Director, Channel Strategy & Patient Services

📋 Description

• Lead the U.S. distribution channel strategy for Capricor, which includes the selection and management of 3PL, designing the specialty distributor network, negotiating trade agreements, and overseeing product distribution from the manufacturer to the dispensing channel.

• Create and operate Capricor’s U.S. patient services model across various therapeutic areas, which encompasses referral intake, benefits investigation, prior authorization, and case management.

• Collaborate with internal teams to aid in the selection, onboarding, and continuous management of 3PL, specialty distributor, hub, and specialty pharmacy partners, ensuring the establishment of clear SLAs, KPIs, and governance frameworks.

• Map out, standardize, and improve patient journeys across programs to minimize access barriers and facilitate timely therapy initiation.

• Develop and sustain SOPs and training materials for interactions with patients and providers, ensuring compliance with regulatory, legal, and compliance standards.

• Manage financial assistance and affordability initiatives, including copay support, patient assistance, and bridge/quick-start programs in collaboration with external vendors.

• Assist in the onboarding and certification processes for therapies administered or infused in institutions, working closely with treatment centers and operational partners.

• Work in tandem with Market Access to synchronize patient services workflows with payer requirements, reimbursement expectations, and access pathways.

• Collaborate with Commercial Operations and IT to guarantee effective data collection, reporting, and system integration within vendor ecosystems.

• Create dashboards, KPIs, and reporting insights to track program performance, patient experience, and operational efficiency.

• Define KPIs and establish the launch-readiness measurement framework for channel and patient services, covering indicators prior to launch and performance tracking post-launch.

• Oversee relationships and budgets with channel, hub, and patient services vendors; lead RFPs and contracting efforts in collaboration with Procurement and Legal.

• Gradually build a small team of patient services and channel operations staff, advising Commercial leadership on the team's growth strategy.

• Conduct ad-hoc analyses and scenario evaluations for Commercial leadership and other internal stakeholders.

• Establish processes, templates, and tools to ensure consistent execution of channel and patient services as the company expands.

⛳️ Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree or clinical background (e.g., RN, PharmD) is preferred.

• A minimum of 10 years of experience in pharmaceutical channel strategy, management of 3PL and specialty distribution, patient services, hub operations, or oversight of specialty pharmacy within the biotech or pharmaceutical industry.

• Proven success in developing or scaling patient support programs for rare diseases or specialty therapies.

• Experience in supporting product launches, preferably within rare diseases or complex infused therapies.

• Extensive knowledge of pharmaceutical distribution models (3PL, specialty distributor, specialty pharmacy), benefits verification, prior authorization processes, case management, and financial assistance programs.

• Strong operational discipline, empathy, and experience in vendor partnership management.

• Ability to communicate complex channel and patient services topics clearly to leadership and cross-functional teams.

• Demonstrated capacity to manage multiple priorities and operate efficiently in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.

• Experience in leading or contributing to a commercial launch and building channel and patient services capabilities from the ground up in a pre-commercial or early-commercial organization.

🏝️ Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.

• Generous paid time off and flexible working arrangements.

• Opportunities for professional development and growth within the company.