Location: Pittsburgh, PA (Hybrid)

Classification: Exempt

Status: Full-Time

Reports to: Sr. Director, Patient Access

Purpose

The Director of Patient Access oversees day-to-day patient access workflows for a portfolio of approximately 25 specialty medications. This role leads a team of 80-100 staff members and ensures consistent, efficient, and high-quality support for patients across benefits investigation, prior authorizations, financial assistance, and copay support. This position serves as a critical role in implementing and maintaining manufacturer contract requirements as well as ensuring patients experience fast, compliant, and seamless access to therapy.

Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Leads and manages a high-performing team across multiple functions including benefits verification, prior authorization, and copay assistance.
• Ensures team performance aligns with KPIs such as speed to therapy, PA turnaround time, patient onboarding success, and adherence to manufacturer expectations.
• Supports staff development, training, and quality assurance processes to maintain excellence and compliance.
• Monitors staffing levels, workflow distribution, and productivity to ensure optimal performance and scalability.
• Navigates and resolves operational challenges with a proactive, solutions-focused mindset.

Program Implementation & Manufacturer Alignment

• Oversees operational implementation of new manufacturer agreements and specialty drug launches in coordination with business development and the implementation team.
• Translates contract terms, SLAs, and access program requirements into executable workflows and SOPs.
• Serves as the patient access leader for onboarding new products, ensuring seamless integration with existing systems, staffing plans, and reporting protocols.
• Maintains strong relationships with internal stakeholders (Product Management) to ensure contractual obligations with pharmaceutical manufacturers are fulfilled consistently.

Process Optimization & Compliance

• Continuously evaluates and improves patient access workflows for speed, quality, compliance, and efficiency.
• Drives execution of complex programs with a commitment to meeting deadlines and exceeding service expectations.
• Maintains up-to-date documentation and SOPs aligned with both regulatory requirements and manufacturer expectations.
• Partners with compliance, training, and IT teams to ensure accurate data collection, reporting, and audit readiness.
• Proactively identifies and resolves issues that may impact access performance or patient satisfaction.
• Continuously improves workflows to deliver better results for patients and partners.
• Ensures SOPs and day-to-day execution adhere to payer, regulatory, and contractual standards.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborates closely with Pharmacy Operations, Revenue Cycle, Product, and IT teams to ensure end-to-end patient support and alignment with broader business objectives.
• Supports system implementations or enhancements (e.g., CRM, workflow automation) to improve team performance and reporting capabilities.
• Represents Patient Access in cross-functional meetings and project workstreams related to drug onboarding, process change, or performance review.
• Communicates clearly and effectively across teams and with frontline staff.

Required Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree in a related field.
• Minimum of six (6) years of experience in healthcare.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in managing teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters degree in Healthcare Administration, Business, Nursing, or related field.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience in patient access, pharmacy services, or specialty healthcare; minimum of three (3) years in a leadership role managing large teams.
• Strong operational knowledge of specialty pharmacy access processes including benefits verification, prior authorization, copay support, and hub programs.
• Demonstrated experience implementing patient access workflows aligned with manufacturer programs or contracts.
• Excellent organizational, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Strong understanding of payer policies, access barriers, and financial assistance resources.
• Familiarity with CRM or case management platforms and access reporting tools.

Work Environment

This position operates in a home or professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, fax machines.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to see, talk, or hear. The employee frequently is required to sit; stand; walk; use hands and fingers, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. Visual acuity is necessary for tasks such as reading, observing surroundings, or working with various forms of data. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Benefits

Hybrid, remote and flexible on-site work schedules are available, based on the position. PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy also affords an excellent benefit package, including but not limited to medical, dental, vision, health savings and flexible spending accounts, 401K with employer matching, employer-paid life insurance and short/long term disability coverage, and an Employee Assistance Program! Generous paid time off is also available to all full-time employees, as well as limited paid time off for part-time employees. Of course we offer paid holidays too!