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GRAIL is a healthcare company pioneering early cancer detection using next-generation sequencing, population-scale clinical studies, and advanced data science. The company is headquartered in the Bay Area with locations in Washington D.C., North Carolina, and the United Kingdom.
As a Payer Engagement Account Director, you will own and actively drive a defined pipeline of payer opportunities with clear accountability for progress, outcomes, and timelines. You will initiate, build, and expand relationships with assigned payer accounts, proactively identifying opportunities to advance discussions toward pilots, data evaluations, and access-enabling activities.
Key responsibilities include:
- Lead payer meetings from initial outreach through follow-up execution, maintaining momentum and clearly defining next steps
- Translate payer interest into concrete deliverables including pilots, collaborations, or agreements in partnership with the Senior Director of Payer Engagement
- Navigate complex payer organizations to identify and engage key clinical, economic, and decision-making stakeholders
- Surface payer needs, objections, and decision criteria early, working cross-functionally to address them efficiently
- Partner with Market Access, HEOR, Medical Affairs, Commercial, Government Affairs, and clinical development teams to support payer-driven evidence and access requirements
- Prepare and deliver compelling, compliant payer-facing materials that articulate clinical and economic value
- Maintain disciplined pipeline management with documentation of payer interactions, progress, risks, and next steps
- Represent the company with credibility, urgency, and professionalism in all payer interactions
You will cover markets and institutions across the U.S. and must be able to travel 30-40% of the time.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor's degree required
- 10+ years of experience in payer engagement, market access, managed care, or healthcare account leadership
- Demonstrated track record of successfully closing payer negotiations that resulted in meaningful, expanded insurance coverage
- Ability to travel 30-40% of the time
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Advanced degree (MBA, MPH, PharmD, MD, PhD)
- 15+ years of experience in payer engagement, market access, managed care, or healthcare account leadership
- Strong understanding of U.S. payer decision-making, medical policy, reimbursement, and access pathways
- Proven ability to operate independently, prioritize effectively, and maintain momentum across multiple active opportunities
- Comfort with ambiguity and experience in growth-stage or evolving commercial environments
- Excellent communication skills, executive presence, and stakeholder management abilities
- Experience in biotech, diagnostics, pharma, or healthcare technology
- Exposure to payer pilots, value-based arrangements, or evidence-generation collaborations
- Familiarity with HEOR, real-world evidence, and clinical development processes
