Rare Disease Account Specialist - Central California/Nevada

MSD•Bakersfield, PA

4d•Remote

About The Position

The Rare Disease Account Specialist serves as a key point of contact for customer accounts in the company’s Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) business. The role helps establish the company’s presence in PAH and supports healthcare providers in improving patient health outcomes by generating product demand, building provider and office-staff relationships, engaging account executives who support formulary access, and developing account strategies responsive to local customer needs. This is a remote, field-based position covering Central California and Nevada, including Modesto, Fresno, Bakersfield, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Burbank, and Las Vegas. Travel requirements are 50%, and a valid driving license is required. The specialist manages the customer experience across target accounts, develops understanding of account objectives and stakeholder networks, and leads strategic planning and execution with relevant customer-facing and headquarters stakeholders. The position provides approved disease, product, administration, and patient-support-program information to appropriate members of the patient care team, while coordinating with other customer-facing roles and ensuring compliant customer interactions. The specialist also partners with internal colleagues to organize medical education events, supports the company’s presence at congresses and society events, builds appropriate provider connections, and works with headquarters colleagues on events involving key thought leaders. Success requires strong scientific and clinical knowledge of PAH and an understanding of regional healthcare networks, access and insurance coverage, customer business models, and account strategy. The specialist is expected to collaborate across functions, lead without formal authority, and share best practices with peers. The role is part of the Human Health Division, which describes its ideology as “patient first, profits later.”

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and 8 years of sales experience, or at least a high school diploma and 10 years of equivalent experience.
At least 8 years of experience in the healthcare industry.
Equivalent experience may include professional sales; non-sales healthcare or scientific work, including pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device experience; professional marketing; or military experience.
Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to work with people from varied backgrounds and influence senior management, key thought leaders, and customers.
Strong presentation and communication skills, including the ability to understand, distill, and communicate complex scientific and public-health concepts to different audiences.
Strong prioritization skills and the ability to place decisions in the context of broader corporate strategies.
Technological proficiency, such as experience with the MS Office Suite and iPad.
Valid driving license.
Ability to travel 50%.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree, such as an MBA, PharmD, or APP qualification.
At least 2 years of current or recent experience in the PAH market.
At least 2 years of current or recent experience with rare disease products.
At least 2 years of healthcare-industry account management experience.

Responsibilities

Manage the overall customer experience for stakeholders within target accounts, build relationships with providers and staff, and serve as a cross-functional point of contact.
Develop a deep understanding of account objectives, strategies, challenges, and stakeholder influence networks to generate strategic insights.
Plan and conduct quarterly strategic planning sessions with relevant company stakeholders to align on market context, account and stakeholder needs, objectives, strategic imperatives, and tactics.
Coordinate execution of account strategies, track progress against objectives, and refine plans as needed.
Proactively solicit feedback from account stakeholders to understand their needs and become a trusted resource.
Provide approved disease and product information and resources to appropriate members of patient care teams, including physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants.
Share target-profile information to support identification of appropriate patients for therapy.
Educate approved providers and respond to questions about appropriate administration of company products.
Provide approved information and education about the company’s patient support program to help address patient access and coverage issues.
Serve as the primary point of contact for care-team stakeholders and coordinate with other customer-facing roles to meet customer needs in a compliant, coordinated manner.
Maintain compliance with regulations, industry codes, and policies governing customer interactions.
Partner with internal colleagues to plan and host medical education events in the territory.
Attend and support the company’s presence at national and local congress and society events.
Create appropriate connections across care teams in the territory to build provider-to-provider relationships.
Partner with headquarters roles to plan and execute events with key thought leaders in the territory.
Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to develop and execute customer strategies and tactics, and lead without authority to ensure objectives are achieved.
Share best practices with other Rare Disease Account Specialists, peer-coach new team members, and foster continual learning.