BRIEF COMPANY PROFILE

Our client is a global, research-driven pharmaceutical company and a global market leader in their key therapeutic area of expertise. The history of our client dates back more than 100 years. In the past couple of years, the company has focused on market expansion, innovation, and capacity growth. 

The company also has a long-standing commitment to act responsibly. For more than 10 years, it has been guided by the United Nations’ Global Compact principles, and in 2019, the company affirmed its commitment to these by becoming an active signatory of the UN Global Compact.

THE POSITION

Our client is looking to bring onboard a high-caliber and senior global market access & public affairs executive to the company who will lead the entire functional area as the top market access & public affairs officer in the company.

The role is a key member of the Global Marketing and Access leadership team and advisor to the Top Executive Leadership Team, responsible for securing optimal pricing, reimbursement, and policy conditions for our client’s products. The role will be responsible for leading both strategic access planning and external stakeholder engagement — ensuring our client’s therapies are recognized for their value to patients and health systems. Additionally, the role will act as the bridge between our client’s internal teams (Commercial, Medical, Regulatory, Legal) and external stakeholders (payers, policymakers, patient advocacy groups), advocating for access while helping shape a favorable healthcare environment.

You will join a flat, open and collaborative environment where feedback is direct, silos are few and decisions are made quickly. The position offers high visibility, international interaction and the chance to leave a lasting mark on our client’s growth trajectory.

Why work at our client?
Our client provides a uniquely dynamic and pleasant work environment, complete with inspiring and challenging assignments. The impact of one’s efforts will be instantly visible in an organization that values people who gets things done, while actively influencing and challenging the status quo. Our client’s flat structures attract independent individuals who like to feel the progress of the business and enjoy being close to the decision-making process. The role will be part of an engaged and informal team who values skill and knowledge creation.

POSITION PROFILE

Position title:

Global Head, Market Access & Public Affairs.

Reporting line:

Vice President, Global Marketing and Market Access.

Location:

Greater Copenhagen (HQ).

Reporting to the role:

2 HTA Managers; 1 Pricing Manager; 1 RWE/HEOR Manager; 1 Public Affairs Manager; 1 Team Support Professional

Traveling:

Moderate.

Responsibilities & Tasks:

• Part of the Global Marketing and Access leadership team.

• Serving as a trusted advisor to the Executive Leadership Team on all matters related to pricing, policy, and public affairs.

• Developing and leading access strategies across global and local markets to support new product launches and lifecycle management.

• Driving HTA submissions, value dossiers, and payer negotiations in collaboration with cross-functional teams.

• Developing compelling value propositions and health economic models that demonstrate the clinical and economic benefits of our products.

• Developing and aligning RWE studies to either show disease impact to relevant stakeholders (politicians) or to support product indications/claims.

• Monitoring evolving access and pricing trends and proactively adapting the strategy.

• Building and executing an integrated public affairs strategy that aligns with company goals and supports a favorable policy environment.

• Proactively identifying and managing political, policy, and stakeholder risks and opportunities.

• Engaging with government bodies, regulators, trade associations, and NGOs to shape healthcare and pharmaceutical policy.

• Anticipating and mitigating policy risks; proactively positioning the company as a thought leader in health system sustainability and innovation. Representing the company in industry forums and coalitions, building credibility and influence.

• Ensuring stakeholder alignment and partnering with Commercial, Medical Affairs, Clinical, and Regulatory teams to align access and launch strategies.

• Leading and developing a targeted and agile team of access and policy professionals.

Key success criteria:

• Pricing.

  • Ensuring prices have a positive impact on the company’s overall profitability.

• Market Access.

  • Ensuring effective and efficient Global Market Access strategies that are aligned with and drive positive impact on the go-to-market-strategies for the products, the target populations, the design and endpoints of the clinical development programs and price and reimbursement platforms.

• Public Affairs.

  • Demonstrating direct impact on policy development – particularly in key markets.

  • Delivering country specific communication packages through cross-functional and data-supported processes that effectively and seamlessly include the market access organization and affiliate stakeholders.

• Leadership.

  • Gaining the support of the team members and trigger their potential in order to make them feel accomplished and empowered in their daily work.

• Stakeholders.

  • Gaining the support and involvement of the markets and be perceived as a valuable asset in their market access efforts.

• Building and sustaining excellent relationships at multiple levels throughout the organization and external stakeholder landscape.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Educational background:

Advanced degree in Health Economics, Public Health, Political Science, Pharmacy, or a related discipline. MBA or PhD is a plus.

Language:

English – fluent (verbally and written).

Ideal experience:

• 10+ years of experience in Market Access, Government Affairs, or Public Policy in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry.

• Strong knowledge of payer systems, HTA processes, pricing mechanisms, and regulatory frameworks in key global markets.

• Demonstrated success in leading reimbursement and market access for specialty or innovative medicines.

• Deep network among payers, policymakers, HTA bodies, and advocacy groups.

• Excellent people and project management skills.

Personal competencies:

Stakeholder management
Builds trust across functions based on strong interpersonal and professional skills; balances multiple stakeholder interests and creates win‑win solutions.  Is able to establish and maintain relations with people at all levels internally as well as externally and make people feel at ease. Achieves agreement by dealing with disagreements and potential conflicts with both firmness and diplomatic skills.

Strategic & Analytical
Thinks big‑picture while mastering detail, integrating strong business acumen to ensure informed decisions; integrates the analytical output into the given context; differentiates between key areas and irrelevant and less important areas; has a logical mind-set; makes sensible decisions on the basis of available information.

Communication & Influence
Clear, concise communicator with strong executive presence. Can articulate complex matters to non‑experts.

Prioritizing
Assesses the importance of considerations, decisions and actions, and analyses the most important issues first.

Delegation

Delegates responsibility to the relevant employees and allows them room to maneuver and to explore own initiatives. Empowers people in order for them to carry out tasks efficiently.

Inspires confidence

Can serve as trusted advisor; wins the respect of others easily. Makes a good first impression, appears honest and sincere. Appears trustworthy and competent; gains other people's trust.

Ability to negotiate

Prepares and plans negotiations, is able to present views and suggestions in a constructive manner, is attentive to the opponent's situation and expectations, able to influence other people's attitudes and opinions, able to achieve consensus regarding suggestions, plans and ideas, good negotiator, sticks to own views and achieves results.

Integrity & Judgement
Operates with high ethical standards and sound business judgement, safeguarding our client’s reputation.

Take control/responsibility
Makes sure employees/co-workers have a clear understanding of the direction of the tasks; takes action; organizes resources and direct others toward successful execution of the tasks; drives projects forward to reach pivotal objectives; makes things happen and follows through.