that can have devastating consequences in certain settings such as kidney transplant. For more information, please visit: www.veratx.com. Our values are the cornerstone of our culture. Our values inspire us every day and guide everything we do—from how we hire great people, to advancing our mission together, to achieving our ultimate goal to improve medical treatment for patients suffering from immunological diseases. Position Summary: The Director of Government Pricing & Contract Operations will report to the Executive Director of Pricing, Contracting & Government and will be responsible for all government price reporting and contract operations related to managed care rebates (commercial and government); the role will also be responsible for related policies. Working with the Market Access team and key personnel, including Finance and Legal, the Director of Government Pricing and Contract Operations will lead government pricing (GP) analysis, calculations, and reporting, ensuring compliance with federal and state requirements. The role is integral to the company’s readiness for product launches across multiple therapeutic areas and the evolving complexity of pricing regulations. This role is accountable for strategic and functional leadership of a team responsible for accurate and timely chargeback, Managed Care Commercial, Medicaid, Tricare, Medicare Part D (and 340B) rebate processing and payments, data stewardship and compliance in connection with the team's financial reporting (GTN, projections and budgets) as well as all aspects with evaluating implications of and reporting Managed Care data required for U.S. and Puerto Rico government pricing calculations. This individual will manage a team of GP, commercial/government rebate and chargeback resources, as well as collaborate cross-functionally, and serve as a subject matter expert in these areas.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Information Systems, Economics, Law, or a related field required; MBA preferred.
Minimum of 8 years of direct experience in government pricing, financial operations, or pricing compliance for state and federal healthcare programs.
Strong knowledge of government programs including Medicaid, PHS/340B, FSS, Medicare, and state price transparency.
Strong expertise in working with large and complex data sets.
Proficiency with Model N or similar pricing software required.
Advanced analytical, problem-solving, project management and Excel skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Proven ability to work cross-functionally and influence without authority.
Detail-oriented, organized, and capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Experience working with internal and external auditors, and managing SOX-related processes.

Nice To Haves

Experience with rare disease therapy launches and commercialization is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Lead the execution of GP calculations and submissions for all federal programs, including Medicaid, Medicare, 340B, and VA/FSS.
Ensure accurate and timely calculation of all mandatory government pricing reports, including AMP, BP, ASP, nFAMP, PHS/340B, and FCP.
Oversee pricing compliance activities, including monthly and quarterly submissions to CMS, HRSA, and FSS.
Understands required data sources for GP calculations and experience in validation, trouble-shooting data issue from multiple sources/systems. Manages any issue resolution timely.
Knowledgeable on bundling, discount reallocation, Bona Fide Services Fees, and price protection impacts.
Maintain controls and documentation to support SOX compliance and audit readiness, including drafting of policies and documentation supporting government pricing calculations, rebate processes and others as needed.
Interpret and implement updates to CMS guidance, federal regulations, and industry standards.
Implement and executive 340B restatements and refund processes as needed.
Lead and develop a team responsible for systems and processes that collect, process, monitor and use Managed Care data for financial, business or government pricing calculation purposes including but not limited to rebate payments, GTN, projections, budgets, AMP, ASP, BP estimate, BP true-up, BP modeling of contingent/portfolio agreements, legal requests, SOX compliance, deal analytics, contract performance analytics and ad hoc data analytics
Partner with other functions to assist them in understanding all potential implications of various rebate deal structures
Develop and maintain processes to estimate implications of contingent and portfolio rebate deal structures to inform business, financial and government pricing calculation
Review and approve the monthly and quarterly Managed Care processes that support government pricing calculations including collaboration with legal colleagues to monitor the latest government contracting and reporting requirements, and ensure Managed Care government pricing calculation implications are identified and considered
Lead team and work collaboratively with other internal and external partners on PBM conflict/dispute resolution
Provide oversight for various aspects of external vendor contract negotiations, service level performance, system enhancements, system controls, and issue resolution
Ensure maintenance of appropriate departmental SOPs and work with internal and external auditors and team to ensure SOX compliance of rebate processing and appropriate categorization of Managed Care data for financial forecasting and government pricing calculations
Provide oversight for team and coordinate with Finance for Manufacturer Discount Program (formerly Coverage Gap Discount Program) administration and payment responsibilities
Champion process improvement initiatives as required
Lead the team in the implementation and testing of Managed Care rebate systems and interfaces
Lead and assist with special projects as required (IRA, Legal requests, dispute resolutions, etc.)
Drive digital transformation by identifying opportunities to automate pricing processes and implement scalable digital tools
Champion process innovation by evaluating current pricing practices and recommending digital enhancements to improve efficiency and accuracy
Manage and mentor a team of government pricing analysts, ensuring high performance and accountability.
Review and approve pricing calculations, analyses, and reports to ensure accuracy and compliance.
Provide guidance on complex data or operational issues and escalate when necessary.
Keep the team informed of internal and external developments impacting government pricing strategies and execution.
Partner with internal stakeholders (e.g., Accounting, Trade Operations, Market Access, Legal, and Data & Technology Engineering) to integrate pricing data and ensure consistent operations.
Support commercialization and launch readiness for new products by aligning pricing systems and reporting frameworks.
Collaborate with IT to design, test, and deploy IT solutions supporting pricing calculations and reporting.
Develop, implement, and maintain policies, SOPs, and control frameworks to ensure efficient and compliant pricing operations.
Recommend and drive process improvements, system enhancements, and automation to optimize pricing operations.
Participate in special projects, audits, and assessments as a key representative for Government Pricing.