Payer Account Manager

Thea Pharma US; United States; On-site; USD 200,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

Thea Pharma Inc. is seeking a Payer Account Manager, field-based across the United States, to develop and execute payer strategies for the portfolio.

You will manage national payer accounts, build durable relationships with PBMs, health plans and MACs, and drive access for CYKLX and ZOLYMBUS with strong launch and post-launch execution. Ideal candidates have proven payer management experience, Medicare/MAC knowledge, and the ability to navigate complex policy and reimbursement pathways while

Qualifications

• Evidence of direct payer account management success with national or regional payer accounts.
• Established relationships with commercial health plans, PBMs or similar payer decision-makers.
• Experience supporting at least one pharmaceutical/biologic product launch.
• Strong understanding of U.S. payer dynamics, pharmacy/medical benefits, and utilization management.
• Ability to translate market access strategy into actionable account plans.
• Strong presentation, negotiation and communication skills.
• Able to operate in lean, fast-paced environments with ambiguity.
• High self-awareness, humility and team orientation.
• Committed to compliance with healthcare laws and company policies.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute account-specific strategies for national payer portfolios.
• Drive payer readiness and access during product launches, focusing on CYKLX and ZOLYMBUS.
• Build and expand relationships with payer leaders and decision-makers.
• Address formulary placement, medical policy, prior authorization and coverage requirements.
• Apply knowledge of buy-and-bill, coding, and reimbursement pathways to plan and execute.
• Support Medicare Part B/D and MAC priorities in collaboration with leadership.
• Maintain disciplined account plans with milestones and risk management.
• Monitor payer policies and market dynamics to inform enterprise decisions.
• Collaborate with Medical Affairs, Marketing, Finance and Legal to align payer execution with brand priorities.
• Contribute to building a broader payer capability with tools and processes.
• Operate with urgency, teamwork and accountability.

Skills

Direct payer account experience

Established payer relationships

Launch experience

Reimbursement & market access

Strategic execution

Communication & influence

Entrepreneurial agility

Culture & collaboration

Compliance

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree in business/healthcare/pharmacy/public health

Tools

CRM platforms

Microsoft Office

PowerPoint

Excel

Word

Teams

Outlook

Job description

Thea Pharma Inc. is the newly established US commercial organization of French-based pharmaceutical company, Laboratoires Théa (Clermont-Ferrand). Thea Pharma markets a suite of leading eye-care drugs that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including CYKLX™, ZOLYMBUS™, IYUZEH™, Zioptan®, Cosopt®, Cosopt® PF, Azasite®, Akten®, and Betimol®, as well as AcellFX™ Acellular Amniotic Membrane and the portfolio of iVIZIA dry-eye drops and eyelid hygiene products. By focusing its parent company’s passion and expertise within the U.S. market, Thea Pharma’s goal is to deliver uncompromising care that enables all stakeholders to envision the future of ophthalmic treatment with eyes wide open.

SUMMARY:

The Payer Account Manager is an experienced, field-based member of Thea Pharma’s Payer Strategy team responsible for developing and executing payer account strategies across the U.S. portfolio. This national role will manage an assigned portfolio of priority payer accounts based on business needs, account opportunities, established relationships, and individual expertise. Immediate priorities will include accelerating launch readiness and access for CYKLX and ZOLYMBUS while developing durable payer relationships and capabilities that support all Thea brands and future commercialization opportunities.

The successful candidate will be an established payer account professional who can contribute quickly with limited ramp time, bringing direct relationships with national and regional health plans, PBMs and other key payer decision-makers; demonstrated launch experience, and strong working knowledge of pharmacy and medical benefit access. Experience with Medicare, Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs), buy-and-bill reimbursement, coding, coverage policy and specialty products is highly valued.

