Payer Engagement Director

GSK has bold commercial ambitions for the future. By 2031, we aim to deliver £38 billion in annual sales – building from existing strong performance momentum which will significantly increase the positive impact we can have on the health of billions of patients around the world. Our Ahead Together strategy means intervening early to prevent and change the course of disease, helping to protect people and support healthcare systems. Our portfolio is made up of vaccines, specialty medicines and general medicines. These are the three different types of products we create to prevent and treat disease, many with the potential to be first-or best-in-class.

The Payer Engagement (PE) Director role will have accountability for delivering this change and for helping to secure national access for a number of new asset launches over the next 5 years. They will be accountable for developing and maintaining key stakeholder relationships across the NHS. Our evolving portfolio means that most of these launches will be in highly complex and specialised areas (specialist, oncology and vaccines), where the external UK market access landscape has recently undergone huge reform. The role will oversee the complete transformation of our market access approach to payer engagement in the UK.

The PE Director develops and leads the Market Access strategy in respect of payer engagement. The postholder will work with our global and local teams to find solutions to complex market access and pathway problems. This approach will be delivered through effective partnering with the wider UK business and leading a motivated and capable team of strategic account managers. They will be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with key external stakeholders (His Majesty’s Government- HMG, Devolved Administrations - DA, National Health Service - NHS, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency - MHRA, National Institute of Clinical Excellence - NICE, Scottish Medicines Consortium - SMC, All Wales Medicines Strategy Group - AWMSG) to develop GSK positions, maximise the value our medicines bring to patients and ensure the broadest possible access in the interests of patients.

Key Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

• As a senior member of the UK HVA Market Access (MA) team, act as leadership team member and strategic advisor and business partner to Business Unit Heads, provide strategic Market Access input to key business decisions to drive success for the GSK UK business. Provide strategic advice and counsel to the Head of Market Access; the VP, Health Value and Access and his/her leadership team across all business unit matters - in particular, market access, payer engagement, government policy development and the external environment as it relates to UK Commercial business unit and UK Market Access strategy development and execution.
• Effective strategic stakeholder management with key external partners including but not limited to national trade associations, HMG, local, regional, and national commissioning bodies (e.g. NHS England), regulatory and HTA bodies (MHRA, NICE, SMC, AWMSG etc).
• Build and lead the MA Payer Engagement function to ensure value of GSK medicines is understood by external customers. Leadership of the strategic account management strategy and its implementation via a team of Strategic Account Managers.
• Thorough understanding of the NHS landscape and the factors that influence its decision-making processes. Defines overall strategy for NHS approach, validates across GSK UK and ensures all teams are operating in step with this strategy.
• Fully accountable for MA programs to deliver our commercial forecast. Overseeing commercial negotiations with NHS England (including the Cancer Drugs Fund and Innovative Medicines Fund) , leading the development of optimal pricing and market access strategy at national and sub-national levels aligned to brand strategy across the GSK portfolio. Lead the development of business cases to support approval of UK pricing and market access strategy. Lead the support for business unit and pricing teams in tender submissions.
• Monitor, evaluate, interpret and predict the changing internal and external environments and proactively consider the implications/impact (e.g. threats and opportunities, financial and reputational impact) on current and future business unit and functional strategy, company reputation and employee motivation, advising the business on appropriate action to manage the impact.
• Establishing and managing the required internal control framework (ICF) elements to ensure effective risk management, governance and compliance.

Why you? 

Basic Qualifications:  

We are looking for professionals with these required skills to achieve our goals:

• Educated to degree (equivalent level) with a life sciences qualification or other relevant qualifications.
• Systematic understanding of the NHS landscape across 4 nations and the factors that influence its decision-making processes and operational pathway design development.
• Demonstrated leadership experience of a market access team and extensive experience as a strategic advisor to UK Leadership Team or business partners.
• Proven senior stakeholder management and influencing skills with the ability to solve complex issues.
• Considerable experience gained from the pharmaceutical industry or in an NHS/government role especially in commercial and/or access area.
• Strong complex issues management and delivery experience in market access including development and delivery of nationally impactful MA programs.
• Evidence of understanding of HMG, NHS, NGOs, Trade Associations and their ability to partner and deliver meaningful change within UK environment.
• Relevant experience of market access; bringing medicines through the pricing and reimbursement process as well as driving access and uptake across multiple therapy areas at national and regional level.

Preferred Skills & Qualifications:  

If you have the following characteristics, it would be a plus: 

• Advanced degree such as a PhD or MBA in a relevant field.
• Politically savvy with proven ability to comprehend issues from a UK legislative, regulatory and policy prospective.
• Ability to interpret how outside stakeholders view and understand the organisation, its products and services.
• Ability to develop strategy which connects a company action with a diverse set of ever-expanding stakeholders
• Gravitas and confidence to be the truth teller, even when the message is uncomfortable
• High personal accountability and integrity combined with the ability and experience to influence at a strategic level and gain the support and commitment of internal and external stakeholders
• Excellent business acumen and demonstrated sustained level of delivery of performance.

Closing Date for Applications: 1st November 2024 (EOD)

Please take a copy of the Job Description, as this will not be available post closure of the advert. When applying for this role, please use the ‘cover letter’ of the online application or your CV to describe how you meet the competencies for this role, as outlined in the job requirements above. The information that you have provided in your cover letter and CV will be used to assess your application.

Please note that this role is currently part of an ongoing internal process. We are actively advertising and interviewing for the position, the final offer cannot be made until the process is complete.

Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

GSK is a global biopharma company with a special purpose – to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together – so we can positively impact the health of billions of people and deliver stronger, more sustainable shareholder returns – as an organisation where people can thrive. We prevent and treat disease with vaccines, specialty and general medicines. We focus on the science of the immune system and the use of new platform and data technologies, investing in four core therapeutic areas (infectious diseases, HIV, respiratory/ immunology and oncology).

Our success absolutely depends on our people. While getting ahead of disease together is about our ambition for patients and shareholders, it’s also about making GSK a place where people can thrive. We want GSK to be a place where people feel inspired, encouraged and challenged to be the best they can be. A place where they can be themselves – feeling welcome, valued, and included. Where they can keep growing and look after their wellbeing. So, if you share our ambition, join us at this exciting moment in our journey to get Ahead Together.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are open to all talent. In the US, we also adhere to Affirmative Action principles. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to neurodiversity, race/ethnicity, colour, national origin, religion, gender, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, disability, genetic information, military service, covered/protected veteran status or any other federal, state or local protected class*(*US only).

We believe in an agile working culture for all our roles. If flexibility is important to you, we encourage you to explore with our hiring team what the opportunities are.

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