Director, Health Economics & Market Access (HEMA) - Policy, Advocacy & Strategy

Director, Health Economics & Market Access (HEMA) – Policy, Advocacy & Strategy

Life Unlimited. At Smith+Nephew, we design and manufacture technology that takes the limits off living.

The Director, Health Economics & Market Access (HEMA) – Policy, Advocacy & Strategy is responsible for shaping and advancing reimbursement policy, advocacy, and access strategy to support sustainable patient access and commercial success across the company's Advanced Wound Management portfolio.

This role leads proactive reimbursement strategy across coding, coverage, and payment, while driving policy and advocacy initiatives that influence payer, regulatory, and legislative outcomes. Operating early in the product lifecycle, the Director partners cross-functionally to embed reimbursement and policy considerations into portfolio strategy, evidence generation, and launch readiness, reducing access risk and enabling successful commercialization.

Reimbursement Strategy (Upstream Focus)

• Lead end-to-end reimbursement strategy development for pipeline and pre-launch products, including assessment of coding, coverage, and payment pathways
• Identify reimbursement risks and opportunities at the portfolio level and inform go/no-go, sequencing, and investment decisions
• Develop multi-year reimbursement roadmaps aligned with product lifecycle milestones and enterprise growth objectives
• Serve as the internal expert on future reimbursement pathways and access readiness

Policy & Advocacy Leadership

• Shape and execute an integrated reimbursement policy and advocacy strategy in partnership with Government Affairs and senior leadership
• Monitor, analyze, and influence CMS rule making, Medicare payment policy, and broader healthcare policy developments impacting device reimbursement
• Represent the organization in trade associations, coalitions, and policy forums to advance industry positions and reimbursement priorities
• Engage with external stakeholders, including professional societies and key opinion leaders, to support favorable coverage and payment environments
• Partner with Government Affairs to engage policymakers and regulatory agencies
• Identify and proactively mitigate policy risks that could impact access, adoption, or value recognition

Evidence & Value Alignment

• Partner with Clinical, Medical Affairs, and HEOR teams to define payer-relevant clinical and economic evidence requirements
• Ensure reimbursement and policy needs are embedded into evidence generation strategies, endpoints, and real-world data plans
• Provide strategic guidance on value narratives and positioning aligned to payer and policy decision drivers

Cross-Functional & Executive Leadership

• Advise executive leadership on reimbursement and policy trends, risks, and strategic implications
• Establish governance frameworks and tools to embed reimbursement and advocacy considerations into enterprise planning
• Lead cross-functional initiatives through influence in a highly matrixed organization

Measures of Success:

• Reduced reimbursement and policy risk at product launch
• Favorable or defensible reimbursement and policy positioning
• Early alignment between evidence generation and payer expectations
• Demonstrated impact and influence within policy and industry forums

Travel:
Up to 30%

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree (MPH, MBA, MHA, MS) preferred
• 10+ years of experience in medical device reimbursement, market access, or health policy
• Demonstrated experience influencing Medicare policy, reimbursement frameworks, and/or industry advocacy efforts
• Strong executive presence with the ability to translate complex policy issues into clear business impact
• Proven ability to lead strategically within a highly matrixed environment

Location:

You Unlimited.

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• Your Future: 401k Matching Program, 401k Plus Program, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Tuition Reimbursement
• Work/Life Balance:
  Flexible Personal/Vacation Time Off, Paid Holidays, Flex…