Associate Director, Market Access Strategy, Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT)

Job Description

Vertex currently operates at the forefront of rare disease scientific innovation and has successfully developed and commercialized multiple breakthrough medicines for Cystic Fibrosis (CF), Sickle Cell Disease and Transfusion-Dependent Beta Thalassemia. In addition to clinical development programs in CF, Vertex has more than a dozen ongoing research programs focused on the underlying mechanisms of other serious diseases including programs in Pain, Type 1 diabetes, APOL-1 Mediated Kidney Disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, among others.

The Associate Director, Market Access Strategy will be responsible for delivering impactful market access strategies and resources to maximize access and uptake for the commercialization of the CGT program.  This role requires a significant degree of collaboration as well as influencing and driving strategic alignment across multiple functions (Brand Marketing, Public Affairs, HEOR, Payer Account Management, and most importantly Field Reimbursement) to ensure goal alignment and to meet corporate objectives. This role will report to the Sr. Director of US Market Access Strategy Heme.

 Key Responsibilities:

• Provide critical leadership and project management in developing and implementing brand and market access strategies by channel, to support patient access and customer reimbursement for CGT portfolio via the creation and delivery of impactful market access resources to identified and prioritized accounts. This includes leadership with CRC submissions, reviews and responses.
• Flawlessly executing key hospital initiatives (with a focus on coding, billing and reimbursement) to secure rapid and broad access to ensure reimbursement pathways are established
• Lead initiatives to understand, analyze and demonstrate clinical, economic and societal value to hospitals, payers, decision-makers and influencers
• Create coding, billing and reimbursement resources to support Field Reimbursement Team’s engagement with hospitals
• Lead cross-functional regulatory coding applications and submissions (e.g. ICD-10 PCS, HCPCS) and support USPA with CMS engagements (e.g. IPPS/OPPS proposed rule comment letters, etc).
• Support triage and processing of Access escalations to compliantly remove any access barriers for patients in a timely and consistent manner
• Design and build value story across hospital channel
• Lead capability building and thought leadership projects that advance knowledge of and readiness for the rapidly evolving hospital and payer environment
• Define, monitor and report on Field Reimbursement KPIs in partnership with National Field Director
• Lead Reimbursement field insight calls to identify gaps and implement resolution
• Support the Market Access Field Organization in customer segmentation strategy, planning and execution (e.g. training, account management tools/resources, and POA strategy and content needs)
• Act as a trusted, subject matter expert on hospital coverage, coding and reimbursement to internal colleagues and externally facing customers
• Manage the day-to-day agency and vendor workflow to ensure resources are delivered on time and within budget
• Strategize, formulate, and execute advisory boards and Peer to peer speaker programs for Hospital Administrators to facilitate Access and Reimbursement learnings and best practice sharing
• Build relationships with key opinion leaders in the Hospital Administrator space to support partnerships in ad-boards and P2P exchanges
• Strong collaboration with the Business Unit Marketing, Patient Support Marketing and Marketing Ops teams to support Medical, Legal, and Regulatory review process for all materials

Knowledge and Skills:

• Expert knowledge of US healthcare system, including gov’t & commercial payers (Medicaid experience preferred), policy, and regulatory environment
• Strong Knowledge of hospital access landscape (both inpatient and outpatient infusions and complex procedures) – coverage, reimbursement environment, Coding and billing
• Expertise in Marketing or other relevant strategic planning and execution skills including: branding, project management, and working collaboratively with agencies and vendors - Managed markets experience (field-based role, planning/strategy) preferred
• Proven track record of meeting or exceeding objectives & goals, both as an individual and as part of a team
• Excellent communication skills with experience presenting to customers and internal leadership
• Demonstrated ability to successfully lead cross-functional teams, influencing without direct authority, with the interpersonal skills to foster collaboration and succeed in a highly matrixed environment
• Product lau