Job description
The Company: With deep expertise in chemistry, Nuvalent is working to create selective medicines designed with the goal to address the needs of patients with cancer. Nuvalent is an exciting early-stage company, bringing together experienced scientists and industry veterans with a proven track record in drug discovery, oncology drug development, and company building.
The Role:
Reporting to the Senior Director, Payer & Reimbursement, the Director, Payer National Accounts plays a critical role in shaping Nuvalent’s market access strategy and shares responsibility for executing the strategic payer plan to secure appropriate market access for future portfolio launches. This role plays a key part in driving the on-label placement and positioning of Nuvalent’s targeted oncology products.
This position is one of two national payer leads and owns strategic account management and contracting for a portfolio of national and regional payers and two of the three major Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs)—Express Scripts, CVS Caremark, or OptumRx, aligned to the candidate’s experience.
This highly visible position requires deep expertise in market access, strong negotiation skills and the ability to collaborate cross-functionally with internal stakeholders throughout Commercial, Medical Affairs, HEOR, Legal and Finance teams.
The Director, Payer National Accounts develops long-term strategic partnerships to mitigate access barriers, drive on-label positioning and ensure business growth.
Responsibilities:
Strategic Account Management & Payer Engagement
- Develop and execute strategic payer engagement plans for assigned national payers, PBMs and key regional payers to maximize product access and reimbursement
- Serve as the primary point of contact with key decision-makers, including medical directors, pharmacy directors and other payer stakeholders
- Identify and mitigate potential market access barriers, ensuring timely and appropriate on-label coverage for Nuvalent’s oncology portfolio
- Lead value-driven contracting efforts, including negotiations for pricing, rebates and other appropriate access agreements
- Track, understand and interpret major federal and state government policy and regulatory shifts to navigate changes in payer strategy impacting coverage and reimbursement
- Provide input in developing and lead delivery of presentations to customers, incorporating clinical value and health economics and outcomes data to support formulary decision-making
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Insights
- Partner with Market Access, Sales, HEOR and Patient Services teams to ensure seamless payer engagement, response to coverage barriers and execution of pull-through strategies
- Provide payer insights to inform commercial strategy, HEOR initiatives and marketing campaigns
- Work closely with Patient Services teams, including Field Reimbursement Managers, to facilitate effective coverage and reimbursement solutions
- Partners with Health Systems Strategy team and Trade & Distribution team to ensure seamless access to products
- Contribute to the development of payer-focused materials (e.g., clinical dossiers, economic models, payer value propositions and reimbursement guides) in collaboration with Medical Affairs and Market Access Marketing
- Ensure compliance with all federal and state regulations, including government pricing, contract execution, and rebate processing
Performance Tracking & Business Strategy
- Monitor and analyze market access trends, payer policies and competitor strategies to optimize account engagement approaches
- Create and deliver accurate forecasts, account updates, and business reviews to senior leadership
- Develop innovative contracting approaches to secure preferred positioning and enhance product uptake
Primary Account Responsibility:
Top 2 of 3 Major National PBM Partners (specific assignments determined based on business needs and candidate experience)
- Portfolio represents approximately 75% of national PBM covered lives
- Accounts include leading integrated payer-PBM organizations and independent PBM entities
- Geographic coverage: National scope with key regional payers
- Decision-Making Structure: National P&T committees with regional implementation
- Contract Types: Traditional rebate agreements, with possibility for value-based contracts, risk-sharing arrangements
- Key Stakeholder Levels: C-suite, VP/Director level formulary decision makers, clinical leadership
Final account assignments between Directors will be determined based on:
- Candidate’s existing relationships and experience
- Current business priorities and strategic initiatives
- Geographic considerations and market dynamics
- Succession planning and organizational development needs
Competencies include:
- Entrepreneurial spirit and disruptive mindset
- Successful track record working in a fast-paced, rapid-growth environment
- Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to gain alignment by working collaboratively and inclusively across functional teams
- Strong verbal and written communications
- Proven ability to grow and develop others
- Record of achievement, innovation and compliance
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or equivalent preferred
- 15+ years of biopharma industry experience, including market access, account management and contracting
- 8+ years in oncology market access with a strong understanding of payer dynamics
- Expertise in US healthcare policy and payer models (Medicare Part D, PBMs, commercial payers)
- Strong analytical skills, ability to synthesize clinical and economic data into strategic insights
- Exceptional negotiation and relationship-building skills with executive-level stakeholders
- Ability to navigate complex contracting scenarios, pricing strategies and payer policies
- Proven ability to collaborate cross-functionally, driving alignment across commercial and market access teams
- High ethical standards and a strong commitment to healthcare compliance
- Up to 60% domestic travel required
Nuvalent provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to religion, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, alienage or citizenship status, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, disability, veteran or military status, predisposing genetic characteristics or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.
Nuvalent is aware that many companies are dealing with fraudulent job postings on third-party employment search sites and/or individual(s) or entities claiming to be employees of such companies. Those involved are offering fraudulent employment opportunities to applicants, often asking for sensitive personal and financial information, and using such information for criminal activities.
Please be advised that all legitimate correspondence from a Nuvalent employee will come from “@nuvalent.com” email accounts. Automated system response emails from our Greenhouse applicant tracking system come from a “[email protected]” email address. There are no variations of these email addresses and Nuvalent would not request personal and/or financial information via email. Job opportunities would only be extended after a completed job application is submitted by a candidate and a thorough interview process including 1:1 and/or group interviews via phone, video conferencing and/or in-person.
If you believe you have been contacted by anyone misrepresenting themselves as an employee of Nuvalent, please contact Nuvalent at 857-357-7000. Thank you.
