Director, Patient Access

Job Description Summary #LI-Hybrid Location: Toronto, Ontario This role is based in Toronto, Canada. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support for this role: please only apply if this location is accessible for you. As Director, Patient Access, you will lead the development and execution of access strategies for priority brands, ensuring patients can benefit from Novartis innovative medicines. You will lead a high-performing team and collaborate across functions to shape market access, pricing, reimbursement, and evidence-generation initiatives that drive sustainable business impact and improved patient outcomes. This job posting is for an existing position

Job Description Key responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Patient Access team, including four direct reports across Toronto and Montreal, fostering coaching, talent development, accountability, and strong cross-site collaboration.
• Define and execute access strategies for priority brands within assigned therapeutic areas, ensuring alignment with business priorities, patient needs, and enterprise objectives.
• Provide strategic leadership across health economics and outcomes research, including value evidence planning, study design oversight, methodology selection, and interpretation of clinical, economic, quality-of-life, and real-world evidence data.
• Develop and guide pricing strategies that optimize revenue, affordability, reimbursement, market access, and time to market, supported by market research, competitive analysis, and financial modeling.
• Integrate HEOR and pricing insights into product development, launch planning, marketing, reimbursement, and broader access strategies through close partnership with cross-functional teams.
• Engage and influence key internal and external stakeholders, including senior leadership, access leadership teams, payers, healthcare providers, regulatory bodies, and patient advocacy groups.
• Monitor market dynamics, reimbursement/listing status, regulatory changes, competitor activity, and access performance to recommend timely adjustments to access and pricing strategies.
• Ensure research, pricing, and access activities comply with regulatory requirements, ethical standards, industry guidelines, and internal Novartis policies.
• Manage budgets and resources for access, HEOR, and pricing initiatives to deliver high-quality outcomes within agreed timelines, functional targets, and business expectations.
• Report technical complaints, adverse events, or special case scenarios related to Novartis products within 24 hours of receipt, and oversee marketing sample distribution where applicable.

Essential Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Economics, Business, Pharmacy, or a related field; extensive experience in Market Access, HEOR, Pricing, Reimbursement, or other healthcare-related functions; fluent English communication skills required.
• Proven people leadership experience with a strong track record of coaching, developing talent, building high-performing teams, and leading through change.
• Demonstrated strategic thinking and enterprise mindset, with the ability to translate complex business priorities into impactful access strategies and outcomes.
• Deep expertise in health economics, outcomes research, evidence generation, and value communication to support reimbursement and access decisions.
• Strong understanding of market access, pricing, reimbursement, healthcare systems, and payer dynamics within the pharmaceutical industry.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, with the ability to build credibility and drive alignment across senior leaders, payers, healthcare professionals, and cross-functional teams.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively across Medical, Commercial, Regulatory, Finance, and Market Access functions to support product launches and lifecycle management.
• Solid understanding of regulatory, compliance, and ethical requirements governing market access, pricing, reimbursement, and evidence-generation activities.

At Novartis Canada, we are determined to be a valued partner and advocate, with a deep understanding of patient needs along the entire care journey – from drug development, to diagnosis, to access and beyond. Part of the way we are doing this is by leveraging data, technology, and partnerships. Research & Development: we focus on four core therapeutic areas: Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolic, Immunology, Neuroscience and Oncology. We also develop and deliver treatments through other promoted and established brands, which today are helping millions of patients. Over the last three years, our average annual research and development investment in Canada was over $30 million, and we conduct clinical trial research in every region throughout Canada.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Novartis is committed to building outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse team’s representatives of the patients and communities we serve.

Skills Desired

• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Data Analysis
• Employee Development
• Finance
• Health Economics
• Health Technology Assessment (HTA)
• Influencing Skills
• Innovation
• Inspirational Leadership
• People Management
• Pharmacoeconomics
• Process Management
• Product Launches
• Project Management
• Real World Evidence (RWE)
• Regulatory Compliance
• Research Methodologies
• Results-Oriented
• Risk Management
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Stakeholder Management
• Statistical Analysis
• Value Propositions

Improving the lives of people living with disease takes more than innovative science. It takes a focus on the needs of people and a community committed to meeting them. It takes a team of people like you. Working together. Learning together. Thriving together. Discover how you can join us in changing people’s lives.

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