Associate Director, Field Access Management

Ardelyx is a publicly traded commercial biopharmaceutical company founded with a mission to discover, develop and commercialize innovative first-in-class medicines that meet significant unmet medical needs. Ardelyx has two commercial products approved in the United States, IBSRELA (tenapanor) and XPHOZAH (tenapanor). Ardelyx has agreements for the development and commercialization of tenapanor outside of the U.S. Kyowa Kirin commercializes PHOZEVEL (tenapanor) for hyperphosphatemia in Japan. A New Drug Application for tenapanor for hyperphosphatemia has been submitted in China with Fosun Pharma. Knight Therapeutics commercializes IBSRELA in Canada.

The Associate Director, Field Access Management will be responsible for supporting daily operations and a team of field access managers for Ardelyx's patient services hub. This position is responsible for managing the Ardelyx patient access and affordability programs by supporting patient-centric teams and supporting the day-to-day operations. Success in this position will focus on enhancing and optimizing the patient and prescriber experience during the entire treatment cycle, from initial prescription through to the maintenance phase of therapy. This position is responsible for working cross-functionally with all external vendors and internal stakeholders (i.e., Sales, Marketing, Market Access, Trade, Compliance, Commercial Operations, and Legal) in order to support impactful strategies for patient services growth and development. The role also functions as a subject matter expert on reimbursement support services, stakeholder engagement, and will assist the Executive Director of Patient Services in the overall patient services hub. This position reports to the Executive Director of Patient Services.

• Support the implementation (i.e., business rule development, team training, workflow mapping, etc.) of patient access programs as well as support the day-to-day operations of the reimbursement programs with a focus on operational excellence and high-quality service.
• Lead a team of hybrid Field Access Managers whose responsibilities include key customer management and support of the entire reimbursement journey from prescription initiation to access determination.
• Drive positive outcomes by partnering closely with Field Leadership to proactively identify geographical trends and insights, effectively prioritize regional specific strategies and tactics to optimize business performance.
• Collaborate with Field Access Manager Leadership and Executive Director of Patient Services to establish vision and clear objectives for the Field Access Management department that aligns with Ardelyx's values.
• Maintain and uphold key performance indicators (KPI) for team members and stakeholders by holding all accountable through regular business reviews, team building exercises, training, and daily KPI reviews.
• Create a culture that aligns with Ardelyx's core values (passionate, fearless, dedicated, and inclusive) through effective management of internal team members and external partnerships.
• Periodically review, maintain, and ensure compliance with all standard operating procedures (SOP) and business rules related to patient support services.
• Monitor volume trends and ensure adequate staffing is available to meet all patient service objectives and goals.
• Conduct performance evaluations, mentor, develop and lead a diverse and talented Field Access Management team who are competent and skilled in the healthcare marketplace and in access and reimbursement.
• Develop and execute communication plans-ensuring clear communication between Ardelyx and our internal and external teams.
• Provide subject matter expertise on all patient services related topics by serving as a resource to all stakeholders (i.e. field sales team, prescribers, patients, marketing, etc.). Escalate any concerns to the appropriate parties where applicable.
• Partner with Ardelyx sales leadership and field sales teams to ensure best-in-class patient services and serve as primary liaison between the field and Patient Services partners.
• Ensure the tight integration of program development and continuous improvement of reimbursement hub operational processes and systems in order to deliver exceptional customer experience.
• Work with pertinent internal and external stakeholders to develop, implement, and maintain outreach programs to assist with adherence and improve patient engagement.
• Support the annual brand planning process with data driven reimbursement insights by demonstrating accountability and leadership to effectively and efficiently manage external partners and vendor performance.

• A minimum of a B.A/B.S. required; Advanced degree within business or healthcare strongly preferred (PharmD, ARNP, PA, RN or MBA).
• 5+ years of experience within Patient Access Services (hub/callcenter), healthcare operations, and/or reimbursement services. Other backgrounds with related experience in reimbursement support, market access, or healthcare will be considered. Pharmaceutical industry experience strongly preferred.
• 3+ years of supervisory or managerial experience required, including managing remote teams and external vendors.
• Strong functional knowledge of health insurance and benefits (i.e. Medicare Part D, commercial and Medicaid) with a solid understanding of insurance eligibility, benefit verification, prior authorization processes, reimbursement coverage, appealing insurance denials, application of financial assistance, co-pay support and bridge programs.
• Extensive knowledge of HCP office processes regarding patient flow, prescription flow and clinic office operations. Direct experience with nephrology products or providers preferred.
• Understanding of the legal and regulatory environment impacting patient services along with demonstrated integrity on the job.
• Indepth knowledge of pharmaceutical manufacturer compliance requirements and patient confidentiality (HIPAA regulations).
• Outstanding customer relationship, interpersonal, and communication skills with the established ability to effectively work with diverse audiences and influence cross functionally.
• Strong project management skills and abilities; comfortable managing multiple projects and delivering strong results.
• Strong interpersonal skills including ability to communicate effectively with people individually and groups; ability to communicate with technical and non-technical colleagues; experience establishing and maintaining effective relationships across departments.
• Demonstrated ability to translate strategy into action in order to resolve issues and mitigate risks.
• Demonstrated being able to work well under pressure and handle multiple projects at one time.
• Self-motivated, high degree of initiative, high achievement, and superb attention to detail.
• Strong verbal communications skills and demonstrated ability to write clearly and persuasively.
• Strong analytical skills with the proven ability to effectively analyze data to determine trends and inform strategy.
• High interest in working in the "roll up the sleeves" environment of a small biotechnology company, without the resources of larger companies.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S. for any employer without the need for sponsorship.

• Remote with regular travel to Ardelyx corporate offices.
• Willingness to travel up to 30% of time within the U.S.

Ardelyx also offers a robust benefits package to employees, including a 401(k) plan with generous employer match, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, up to 12 weeks living organ and bone marrow leave, equity incentive plans, health plans (medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision), life insurance and disability, flexible time off, annual Winter Holiday shut down, and at least 11 paid holidays.

Ardelyx is an equal opportunity employer.