Strategic Account Director, Payer Team, Midwest

Strategic Account Director, Payer Team, Midwest Company

Ipsen is a mid‑sized global biopharmaceutical company with a focus on transformative medicines in three therapeutic areas:
Oncology, Rare Disease and Neuroscience. Supported by nearly 100 years of development experience, with global hubs in the U.S., France and the U.K, we tackle areas of high unmet medical need through research and innovation. Our passionate teams in more than 40 countries are focused on what matters and endeavor every day to bring medicines to patients in 88 countries.

We build a workplace that champions human‑centric leadership and fosters a culture of collaboration, excellence and impact. At Ipsen, every individual is empowered to be their true selves, grow and thrive alongside the company’s success. Join us on our journey towards sustainable growth, creating real impact on patients and society!

The Strategic Account Director is responsible for developing and executing regional payer and PBM strategies to secure optimal access and reimbursement for Ipsen’s portfolio. This role is critical in driving regional market access success by cultivating relationships with key decision‑makers, negotiating or pulling through contracts, and aligning Ipsen’s value proposition with payer priorities. Operating within a dynamic and evolving healthcare landscape, the Strategic Account Director serves as the primary point of contact for assigned regional accounts and sales support across all Business Units, ensuring strategic alignment, operational excellence, and measurable impact on patient access and brand performance.

This role will have responsibility for the Midwest region.

• Develop and implement strategic account plans for assigned regional payers and PBMs.
• Lead contract negotiations and manage ongoing payer relationships within assigned accounts to mitigate barriers, ensure favorable formulary positioning and access, and establish Ipsen as a partner of choice across the organization’s therapeutic areas.
• Build and maintain deep, trusted relationships with key payer decision‑makers and leadership (e.g., CEO, CFO, Industry Relations, Medical Directors, etc).
• Monitor and analyze regional market trends, coverage and policy changes, and competitive dynamics to inform internal stakeholders, product strategy, and anticipate shifts.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with Sales, Medical Affairs, HEOR, and Brand Teams to ensure alignment and execution.
• Serve as the single accountable point of contact for assigned accounts, ensuring timely resolution of issues and proactive communication.
• Leverage data and insights to support value‑based discussions and demonstrate product differentiation.
• Maintain deep knowledge of regional healthcare systems, reimbursement models, and payer operations.
• Work collaboratively across the Payer Account and Sales teams on education and pull‑through execution.

• Minimum 10 years of industry experience with at least 5 years in payer account management.
• Proven experience in payer account management within the pharmaceutical or biotech industry.
• Strong understanding of U.S. payer landscape, including commercial, Medicare, Medicaid, and integrated delivery networks.
• Demonstrated success in contract negotiation, formulary access, contract performance analysis, and strategic account planning.
• Exceptional business and clinical acumen.
• Strong presentation skills: ability to clearly convey ideas to key internal stakeholders as well as specific decision‑makers in assigned accounts.
• Experience leading cross‑functional initiatives and managing complex stakeholder relationships.
• Ability to interpret healthcare data and apply insights to inform strategy.
• Ability to travel up to 60%, including conference attendance and overnights when necessary.

• Experience in rare disease, oncology, or specialty pharmaceuticals.
• Familiarity with value‑based contracting and innovative access models.
• Established relationships with payer accounts within defined geography.

• BA/BS in business, Life Sciences, Health Economics, or…