Senior Manager, Trade Relations

Fresenius Kabi USA; Lake Zurich (IL); Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus plan (14% target)

Medical, dental, vision

401K with company match

Job summary

Fresenius Kabi USA is seeking a Senior Manager, Trade Relations in Lake Zurich, IL. The role leads channel strategy with wholesalers, distributors, alternative channels, and specialty pharmacies, coordinating contracts and performance reviews to ensure product access.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement agreements, optimize inventory, and drive successful launches. The position requires extensive experience in pharma trade, strong negotiation skills, and travel up to

Qualifications

• 8+ years in Pharmaceutical/Biotech industries.
• 3+ years in Channel, Trade & Distribution, or Specialty Pharmacy.
• Proven ability to derive actionable insights from channel data and trends.
• Experience with biosimilars is highly desirable.
• Strong written, verbal, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to build relationships with cross-functional teams and partners.
• Excellent project and vendor management capabilities.
• Willingness to travel domestically up to 20%.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Serve as liaison for wholesalers, distributors, and specialty pharmacy accounts.
• Negotiate and manage distribution/service agreements and data reporting solutions.
• Lead account strategies to support product launches and availability.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to ensure compliant product access.
• Conduct regular business reviews and performance analyses with partners.
• Prepare and present contracts, supply, inventory, and channel updates to leadership.
• Partner with U.S. sales to identify new Market Access opportunities.
• Manage multi-program initiatives across channels and stakeholders.
• Support remediation of operational or data quality issues.

Skills

Pharma/biotech experience

Channel & distribution management

Data-driven insights

Stakeholder relations

Project management

Negotiation

Strategic planning

Travel readiness

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

The Senior Manager, Trade Relations plays a key role within the Biopharma Market Access Channel Distribution team, serving as the primary liaison between Fresenius Kabi and assigned wholesalers, distributors, alternative channel partners, and specialty pharmacy accounts. This role is responsible for fostering and sustaining strategic partnerships, managing channel operations, supporting successful product launches, and ensuring effective product access and availability across the U.S. Biopharma portfolio.

In this position, the incumbent will lead account strategy and execution across assigned wholesale, distribution, alternative channel, and specialty pharmacy customers. Responsibilities include negotiating and managing distribution service agreements, specialty pharmacy agreements, fee-for-service arrangements, data solutions, account performance, product procurement, inventory coordination, contract implementation, and business reviews. This role requires close collaboration with internal cross-functional stakeholders and external partners to ensure Fresenius Kabi products reach customers and patients efficiently, effectively, and compliantly.

This is a hybrid position, and the selected candidate will be required to work onsite in the Lake Zurich, Illinois office 3 days a week.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Fresenius Kabi point of contact and primary liaison for assigned wholesalers, distributors, alternative channel partners, and specialty pharmacy accounts.
• Negotiate, implement, and manage daily operations of distribution service agreements, specialty pharmacy agreements, enhanced service agreements, fee-for-service arrangements, and data reporting solutions.
• Own contract implementation with input from internal departments, including Finance, Supply Chain, Operations, Legal, Contracting, and Market Access.
• Lead and execute account strategies that support product launches, product access, product availability, and end-customer or patient supply.
• Build, maintain, and strengthen productive, professional relationships with key personnel across customer organizations and internal stakeholder teams.
• Ensure excellent customer service through continuous communication, timely issue resolution, account feedback, in-person visits, and structured business reviews.
• Manage overall account performance across assigned channel partners, including wholesaler, distributor, alternative channel, and specialty pharmacy performance.
• Conduct regular business reviews, including quarterly business reviews and annual reviews, with wholesalers, distributors, alternative channels, and specialty pharmacy partners.
• Evaluate channel and specialty pharmacy performance against relevant key performance indicators, service requirements, access objectives, and business goals.
• Partner with assigned accounts to perform root cause analysis and lead remediation of operational, procurement, reporting, data quality, product access, or customer service issues.
• Prepare and present contracts, supply, inventory, account performance, and channel updates to senior leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Collaborate with the U.S. sales team to identify and approach potential clients and support new Market Access account opportunities.
• Lead and execute account strategies that support product launches, product access, product availability, and end-customer or patient supply.
• Partner with global manufacturing, supply chain, operations, finance, contracting, market access strategy, sales, marketing, legal, and other internal teams to manage inventory, customer needs, product procurement, and contract execution.
• Along with the Sr. Director, Channel Distribution & Strategic Development, manage participation of the broad stakeholder team to achieve customer, channel, product, and portfolio strategies and goals.
• Participate in any and all reasonable work activities as assigned by management.

Requirements

• 8+ years of relevant experience in the Pharmaceutical or Biotechnology Industries required.
• 3+ years of relevant experience in Channel, Trade & Distribution, and/or Specialty Pharmacy required.
• Experience deriving actionable insights from channel data, including performance metrics, reporting, and business trends.
• Experience with biological therapies and/or biosimilars is highly desired.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, interpersonal, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain strong relationships with cross-functional internal teams, external vendors, and channel partners, including specialty pharmacies.
• Strong project management, vendor management, people management, problem-solving, decision-making, and analytical skills.
• Customer-focused, solution-oriented team player who can work independently and collaboratively in a dynamic environment.
• Ability to plan, organize, and manage multiple programs and initiatives simultaneously to meet timelines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, with emphasis on Excel and PowerPoint.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt solutions based on shifting market conditions.
• Must maintain all requirements for access to customer sites, including active and current compliance with all credentialing requirements (may include COVID-19 and annual influenza vaccinations), in order to perform the essential functions of the role at customer locations.
• Ability to work flexible hours and weekends to meet business/customer needs.
• Willing to travel domestically up to 20% of the time.
• The Company's primary business language is English. The successful candidate must be able to effectively speak, read, write, and understand English to perform the essential functions of the position, including independently understanding policies, procedures, training materials, and workplace communications written in English due to our heavily regulated work environment.

Additional Information

Salary Range: $135,000 - $160,000 per year

Position is eligible to participate in a bonus plan with a target of 14% of the base salary. Final pay determinations will depend on various factors, including, but not limited to experience level, education, knowledge, skills, and abilities. Our benefits and programs are comprehensive and thoughtfully crafted to ensure our colleagues live healthy lives and have support when it matters most.

We offer an excellent salary and benefits package including medical, dental and vision coverage, as well as life insurance, disability, 401K with company contribution, and wellness program.

Please note that joining our team does not create a guaranteed or permanent employment arrangement. All employment is at-will, meaning both the employee and Fresenius Kabi have the right to end the employment relationship at any time, in accordance with applicable federal and state laws.

Fresenius Kabi is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, immigration status, disabilities, or protected veteran status.