Senior Director, Market Access Contract Assessment & Development

Otsuka; United States; Remote; USD 231,000 - 345,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical

Dental

Vision

401(k) match

Tuition reimbursement

Paid holidays

Paid leave programs

Job summary

Otsuka is seeking a Senior Director, Market Access Contract Assessment & Development in the United States to lead end-to-end proposal and contracting efforts across commercial payers, PBMs, GPOs, specialty pharmacies, trade, and institutional customers.

You will oversee pre-deal analytics, business case development, term sheet drafting, and post-deal performance analytics while ensuring alignment with brand strategy, financial targets, and compliance; mentoring a high‑performing team and driving

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required in Finance, Economics, Business, or related field.
• Advanced degree preferred such as an MBA, JD, or Master’s in Economics.
• 10+ years of experience in pharmaceutical pricing, analytics, or contracting.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing high‑performing corporate teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end proposal and deal development lifecycle from opportunity assessment through contract execution.
• Partner with account management and payer marketing to build robust business cases for major opportunities.
• Oversee term sheets and draft contract language with Legal and Market Access Strategy.
• Own and optimize Pricing Committee / deal approval processes for high-impact accounts.
• Chair core deal teams to refine strategies and prepare for approvals.
• Ensure proposals align with approved brand and contract strategies and guidelines.

Skills

Market access

Contracting

Pricing strategy

Deal analytics

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Forecasting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance/Economics/Business

MBA/JD preferred

Tools

Excel

Power BI

Contract management systems

Job description

Senior Director, Market Access Contract Assessment & Development

The Senior Director, Market Access Contract Assessment & Development is responsible for: Commercial payer and PBM contracting Medical and pharmacy benefit strategies Value-based and outcomes-based agreements Market Access strategy and lifecycle management, New Product planning Gross-to-net and pricing implications Innovative reimbursement models Cross-functional leadership across Market Access, Finance, HEOR, Legal, and Commercial Analytics This SD will lead the development, governance, and continuous improvement of proposal and contracting processes for U.S. market access across commercial payers, PBMs, GPOs, specialty pharmacies, trade, and institutional customers. This leader oversees a team responsible for pre‑deal analytics, business case development, term sheet and contract drafting, and post‑deal performance analytics, ensuring proposals align with brand and market access strategy while meeting financial, legal, and compliance requirements. This role is a key thought partner for strategic pricing decisions and is responsible for annual proposals for WAC pricing.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end proposal and deal development lifecycle, from opportunity assessment and pre‑deal analytics through contract execution and post‑deal performance evaluation.
• Partner with account management and payer marketing to develop robust business cases for major national and regional opportunities, including “deal vs. no‑deal” scenarios and share‑shift assumptions by bid option.
• Oversee creation of term sheets and draft contract language, including redlines, in close collaboration with Legal and Market Access Strategy to ensure alignment with approved strategy and risk tolerance.
• Own and optimize Pricing Committee (PC) / deal approval process for high‑impact accounts (e.g., big three PBMs and other major customers), including timelines, required inputs, and stakeholder engagement.
• Chair or co‑lead core deal teams composed of account leads, contracting leads, and payer marketing leads to refine deal strategies, challenge assumptions, and prepare for PC and Market Access alignment.
• Ensure proposals are developed within approved brand and channel contract strategies and guidelines, and highlight/explain any requested exceptions.
• Direct pre‑deal analytics including optimal net price determination, opportunity sizing, margin impact analyses, and risk/benefit assessment across commercial, Medicare, Medicaid, and institutional channels.
• Lead coordination with finance, Gross‑to‑Net, forecasting, data/analytics, and claims operations to ensure proposals use the most accurate and consistent data sources (e.g., claims systems, customer portals) rather than solely third‑party data.
• Oversee post‑deal analytics, including creation and dissemination of contract performance dashboards that compare actual performance vs. forecast, track gross profit margin, and inform renewal recommendations.
• Ensure systematic documentation and repository management for proposals, contracts, amendments, EC decks, and meeting minutes, including tracking volumes and activity metrics.
• Increase the customer‑facing effectiveness of the proposal function by supporting account teams with deal presentations and participation in customer meetings as needed.
• Partner with Market Access Strategy to clarify and operationalize contract strategy (max rebate rates, preferred positioning targets, ideal language constructs), and ensure strategies are actionable for proposal development.
• Identify, evaluate, and champion opportunities for automation, contract lifecycle tools, and application of AI or bots to streamline proposal drafting, document comparison, and metrics generation.
• Mentor and develop a high‑performing team, ensuring sufficient cross‑training and backup coverage to reduce single‑point dependency risk in proposal and contracting execution.
• Develop quantitative frameworks to (1) include Customer/Payer 360 view, (2) model gross‑to‑net (GTN) revenue outcomes and consider GP impact, (3) evaluate competitive action.
• Develop annual WAC change recommendations and cupport pricing strategies for launch products and inline therapies.
• Optimize discount structures and craft new programs including eligibility requirements, value‑based agreements, and discounts.
• Translate complex deal terms into clear, legally enforceable contract language and ensure operational coordination.
• Present business cases to Pricing Committee for deal approvals.
• Oversee contract drafting for Payer/GPOs, Wholesalers, GPOs, Specialty Pharmacies, and health systems.
• Maintain contract templates to minimize legal and financial risk exposure and for compliance and audit.

