Associate Director, Patient Assistance Programs

Associate Director, Patient Assistance Programs  

Wilmington, DE or Gaithersburg, MD 

The Associate Director, Patient Assistance Programs is responsible for the execution of all aspects of the program’s operational strategy, including vendor management, application of applicable AZ Policies and collaboration with key internal stakeholders.  They will support program acumen to US Patient Support, Market Access Strategy, and Brand teams in order to ensure the role of free goods programs is represented. The Associate Director will report directly to the Director of Patient Assistance Programs and interact and collaborate effectively across all functions within AstraZeneca. 

Key Responsibilities:   

• Daily oversight and management of AZ&Meä Prescription Savings program and other PAP programs offered. 

• Responsible for vendor contracts and holding vendor accountable for all program operations, Key Performance Metrics (KPI), Service Level Agreements (SLA), and superior customer experience. 

• Liaise with internal stakeholders in Legal, Compliance, Corporate Affairs, Market Access, Finance, Purchasing, Operations and IT to ensure on-going compliance and success of programs as well as to demonstrate viability and success of programs; present periodic program updates to senior leadership. 

• Work collaboratively with AZ operations and compliance colleagues to develop and refine program Business Rules and Client Work Instructions which provide explicit instructions to the vendor in accordance with AZ policies. 

• Lead cross-functional effort to maintain and improve AZ&Me website and supporting resources 

• Support audit efforts, ensuring suppliers adhere to AZ policies and regulations 

• Coordinate the development of all printed and web-based program communication materials for the programs and consult with internal legal and compliance resources to ensure compliance with AstraZeneca and external standards. 

• Perform annual review/refresh of training modules and conduct training sessions with field sales, Access 360 and Field Reimbursement Mangers to reinforce PAP policies and provide the appropriate level of understanding of program operations by role 

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships across Market Access, Customer Facing teams, Legal & Compliance, and IT. 

• Liaise with key external stakeholders to determine and implement opportunities for strategic partnering. 

• Define measures of program success and provide solid analysis on a monthly and quarterly basis to cross-functional teams as well as AZ leadership. 

• Manage program budget. 

Position Qualifications (Minimum Requirements): 
 

• Education: Bachelor's Degree (MBA or other related graduate-level degree is preferred). 

• Minimum of 5 years of total business experience in the healthcare or pharmaceutical/biotech industry.  

• Minimum 3 years’ experience in reimbursement, market access, Corporate Affairs, finance, compliance, and/or regulatory. 

• Successful track record of performance in role(s) focused on reducing barriers to access through customer oriented logistical support programs (i.e., HUB, PAP, etc.), training and quality of those programs.  

• Vendor management experience, preferably in managing a PAP program or patient HUB services. 

• Proven project management skills.  

• Excellent Interpersonal skills and strong verbal and written communication skills.  

• Flexible with positive attitude and ability to prioritize projects.  

• Strong analytical skills 

• Demonstrated ability to lead and drive outcomes in a matrix environment 

• Ability to travel 10 – 20% of time 

Preferred Background 

• Experience in pharmaceutical manufacturer Patient Assistance Programs (PAP). 

• Experience in Biologics or Pharmaceutical Specialty Products preferably in Infectious Disease, Respiratory, Cardio-Renal, Inflammation, Autoimmune, Oncology, Cardiovascular and Neuroscience. 

• Knowledge and understanding of regulatory review process. 

• Knowledge and understanding of operations & distribution process.