Director Market Access & Government Affairs, UK and Ireland

Role Purpose:

Edwards Lifesciences is the global leader in patient-focused medical innovations for structural heart disease, as well as critical care and surgical monitoring. Driven by a passion to help patients, the company collaborates with the world's leading clinicians and researchers to address unmet healthcare needs, working to improve patient outcomes and enhance lives.

The role is intended to elevate Edwards leadership in Public Affairs both externally and internally, broaden external engagement, increase frequency of interaction and develop partnerships, at national and local levels. The role will lead the implementation in the UK and Ireland of Market Access and Government Affairs programs to secure timely patient access and appropriate funding to the innovative products and solutions that Edwards brings to healthcare systems.

Through dialogues and interactions with institutions, decision-makers, payers and Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Authorities and agencies, the Market Access & Government Affairs role engages with key stakeholders in the UK and Ireland to define the best access pathways and procurement practices within the health care system to benefit patients, building an innovation-friendly business environment with high ethical standards and in partnership with Authorities.

The role will implement and execute regional and country specific Market Access & Government Affairs programs in alignment with the Business Units imperatives in order to secure patients’ access to Edwards Lifesciences products at optimal conditions and will ensure early input into the European access strategy and evidence development.

Major Job Functions:

• Develop and support a comprehensive understanding of the external access policy and decision-maker environment and issues which influence how Edwards Business Units operate in the UK and Ireland, how this environment influences the current and future access and funding landscape,
• Lead the identification, prioritization and management of market access and governmental strategic issues that matter to the business, in close collaboration with the Country Leadership Team
• Establish, maintain and strengthen a network of contacts with policymakers, government officials and agencies, as well as payers, HTA bodies and procurement agencies in the UK and Ireland, both at central and local levels,
• Define and implement cross-BU strategies aiming at the prioritization of Structural Heart Disease and critical care monitoring, patient access to innovation and innovation reward
• Work in close cooperation with Business Units in delivering Edwards innovation value proposition at local and national level, with the engagement and the interaction with relevant clinical and non-clinical stakeholders
• Team up with the Country Leader in the implementation of Public Affairs actions, aimed to elevate role and recognition of Edwards in the healthcare decision makers arena
• Formulate and deliver the optimal access strategy for each of Edwards Lifesciences current and pipeline products mainly in the structural heart and critical care monitoring areas:
• Coordinating the implementation of the access action plans with local and EMEACLA* teams and resources
• Engaging with authorities at levels to ensure successful implementation of market access strategies, from evidence submissions to advocacy activities, adapting European value propositions to local requirements
• Developing innovative health economics strategies, value assessment tools and perform economic evaluations of new technology,
• Performing constant monitoring about the changes in the reimbursement environment and conditions for the Edwards Lifesciences portfolio.
• Help craft policy on procurement practices for medical devices to ensure reward of innovation, and engage with Procurement units on outcome-based procurement
• Ensure Edwards’s leadership and optimal representation in the local industry organizations.

Critical for the role is the ability to engage with the UKI Leadership Team to build and execute strategies and plans that represent a measurable advantage for Edwards innovation and growth agenda.

The selected candiadte will be member of Edwards UKI Leadership Team, and of the EMEACLA Public Affairs Community.

Required Education and Skills:

• Bachelors degree with a postgraduate qualification, preferably a Masters degree, in Political Science, Lifesciences, Law, Economics, or Business
• Working knowledge of healthcare systems in UKI (at least England) and policies
• Knowledge and experience in health economics and/or health outcomes
• Knowledge and experience of the UK and Ireland health, economic and social issues and trends
• Strong network among government officials, policy makers and payers and an understanding of how things get done
• Strong Business Acumen
• To-do attitude and sense of urgency
• Ability to craft and drive key messages that support Edwards’s strategy and influence stakeholders
• Ability to cooperate with different functions and teams inside Edwards
• Ability to relate and network with key stakeholders inside and outside the company and recommends internal as well as external business solutions,
• Strong communication skills, oral and written. Aptitude to influence senior individuals,
• Leverage global resources in support of the UKI Market Access agenda
• Recognized as an expert in Public Affairs, Government Affairs and Market Access,
• Ability to lead successfully projects and teams in a local as well as international, fast pace matrix environment.
• Fluency in English (written and oral)

Required Experience:

• 8 to 10 years’ experience in market access, government affairs, advocacy and external engagement in the medical device and/or pharmaceutical industry in the UK.