As Thea continues to expand its U.S. market access capabilities, the Payer Account Manager will play an integral role in building an agile, high-performing payer organization. The successful candidate will bring an enterprise mindset, operating with urgency, accountability, sound judgement, and a strong bias for action. This individual must thrive in an entrepreneurial environment, navigate ambiguity effectively, and contribute beyond traditional account responsibilities when needed to advance portfolio and organizational priorities. A collaborative, team-first approach and commitment to shared success are essential. This role reports to the Director, Payer Strategy.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Strategic Payer Account Management: Develop and execute account-specific strategies for an assigned national portfolio of priority payer accounts, including national and regional commercial health plans, MACs, PBMs and other strategically important payer organizations, in alignment with portfolio and brand access objectives.
• Launch & Access Execution: Drive payer readiness and account execution for product launches and major access initiatives, with immediate focus on CYKLX and ZOLYMBUS. Anticipate access barriers, establish account-specific action plans and support timely progression from pre-launch engagement through post-launch coverage optimization.
• Payer Relationship Management: Leverage and expand established relationships with payer medical directors, pharmacy leaders, formulary and medical-policy stakeholders, contracting partners and other decision-makers to advance productive access discussions.
• Coverage & Policy Execution: Assess and address account-level barriers related to formulary placement, medical policy, utilization management, prior authorization, step therapy and other coverage requirements, partnering internally on compliant and evidence-based solutions.
• Medical & Pharmacy Benefit Expertise: Apply strong knowledge of pharmacy and medical benefit models, specialty pharmacy, buy-and-bill, ASP reimbursement, J-codes, coding and claims pathways, site-of-care dynamics and provider economics to payer account planning.
• Medicare & MAC Knowledge: Apply working knowledge of Medicare Part B and Part D, MAC jurisdictions and coverage processes, and the relationship between coding, reimbursement and policy. Support Medicare/MAC priorities in collaboration with Payer Strategy leadership and other team members.
• Account Planning & Performance: Maintain disciplined strategic account plans with clear objectives, stakeholder maps, milestones, risks and next actions. Account ownership and deployment will be aligned to organizational priorities, payer relationships, expertise, and business needs. Document interactions and provide timely visibility into account progress, opportunities and barriers.
• Payer Intelligence & Insights: Monitor payer policies, competitive access, benefit design, and emerging market dynamics. Bring actionable field intelligence back to Payer Strategy and cross-functional partners to inform enterprise decisions.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Parter effectively with Medical Affairs, Marketing, Patient Services, Finance, Legal/Compliance, Sales and other stakeholders to align payer execution with brand and enterprise priorities while maintaining appropriate functional boundaries.
• Build-the-Business Mindset: Contribute to development of a growing U.S. payer capability, including account segmentation, launch tools, operating processes, dashboards and field-insight mechanisms. Steps beyond assigned accounts when needed to solve problems and advance team priorities.
• Team-First Culture: Operate with urgency, curiosity, humility, and accountability. Share relationships and insights, support colleagues, challenge constructively and prioritize team and enterprise success over individual ownership.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Direct Payer Account Experience: Demonstrated success directly managing national and/or regional payer accounts within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry, with responsibility for advancing coverage, policy, formulary or access objectives.
• Established Payer Relationships: Current, credible relationships with commercial health plan, PBM and/or other relevant payer decision-makers, with the ability to identify and engage appropriate stakeholders quickly.
• Launch Experience: Demonstrated experience supporting at least one pharmaceutical or biologic product launch, including pre-launch payer readiness, early coverage development and post-launch access execution. Multiple launches strongly preferred.
• Reimbursement & Market Access Knowledge: Strong understanding of U.S. payer dynamics, pharmacy and medical benefits, specialty products and utilization management. Experience with Medicare/MACs, Part B reimbursement, buy-and-bill, coding and J-code pathways strongly preferred.
• Strategic Execution: Ability to translate broader market access strategy into practical account plans, prioritize opportunities and execute independently while escalating issues appropriately.
• Communicate & Influence: Strong presentation, negotiation and communication skills, with the judgement and credibility to represent Thea with sophisticated external stakeholders and collaborate effectively with senior internal partners.
• Entrepreneurial Agility: Demonstrated success operating in lean, fast-paced or evolving environments. Comfortable creating structure where needed, solving problems proactively and working with incomplete information without sacrificing execution quality.
• Culture & Collaboration: High degree of self-awareness, humility and team orientation. Willingness to share expertise, accept feedback, support colleagues and perform work outside narrow role boundaries when business needs require.
• Compliance: Strong commitment to applicable healthcare laws, regulations, OIG guidance and company compliance policies.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in business, healthcare, pharmacy, public health or a related discipline preferred.
• Experience: 10+ years of progressive pharmaceutical/biotechnology experience preferred, including significant experience in market access, managed markets, payer account management, national accounts or reimbursement. A minimum of 5+ years of direct payer account management experience with meaningful responsibility for external payer relations is strongly preferred.
• Payer Portfolio: Demonstrated experience managing a portfolio of payer accounts and engaging multiple stakeholder types across complex organizations. National and major regional payer experience strongly preferred.
• Specialty & Launch Background: Experience with specialty pharmaceuticals, biologicals, medical-benefit and/or buy-and-bill products strongly preferred. Prior launch experience is required.
• Therapeutic Experience: Ophthalmology/retina experience preferred but not required. Proven payer relationships, market access expertise, launch capability and ability to contribute rapidly are prioritized.
• Systems: Proficiency with CRM platforms and Microsoft Office, including PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Teams and Outlook.
• Travel: Ability to travel approximately 40-50%, including overnight travel and payer/customer meetings as business needs require.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

This position requires prolonged sitting. Additionally, requires eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity enough to operate a keyboard, photocopier, telephone, and other office equipment. Requires normal range of hearing and vision to record, prepare, and communicate appropriately. Additional physical requirements include hearing spoken communication clearly.

BENEFITS AND PERKS

Thea offers a full suite of employee benefits, including employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance; a generous schedule of paid time off (PTO); life and disability insurance; paid parental leave; and a competitive 401(k) company match. Thea is a flexible and entrepreneurial work environment where you will enjoy an inclusive culture and the opportunity to have your voice and ideas directly shape the future of the company.

For U.S. locations that require disclosure of compensation, the starting pay for this role is between $200k to $220k. The estimated salary range reflects an anticipated range for this position. The actual base salary offered may depend on a variety of factors.

EEO STATEMENT

Thea Pharma Inc. is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. At Thea, we not only support the diversity of our employee population, we celebrate the way our team member’s unique backgrounds and experiences contribute to the success of our company. Thea does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. Thea Pharma Inc. does not tolerate harassment or discrimination of any kind.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Your information will be kept confidential according EEO Guidelines.

To verify an open role please check our official careers page at https://theapharmainc.com/careers/