Executive Director, Head of Payer Account Management

Role: Executive Director, Head of Payer Account Management, responsible for developing and leading Ionis's payer engagement strategy to optimize patient access and reimbursement for their RNA-targeted medicines and pipeline. Responsibilities include establishing long-term account management plans, building relationships with key payers, communicating product value, leading negotiations, and influencing policy decisions to support product launches and portfolio growth. The role involves serving as a strategic advisor to executive leadership by analyzing payer, regulatory, and market dynamics, and proactively shaping access strategies. It requires overseeing cross-functional teams, developing organizational capabilities, and ensuring compliance with healthcare regulations. The position entails leading significant payer negotiations, managing stakeholder relationships across commercial and government payers, formulary committees, and industry groups, and establishing policies for payer engagement and contracting. Collaboration with field teams to mitigate access barriers and communication of market trends is also key. Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree (MBA preferred), 18+ years in biotech/pharma with 8+ years in payer account management, proven success in specialty product launches, and experience with both pharmacy and medical benefit products—preferably in rare disease or orphan indications. Leadership experience in managing multidisciplinary teams, strong negotiation, project management, and analytical skills are essential. High-value specifics include expertise in US market payer dynamics, specialty biologics, and orphan drug access, with up to 50% travel required. The role is remote.