Payer Engagement Account Director (Market Access) #4538

GRAIL•Menlo Park, CA

1d•Remote

About The Position

Our mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. We are working to change the trajectory of cancer mortality and bring stakeholders together to adopt innovative, safe, and effective technologies that can transform cancer care. We are a healthcare company, pioneering new technologies to advance early cancer detection. We have built a multi-disciplinary organization of scientists, engineers, and physicians and we are using the power of next-generation sequencing (NGS), population-scale clinical studies, and state-of-the-art computer science and data science to overcome one of medicineâs greatest challenges. GRAIL is headquartered in the bay area of California, with locations in Washington, D.C., North Carolina, and the United Kingdom. It is supported by leading global investors and pharmaceutical, technology, and healthcare companies. For more information, please visit grail.com GRAIL is seeking a highly driven Payer Engagement Account Director to own and advance a pipeline of payer opportunities. This role is for a builderâsomeone who is motivated by creating momentum, opening doors, and converting payer interest into tangible coverage- and access-enabling outcomes. The Account Director will be accountable for actively driving payer engagements forward, not simply maintaining relationships. Success in this role requires intellectual curiosity, persistence, and a strong bias toward execution, as well as the ability to navigate complex payer organizations and move opportunities from early conversations to concrete results. This individual will work closely with, and report to, the Senior Director, Payer Engagement, and will play a frontline role in shaping payer perception and adoption of the companyâs products. You are approved to work remotely from your City and State. While your primary workplace is your home, you may be required to travel occasionally to a GRAIL office or other locations to perform your work or attend team-related events. The ideal location of the candidate could be in Connecticut, New York and/or surrounding east cost states.

Requirements

Bachelorâs degree required
10+ years of experience in payer engagement, market access, managed care, or healthcare account leadership
Demonstrated track record of successfully closing payer negotiations that resulted in meaningful, expanded insurance coverage
This position will cover markets and institutions across the U.S., and candidates must be able to travel a minimum of 40% of the time

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (MBA, MPH, PharmD, MD, PhD) preferred
15+ years of experience in payer engagement, market access, managed care, or healthcare account leadership
Strong understanding of U.S. payer decision-making, medical policy, reimbursement, and access pathways
Proven ability to operate independently, prioritize effectively, and maintain momentum across multiple active opportunities
Comfort with ambiguity and experience working in growth-stage or evolving commercial environments
Excellent communication skills, executive presence, and stakeholder management abilities
Experience in biotech, diagnostics, pharma, or healthcare technology
Exposure to payer pilots, value-based arrangements, or evidence-generation collaborations
Familiarity with HEOR, real-world evidence, and clinical development processes

Responsibilities

Own and actively drive a defined pipeline of payer opportunities, with clear accountability for progress, outcomes, and timelines
Initiate, build, and expand relationships with assigned payer accounts, proactively identifying opportunities to advance discussions toward pilots, data evaluations, and access-enabling activities
Lead payer meetings from initial outreach through follow-up execution, ensuring momentum is maintained and next steps are clearly defined
Translate payer interest into concrete deliverables, including pilots, collaborations, or agreements, in close partnership with the Senior Director, Payer Engagement
Navigate complex payer organizations to identify and engage key clinical, economic, and decision-making stakeholders
Surface payer needs, objections, and decision criteria early, and work cross-functionally to address them efficiently
Partner with Market Access, HEOR, Medical Affairs, Commercial, Government Affairs, and clinical development teams to support payer-driven evidence and access requirements
Prepare and deliver compelling, compliant payer-facing materials that clearly articulate clinical and economic value
Maintain disciplined pipeline management, including documentation of payer interactions, progress, risks, and next steps
Represent the company with credibility, urgency, and professionalism in all payer interactions