Director, Market Access Payer Accounts - Northeast

Summit Therapeutics, Inc.; Minneapolis (MN); Remote; USD 197,000 - 247,000; Full time

Job summary

Summit Therapeutics is seeking a Director of Market Access Payer Account to lead national and sub-national payer engagements, build strategic access plans, and drive reimbursement for its oncology portfolio. The role reports to the Executive Director, Payer Strategic Accounts, and requires deep payer market expertise and cross-functional leadership.

You will manage relationships with payers such as national plans, PBMs, and Medicaid programs, aligning access strategies with Medical Affairs and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, healthcare, or related field.
• 10+ years biotech/pharmaceutical experience.
• 5+ years focused account management experience in the oncology access marketplace.

Responsibilities

• Establish and deepen relationships with health plans, PBMs, and other payers.
• Influence coverage decisions and implement access and reimbursement strategies.
• Collaborate with Medical Affairs and Patient Services to support access and patient journey.
• Develop account plans and pricing/contracting strategies with cross-functional teams.
• Travel as needed to support payer priorities.

Skills

Biotech/pharma experience

Account management

Payer engagement

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Negotiation

Relationship management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in business, healthcare, or related field

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

About Summit

Summit Therapeutics Inc. is a biopharmaceutical oncology company with a mission focused on improving quality of life, increasing potential duration of life, and resolving serious unmet medical needs. At Summit, we believe in building a team of world class professionals who are passionate about this mission, and it is our people who drive this mission to reality. Summit’s core values include integrity, passion for excellence, purposeful urgency, collaboration, and our commitment to people. Our employees are truly the heart and soul of our culture, and they are invaluable in shaping our journey toward excellence.

About Summit

Summit Therapeutics Inc. is a biopharmaceutical oncology company with a mission focused on improving quality of life, increasing potential duration of life, and resolving serious unmet medical needs. At Summit, we believe in building a team of world class professionals who are passionate about this mission, and it is our people who drive this mission to reality. Summit’s core values include integrity, passion for excellence, purposeful urgency, collaboration, and our commitment to people. Our employees are truly the heart and soul of our culture, and they are invaluable in shaping our journey toward excellence.

Summit’s Team Is Inspired To Touch And Help Change Lives Through Summit’s Clinical Studies In The Field Of Oncology. Summit Has Multiple Global Phase 3 Clinical Studies, Including

Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

• HARMONi: Phase 3 clinical study which was intended to evaluate ivonescimab combined with chemotherapy compared to placebo plus chemotherapy in patients with EGFR-mutated, locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous NSCLC who were previously treated with a 3rd generation EGFR TKI.
• HARMONi-3: Phase 3 clinical study which is intended to evaluate ivonescimab combined with chemotherapy compared to pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy in patients with first‑line metastatic NSCLC.
• HARMONi-7: Phase 3 clinical study which is intended to evaluate ivonescimab monotherapy compared to pembrolizumab monotherapy in patients with first‑line metastatic NSCLC.

Colorectal Cancer (CRC)

• HARMONi-GI3: Phase 3 clinical study intended to evaluate ivonescimab in combination with chemotherapy compared with bevacizumab plus chemotherapy.

Ivonescimab is an investigational therapy not presently approved by any regulatory authority other than China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). Summit is headquartered in Miami, Florida, and has additional offices in California, New Jersey, the UK, and Ireland.

Location

Remote - Field based. Candidates should be based in one of the following states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Jersey, New York or Pennsylvania.

Overview Of Role

The Director of Market Access Payer Account at Summit Therapeutics reports directly to the Executive Director, Payer Strategic Accounts, and will be responsible for leadership and management of select national and sub-national payers and other assigned accounts. This is a critical customer‑facing role helping to ensure broad access, reimbursement, and patient affordability. These accounts include, National/Regional Health Plans, PBMs, Medicare, state Medicaid, VA/DoD, among others.

The Director will be responsible for building and maintaining strong relationships with decision makers within the accounts, including medical and pharmacy departments. This role involves executing strategies and tactics within each account, while also providing support to the regional field matrix teams when necessary. A strong understanding of managed markets, reimbursement, and payer account management is essential.

Role And Responsibilities

• Establish, broaden, and deepen relationships with target entities (e.g., health insurers, PBM's, other payers, etc.) and key decision makers and influencers (medical and pharmacy directors, etc.) that affect coverage and reimbursement decisions.
• Accounts covered will include: Evernorth/Cigna, Highmark, UPMC, Horizon, CareFirst, BCBS MI, BCBS MA, MACs, FFS Medicaid
• Positively influence decision makers, policies, guidelines, and contracts to facilitate timely and appropriate coverage, access and reimbursement for our drug candidates and approved products.
• Implement Brand access strategies and develop account specific plans and assist in the resolution of access/reimbursement issues.
• Work closely with the Medical Affairs field team to support the communication and understanding of our drug candidates and approved products with payers.
• Work closely with the Patient Services team to support the patient journey and resolve coverage issues.
• Assist Regional Sales teams with pull‑or sell‑through strategies based on payer coverage.
• Establish and maintain relationships with key decision‑makers, including Formulary, P&T, and Pathway leaders, Medical & Pharmacy Directors and other population‑based stakeholders to secure appropriate access and optimal product positioning.
• Co‑create account‑level strategies, tools, and tactics to communicate the product value proposition effectively. Collaborate on pricing and contracting strategies, HEOR evidence generation plans, patient support programs, payer marketing initiatives, and account management approaches.
• Lead discussions with internal and external partners to ensure alignment on access, coverage, and reimbursement strategies.
• Foster a high‑performance culture within the field team by promoting accountability, urgency, ethical behavior, and professional development.
• Stay informed on healthcare industry trends, payer policies, reimbursement processes, and competitive activity. Provide strategic insights to inform decision‑making, access strategies, and product launches.
• Ensure all Market Access initiatives are developed and executed in compliance with legal, regulatory, and ethical standards.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast‑paced and dynamic environment, balancing multiple priorities and meeting deadlines.
• All other duties as assigned

Experience, Education And Specialized Knowledge And Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in business, healthcare, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10+ years biotech/pharmaceutical experience
• Minimum of 5+ years of focused account management experience in the oncology access marketplace
• Demonstrated success in engaging with US payers, MACs, PBMs, and IDNs
• Strong understanding of the US healthcare payer/access landscape and regulatory environment
• Excellent strategic thinking, leadership, negotiation, and relationship management skills
• Ability to work on cross‑functional teams and drive complex projects to completion
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills
• Successful record of achieving and maintaining compliance with all applicable regulatory, legal, and operational rules
• Travel: Ability to travel to support business priorities as needed

This is the pay for this position

Pay Transparency

$197,000 - $246,500 USD

Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience, certifications, and specific work location. This may be different in other locations due to differences in the cost of labor. The total compensation package for this position may also include bonus, stock, benefits and/or other applicable variable compensation.

Summit does not accept referrals from employment businesses and/or employment agencies in respect of the vacancies posted on this site. All employment businesses/agencies are required to contact Summit’s Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail] to obtain prior written authorization before referring any candidates to Summit.

Summit Therapeutics Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and takes pride in creating and maintaining diverse environment. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training or promotion or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.