Suggested Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required in Finance, Economics, Business, or related field.
• Advanced degree preferred such as an MBA, JD, or Master’s in Economics.
• 10+ years of experience in pharmaceutical pricing, analytics, or contracting.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing high‑performing corporate teams.

Competencies

• Accountability for Results - Stay focused on key strategic objectives, be accountable for high standards of performance, and take an active role in leading change.
• Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving - Make decisions considering the long‑term impact to customers, patients, employees, and the business.
• Patient & Customer Centricity - Maintain an ongoing focus on the needs of our customers and/or key stakeholders.
• Impactful Communication - Communicate with logic, clarity, and respect.
• Influence at all levels to achieve the best results for Otsuka.
• Respectful Collaboration - Seek and value others’ perspectives and strive for diverse partnerships to enhance work toward common goals.
• Empowered Development - Play an active role in professional development as a business imperative.

Minimum $230,720.00 - Maximum $345,000.00, plus incentive opportunity: The range shown represents a typical pay range or starting pay for individuals who are hired in the role to perform in the United States. Other elements may be used to determine actual pay such as the candidate’s job experience, specific skills, and comparison to internal incumbents currently in role. Typically, actual pay will be positioned within the established range, rather than at its minimum or maximum. This information is provided to applicants in accordance with states and local laws.

Company benefits

• Comprehensive medical
• dental
• vision
• prescription drug coverage
• company provided basic life
• accidental death & dismemberment
• short‑term and long‑term disability insurance
• tuition reimbursement
• student loan assistance
• a generous 401(k) match
• flexible time off
• paid holidays
• paid leave programs as well as other company provided benefits

Otsuka is an equal opportunity employer.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will be given consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, national origin, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected characteristic.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation, if you are unable or limited in your ability to apply to this job opening as a result of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodations by contacting [e-mail].

Disclaimer: This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by the people assigned to this position. It is not intended to include every job duty and responsibility specific to the position. Otsuka reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.

Otsuka is a global healthcare company with the corporate philosophy: “Otsuka–people creating new products for better health worldwide.” In the U.S., Otsuka is comprised of two companies, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc., and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc., that share a deep commitment to the development and commercialization of innovative products in the spaces of neuroscience, nephrology, and digital medicine. Driven by our purpose to defy limitation, so that others can too, we have an unwavering belief in doing more and transcending expectations. In going above and beyond—under any circumstances—for patients, families, providers, and for each other. It’s this deep‑rooted dedication that drives us to uncover answers to complex, underserved medical needs, so that patients can push past the limitations of their disease and achieve more than they thought was possible each and every day.

OPDC and OAPI are indirect subsidiaries of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company, Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The Otsuka group of companies employed 34,400 people worldwide and had consolidated sales of approximately USD 14.2billion in 2023. We invite you to explore our open positions for an opportunity to join our 2,200 colleagues in the U.S. whose passion for our mission and pride in our company have earned us certification as a Great Place to Work by the Great Place to Work Institute.