Senior Director, Access Strategy & Patient Services

Zenas BioPharma•Waltham, MA

1d•$228,000 - $285,000•Remote

About The Position

Zenas is a clinical-stage global biopharmaceutical company committed to becoming a leader in the development and commercialization of transformative therapies for patients with autoimmune diseases. Our core business strategy combines our experienced leadership team with a disciplined product candidate acquisition approach to identify, acquire and develop product candidates globally that we believe can provide superior clinical benefits to patients living with autoimmune diseases. Zenas is advancing two late-stage, potential franchise molecules, obexelimab and orelabrutinib. Obexelimab, Zenas’ lead product candidate, is a bifunctional monoclonal antibody designed to bind both CD19 and FcγRIIb, which are broadly present across B cell lineage, to inhibit the activity of cells that are implicated in many autoimmune diseases without depleting them. We believe that obexelimab’s unique mechanism of action and self-administered, subcutaneous injection regimen may broadly and effectively address the pathogenic role of B cell lineage in chronic autoimmune disease. Orelabrutinib is a potentially best-in-class, highly selective CNS-penetrant, oral, small molecule Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) inhibitor with the potential to address compartmentalized inflammation and disease progression in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Zenas’ earlier stage programs include a preclinical, potentially best-in-class, oral, IL-17AA/AF inhibitor, and a preclinical, potentially best-in-class, oral, brain-penetrant, TYK2 inhibitor. We are seeking top talent who share our commitment to patients and have a track record of success in acquiring, developing and commercializing products across the globe. Our colleagues have an opportunity to engage in a fast-paced learning environment and experience individual and organizational success as we work towards becoming a global immunology and autoimmune disease leader, while living our values of Transparency, Relationships, Urgency, Excellence and Innovation – TRUE Innovation! Position Summary: The Senior Director, Access Strategy & Patient Services is responsible for designing and leading the patient access strategy to ensure seamless patient services operations to facilitate timely and appropriate access to Zenas BioPharma therapies. Reporting to the Vice President, U.S. Market Access, this role will lead the development of the patient journey strategy, HUB services model, affordability programs, and provider onboarding processes to ensure patients and providers can successfully navigate access to therapy. This individual will play a critical role in establishing the patient access infrastructure ahead of anticipated product launches, lead the establishment and operationalization of the patient support HUB, design the prior authorization support pathways, implement affordability assistance programs, and ensure effective coordination with specialty pharmacy partners to support efficient patient onboarding and therapy initiation. The Senior Director will collaborate closely with cross-functional partners including Market Access Operations, Payer Strategy, Pricing & Contracting, Medical Affairs, Compliance, Legal, and Sales to ensure a coordinated and compliant approach to patient support services. This role offers a unique opportunity to design and implement the patient access ecosystem in preparation for upcoming product launches.

Requirements

Minimum of 12+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry, or healthcare services industry, including at least 7+ years in Market Access, patient services, patient support programs, or access strategy roles.
Demonstrated experience designing and implementing patient access programs, including HUB services, benefit verification support, prior authorization pathways, and patient onboarding processes.
Proven experience developing and launching patient support HUB programs supporting specialty or rare disease therapies.
Experience designing and managing patient affordability programs, including copay assistance programs and financial support resources.
Strong understanding of patient access dynamics including benefit verification, prior authorization requirements, payer coverage processes, specialty pharmacy coordination, and reimbursement pathways.
Demonstrated ability to develop patient access strategies that improve patient onboarding and reduce time-to-therapy.
Experience managing external vendors and patient support service partners, including HUB vendors.
Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with experience partnering across Market Access, Trade & Distribution, Payer Strategy, Sales, Medical Affairs, Legal, Compliance, and Commercial organizations.
Strong leadership, communication, and strategic planning skills.
Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced and collaborative biotech environment.
Willingness to travel as required to support program implementation and stakeholder engagement
Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (MBA, MPH, PharmD or similar) preferred.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading the design, vendor selection, and launch of patient support HUB programs supporting specialty or rare disease therapies strongly preferred.
Experience supporting product launches or late-stage pipeline assets strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead the development and execution of the patient access strategy to support successful product launch and long-term patient access.Review or author statistical analysis sections of protocols, statistical analysis plans (SAP), clinical study reports (CSR), regulatory documents or scientific publications.
Design and map the end-to-end patient journey, identifying access barriers and implementing solutions that support efficient patient onboarding and therapy initiation.
Lead the development, implementation, and operational launch of the patient support HUB program, including vendor selection, program design, operational workflows, and performance management.
Develop and implement prior authorization support pathways that facilitate efficient payer approvals while ensuring compliance with regulatory and legal requirements.
Design and implement patient affordability strategies, including copay assistance programs and financial support resources.
Partner closely with the Trade & Distribution organization and specialty pharmacy partners to ensure efficient coordination of patient onboarding and patient access services.
Collaborate with the Payer Strategy and Pricing & Contracting teams to ensure patient access programs are aligned with payer coverage strategy and reimbursement pathways.
Work closely with Sales leadership to identify provider educational needs to ensure healthcare providers are equipped to navigate patient access processes.
Establish and monitor access performance metrics, including time-to-therapy, patient onboarding timelines, HUB performance including compliance with program business rules, and patient support program effectiveness.
Provide strategic insights to senior leadership regarding patient access barriers and opportunities to improve the patient experience.
Lead and manage relationships with HUB vendors and patient support service partners to ensure high-quality program execution and continuous improvement.
Lead the HUB vendor selection process, including development of RFP requirements, vendor evaluation, and implementation planning.
Partner with Legal, Compliance, Medical Affairs, and Commercial teams to ensure all patient support programs operate in a compliant and patient-focused manner.