Senior Director Patient Services

Director / Senior Director, Patient Services

Rare Disease / Specialty Pharmaceuticals

On-site in Boston (4) days a week

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced and strategic Director / Senior Director, Patient Services to lead and further develop patient support programs within a growing rare disease biotechnology organization.

This individual will have overall responsibility for the strategy, development, execution, and continuous improvement of patient services programs designed to support patients and healthcare providers throughout the treatment journey.

The role encompasses oversight of patient support operations, specialty pharmacy and HUB partnerships, reimbursement and access services, financial assistance programs, and Field Case Managers (FCMs). The successful candidate will ensure patients and providers have access to the information, resources, and support necessary to navigate reimbursement, initiate prescribed therapies, and maintain continuity of treatment.

This is a highly visible, hands-on leadership opportunity requiring both strategic vision and operational execution. The ideal candidate will thrive in an entrepreneurial environment, bring experience building and scaling patient services infrastructure, and demonstrate a genuine commitment to improving the patient experience.

Key Responsibilities

Patient Services Strategy & Program Development

• Lead the strategy, development, implementation, and ongoing optimization of patient services programs across products and disease states.
• Design and maintain comprehensive patient support offerings tailored to the unique needs of rare disease and specialty patient populations.
• Develop scalable processes, systems, and operational infrastructure to support evolving patient and business needs.
• Establish strategies that facilitate treatment initiation, improve access, and support continuity of therapy.
• Identify opportunities to enhance the patient and provider experience through innovative programs, technology, and operational improvements.
• Partner with cross-functional leadership to ensure patient services initiatives align with broader commercial objectives.

Patient Access, Reimbursement & Support Programs

• Oversee patient support programs, including benefits investigations, reimbursement assistance, copay support, financial assistance, and access-related services.
• Ensure programs provide healthcare providers and patients with timely, accurate, and compliant information to support access to prescribed therapies.
• Develop solutions that address barriers to treatment initiation and ongoing therapy.
• Maintain a strong understanding of the specialty pharmacy, payer, reimbursement, and patient access landscape.
• Evaluate program effectiveness and implement improvements to enhance service quality and operational efficiency.

Field Case Management & Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Field Case Managers and patient services professionals.
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, workflows, and performance expectations.
• Build organizational capabilities through talent acquisition, coaching, professional development, and performance management.
• Ensure Field Case Managers effectively support healthcare providers and their offices in navigating patient access and reimbursement processes.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and patient-centered team culture.

Vendor & External Partner Management

• Provide strategic and operational oversight of external patient services partners, including specialty pharmacies, HUB providers, copay administrators, financial assistance programs, and outsourced field services.
• Manage vendor relationships, contractual performance expectations, service delivery, and operational accountability.
• Establish and monitor vendor performance metrics and service-level expectations.
• Collaborate with external partners to identify operational improvements and ensure a seamless patient and provider experience.
• Support vendor selection, implementation, and ongoing program enhancements.

Operational Excellence, Compliance & Data Management

• Develop and maintain patient services business rules, standard operating procedures (SOPs), policies, and program documentation.
• Ensure patient services operations and data management practices comply with applicable legal, regulatory, privacy, and industry requirements.
• Oversee patient data management systems, workflows, reporting capabilities, and data integrity.
• Partner with Legal, Compliance, IT, and other stakeholders to support appropriate data governance and operational oversight.
• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs), dashboards, and reporting processes to measure program effectiveness.
• Leverage patient services data, operational insights, and stakeholder feedback to drive continuous improvement and inform compliant business decisions.
• Support audit readiness, compliance monitoring, and remediation activities as needed.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Financial Management

• Partner closely with Commercial, Market Access, Medical Affairs, Legal, Compliance, Finance, IT, and other internal stakeholders.
• Drive alignment across internal teams and external partners to ensure coordinated, high-quality patient support.
• Develop and manage patient services budgets, ensuring effective resource allocation and financial accountability.
• Support strategic planning, operational forecasting, and resource decisions.

Qualifications

Education & Professional Experience

• Bachelor's degree required, preferably in healthcare, life sciences, business, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in Patient Services, Patient Access, Reimbursement, or related functions within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
• At least 5 years of demonstrated leadership experience.
• Experience supporting specialty pharmaceutical products required; rare disease experience preferred.
• Extensive knowledge of patient support programs, field access solutions, reimbursement processes, and specialty pharmacy operations.
• Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, and optimizing patient services programs and operational infrastructure.
• Strong background managing HUB providers, specialty pharmacies, financial assistance programs, and other external service partners.
• Proven success building, leading, and developing high-performing teams.
• Comprehensive understanding of the patient services regulatory and compliance landscape, including audit processes and data privacy requirements.
• Experience managing budgets, operational performance, and vendor relationships.
• Strong analytical capabilities, including experience evaluating patient services data, program performance, and operational effectiveness.
• Fluency in reimbursement terminology, payer processes, and patient access pathways.

Technical Skills

• Experience supporting CRM platform development, implementation, and optimization required.
• Familiarity with Salesforce and/or Veeva platforms preferred.
• Experience with channel data aggregation required.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and related reporting and analytics tools.

Leadership & Professional Competencies

• Strategic, hands-on leader who can balance long-term program development with day-to-day operational execution.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with demonstrated success building processes and infrastructure in evolving organizations.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to influence cross-functional partners, resolve challenges, and drive accountability.
• Exceptional organizational and problem-solving capabilities with strong attention to detail.
• Data-driven decision-maker with a commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Adaptable, collaborative, and comfortable managing multiple priorities.
• Deep commitment to improving patient access, treatment experiences, and outcomes for individuals living with rare diseases.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is an accomplished patient services leader who brings a combination of strategic program development, hands-on operational leadership, and deep expertise in specialty pharmaceutical patient access.

This individual will have experience building and scaling patient support programs, managing complex vendor relationships, and leading field-based patient services teams. They will understand the unique challenges associated with rare disease populations, including complex reimbursement pathways, specialized treatment access, and the importance of personalized patient support.

Success in this role requires someone who enjoys working in a growing, entrepreneurial biotechnology environment, where collaboration, adaptability, and the ability to wear multiple hats are essential.

Above all, the successful candidate will be passionate about creating patient-centered solutions and helping ensure individuals with significant unmet medical needs can access prescribed therapies.