National Director, Field HEOR - Job ID: 1762

Ascendis Pharma is a dynamic, fast-growing global biopharmaceutical company with locations in Denmark, Europe, and the United States. Today, we're advancing programs in Endocrinology Rare Disease and Oncology.

Here at Ascendis, we pride ourselves on exceptional science, visionary leadership, and skilled and passionate colleagues.

Guided by our core values of Patients, Science, and Passion, we use our TransCon® drug development platform to fulfill our mission of developing new and potentially best-in-class therapies to address unmet medical needs.

Our culture fosters a place where skilled, adaptable, and highly resourceful professionals can truly make their mark. We offer a dynamic workplace for employees to grow and develop their skills.

The National Director, Field HEOR serves as a strategic scientific liaison responsible for developing and executing comprehensive Health Economics and Outcomes Research strategies that support Medical and Commercial health system and payer engagement across Ascendis's entire pipeline and product portfolio, leveraging deep expertise in Pharmacoeconomics, real-world evidence generation, and value-based care solutions to function as a disease state, clinical, and health systems expert who develops programs and activities that strengthen professional relationships with market access decision makers, clinical experts, and key opinion leaders by providing accurate, balanced, and credible information on clinical science, health outcomes, and quality management in accordance with regulatory requirements and Ascendis Pharma's ethical standards.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic HEOR Leadership & Planning

• Contribute to development of the US HEOR strategy in support Medical/Commercial engagement of payers across all Ascendis products.
• Work with US Medical & Commercial teams to develop HEOR components of the value narrative of Ascendis products for payer engagement, with a focus on the communication of economic value and real-world clinical value of Ascendis products.
• Identify & prioritize RWE and HEOR research activities (including retrospective/prospective research concepts, claims analyses, and economic modeling, etc) to support HEOR objectives.
• Develop an HEOR Data/Concept Gap Dashboard in alignment with HEOR goals and objectives.
• Establish a payer channel partnership interest and capabilities assessment tool for HEOR research concept development.
• Provide scientific input and participate on strategic HEOR planning teams and cross-functional Market Access initiatives.

Value-Based Agreements & Innovation

• Support the contracting strategy team in the development of value-based contracting analyses and other innovative contracting initiatives, including outcomes-based models that utilize HEOR assets and generated data.
• Conceptualize and advance value-based care approaches and innovative solutions for potential collaboration with US payers, including both commercial and public payers such as Medicare and Medicaid.
• Collaborate with commercial and medical in responding to external value assessments of Ascendis products, including external stakeholder engagements (e.g., Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) and state Drug Utilization Review Boards (DURBs)).

HCP Relationship Management

• Through appropriate scientific exchange, builds and maintains professional relationship with external stakeholders to expand Ascendis Pharma's research, advisory and educational partnership opportunities.
• Ensures high standards of professionalism to develop and maintain "peer-to-peer" scientific relationships with key thought leaders affiliated with regionally and nationally based payers, specialty pharmacies, group purchasing organizations, biologic distributors and integrated delivery networks in the area of pharmaco-economics and outcomes research per strategic territory plans.
• Collaborate with US Medical and Market Access/Commercial colleagues to engage payer customers in partnership activities, including but not limited to RWE/HEOR research and development of value-based solutions.
• Serve as a liaison between HCPs and Ascendis Pharma medical affairs.
• Facilitate 1:1 and group scientific interactions with healthcare professionals.
• Participate in payer account planning with Market Access team.
• Maintain account plans and update medical customer relationship management system in a timely, accurate and compliant manner.
• Maintain awareness of and access to internal and external information sources available to support high-quality scientific exchange and coordinate high-quality interactions between these resources and external customers.

Effective and Compliant Dissemination of Data

• Respond within defined timeline and quality standards to unsolicited inquiries from HCPs and other stakeholders received by US Medical Affairs (USMA) and referred to USMA by other Ascendis Pharma functions, forwards report of adverse events according to policy
• Support development of appropriate responses to unique inquiries as required, such as the presentation of scientific evidence and medical education
• Presents clinical, pharmacoeconomic and disease state information to a variety of audiences, including payers, specialty pharmacies, case managers and other key decision makers (KDMs) and clinical experts (CEs) at relevant institutions
• Ensures appropriate scientific exchange with HCPs by fostering fair and balanced medical and scientific communications that are not misleading
• Serves as scientific resource at key medical, scientific, and other managed care-related conferences as assigned

Contributes to Ascendis Pharma’s Medical Strategy

• Communicates key medical insights from KDMs within the healthcare systems to inform refinement of medical strategy
• Gains customer insights, opinions and feedback and engages with internal colleagues to connect business opportunities with internal resources
• Conducts discussions with external investigators to identify and evaluate outcomes research concepts and initiates and manages collaborative external and/or internal projects upon alignment, review and approval
• Participates on internal project teams as directed by Management

Training & Internal Collaboration

• Train US Account Management teams on RWE/HEOR concepts.
• Conducts therapeutic and pharmacoeconomic training for Market Access and Medical colleagues upon request.
• Provide educational support and guidance to cross-functional teams on HEOR methodologies and value-based care principles.

Education

• PharmD, MD, PhD, or master’s degree in health economics, Public Health, Epidemiology, or related scientific discipline required

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of pharmaceutical industry experience in Medical Affairs or field-based HEOR roles
• Proven experience in payer engagement and relationship management
• Demonstrated expertise in health economics, outcomes research, and real-world evidence generation
• Experience with value-based contracting and innovative payment models
• Knowledge of external value assessment organizations (ICER, DURBs, etc.)

Skills & Competencies

• Strong understanding of US healthcare system, payer landscape, and reimbursement dynamics
• Excellent scientific communication and presentation skills
• Ability to translate complex clinical and economic data into compelling value narratives
• Strong project management and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Proficiency in statistical analysis software and health economic modeling tools preferred
• Strong leadership and influencing skills with a positive approach to challenges.
• Highly motivated and self-directed with ability to think innovatively & strategically, skillfully plan, manage and prioritize multiple projects independently; demonstrates resilience and flexibility
• Experience with CRM systems and account management processes
• Above average proficiency in business computer skills (MS Office, databases, etc)

Other Requirements

• Willingness to travel up to 75% of time within assigned territor
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation required
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Strong ethical standards and commitment to compliance with all applicable regulations

The estimated salary range for this position is $240-250k.  Actual salary determination is dependent on a variety of factors some of which include: experience, qualifications, and geographic location.  This position may be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus or an incentive compensation plan (eligibility varies based on role and position level), discretionary stock-based long-term incentives, paid time off, and a comprehensive benefits package.

• 401(k) plan with company match
• Medical, dental, and vision plans
• Company-offered Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance
• Company-provided short and long-term disability benefits
• Unique offerings of Pet Insurance and Legal Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Discounts
• Professional Development
• Health Saving Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various incentive compensation plans
• Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity Insurance  
• Mental Health resources
• Paid leave benefits for new parents

Ascendis Pharma is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

A note to recruiters:

We do not allow external search party solicitation.  Presentation of candidates without written permission from the Ascendis Pharma Inc Human Resources team (specifically from: Talent Acquisition Partner or Human Resources Director) is not allowed.  If this occurs your ownership of these candidates will not be acknowledged.