Director, Trade & Contract Operations

Cristcot

About The Position

The Director, Trade & Contract Operations will lead the development, implementation, and ongoing management of the company's trade, distribution, and contract operations infrastructure in support of the organization's first commercial product launch. This highly visible role will be responsible for establishing and overseeing processes, systems, and controls related to government and commercial contracting, chargebacks, rebates, fees, distribution operations, gross-to-net management, and revenue-related analytics. As a key member of the Market Access and Commercial Operations organization, the Director will work cross-functionally with Market Access, Finance, Supply Chain, Legal, Compliance, Patient Services, and external trading partners to ensure operational excellence, compliance, and scalability as the company transitions from development-stage to commercial-stage biotechnology company. This position is ideal for a hands-on leader who thrives in an entrepreneurial environment and enjoys building capabilities from the ground up.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Supply Chain, Healthcare Administration, or related discipline.
8+ years of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, specialty pharmaceutical, or healthcare industry experience.
Minimum 5+ years of experience in trade operations, contract operations, market access operations, gross-to-net management, or related commercial functions.
Demonstrated experience supporting pharmaceutical product launches and commercialization activities.
Strong understanding of pharmaceutical distribution channels, specialty pharmacy, wholesalers, chargebacks, rebates, and contract administration.
Experience working with third-party trade and contract operations vendors and technology platforms.
Strong analytical, financial, and problem-solving skills.
Proven ability to manage complex cross-functional projects and stakeholder relationships.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a small or emerging biotechnology company environment preferred.
Experience establishing trade and contract operations infrastructure for a first product launch preferred.
Knowledge of government pricing programs, 340B, Medicaid Drug Rebate Program, and related compliance requirements preferred.
Experience with gross-to-net forecasting, accrual management, and revenue analytics preferred.
Experience implementing contract management, revenue management, or trade operations systems preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and manage trade operations strategies supporting product launch and commercialization.
Lead operational relationships with wholesalers, specialty distributors, specialty pharmacies, and other channel partners.
Support the design, implementation, and optimization of the company's distribution network and channel strategy.
Establish and oversee processes for product distribution, inventory monitoring, order-to-cash activities, and channel data reporting.
Monitor distribution partner performance and ensure compliance with contractual obligations.
Lead operational implementation and administration of commercial contracts, including payer, PBM, GPO, IDN, specialty pharmacy, distributor, and customer agreements.
Ensure accurate setup, maintenance, and execution of all contractual terms within internal systems and third-party platforms.
Partner with Market Access and Legal teams to support contract development, review, and operational readiness.
Manage contract lifecycle activities, including amendments, renewals, compliance monitoring, and performance tracking.
Collaborate with Finance to support gross-to-net forecasting, accrual development, and revenue recognition activities.
Oversee administration and validation of rebates, administrative fees, chargebacks, discounts, and other market access financial obligations.
Ensure accurate calculation, reconciliation, and payment of customer and channel-related financial transactions.
Identify trends and risks impacting gross-to-net performance and recommend corrective actions.
Partner with Finance, Compliance, and external vendors to support government pricing programs and related reporting requirements.
Assist in operational oversight of Medicaid, Medicare, 340B, Federal Supply Schedule, and other government contracting programs, as applicable.
Ensure processes and controls align with regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
Support internal and external audits related to trade, pricing, and contracting activities.
Lead selection, implementation, and optimization of trade and contract operations systems, including contract management, chargeback, rebate, and revenue management platforms.
Develop dashboards, KPIs, and reporting tools to monitor contract performance, channel activity, and operational effectiveness.
Drive continuous process improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, scalability, and compliance.
Establish standard operating procedures and business controls to support organizational growth.
Serve as a key partner to Market Access, National Accounts, Commercial Operations, Finance, Supply Chain, Legal, Compliance, and Executive Leadership teams.
Provide operational expertise and strategic recommendations to support launch planning and commercialization activities.
Manage external vendors and service providers supporting trade, contracting, and revenue management functions.
Contribute to broader commercial planning and business process development initiatives.