Regional Access & Launch Manager

Role Overview

The Regional Access & Launch Manager serves as the key commercial and scientific intermediary connecting biotech partners with diverse healthcare stakeholders across the Makkah Region and GCC. This role encompasses crafting market access strategies, steering product launches, liaising with payers and regulators, and aiding business development through asset evaluation and partnership analysis. The position demands adaptability, sound independent decision-making, and a drive to develop impactful healthcare market access solutions.

Market Access & Pricing Strategy

• Design and implement customized market access plans for rare disease and Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP) portfolios across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and broader GCC countries.
• Engage with key payer organizations such as SFDA/NHIC, DHA, HAAD, MOH Kuwait, and Health Technology Assessment committees, tailoring value propositions to comply with local evidence and assessment frameworks.
• Develop health economics and outcomes research dossiers to endorse reimbursement and funding decisions, exploring outcomes-based and managed entry agreements as applicable.
• Navigate the access challenges unique to expensive therapies including gene and cell therapies, integrating budget impact analyses, patient registries, and support program designs.
• Stay informed on new reimbursement policies, HTA changes, and national rare disease initiatives to refine access approaches proactively.

Product Launch & Commercial Execution

• Lead comprehensive launch planning and execution of new rare disease and ATMP products, coordinating cross-functional teams including regulatory, medical, supply chain, and patient access stakeholders.
• Establish frameworks for launch readiness, monitor key performance indicators, and develop go-to-market schedules in close partnership with biotech collaborators.
• Enhance commercial outcomes through forecasting, account management, and engagement with treatment centers, multidisciplinary teams, and patient advocacy groups.
• Innovate market access strategies addressing complex reimbursement and patient journey scenarios typical of ATMP assets.
• Ensure patient-centered, compliant access pathways before and after launch, such as named patient, compassionate use, and early access programs.
• Manage and strengthen relationships with local distributors and third-party vendors across GCC, driving expansion into further MENA countries.

Business Development & Asset Evaluation

• Identify and prioritize new assets and partnership possibilities in the rare disease and ATMP field for the MENA region.
• Conduct structured evaluations including market sizing, patient mapping, competitive analysis, pricing benchmarks, and revenue projections.
• Present investment cases to senior leadership to guide partnership decisions and allocate resources effectively.
• Maintain networks with biotech and pharma partners, advisors, and ecosystem stakeholders to support pipeline development.

Regulatory & Operational Coordination

• Support regulatory submission tactics and maintain liaison with local authorities aligning with launch readiness, collaborating with internal and partner regulatory teams.
• Oversee design of patient support programs, special access mechanisms, and supply chain logistics for rare disease products requiring specific handling.
• Ensure adherence to local legal, promotional, and pharmacovigilance standards across all portfolio products.

Qualifications & Experience

• Over 10 years of industry experience in pharmaceutical or biotechnology sectors, with strong expertise in at least two fields among market access and commercial/launch management.
• Proven background in rare disease and/or ATMP/Cell and Gene Therapy commercialization, with understanding of patient journeys, small populations, and unique access complexities.
• Substantial experience working within the GCC or MENA regions, familiar with key payer, regulatory, and HTA entities in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait.
• Demonstrated leadership or contribution to successful product launches in the region.
• Experience in business development or asset evaluation, capable of conducting independent opportunity analyses and presenting findings to senior management.
• Ability to operate effectively across medical, access, and commercial functions, managing ambiguity and prioritizing conflicting requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degrees in life sciences, pharmacy, or medicine (MD, PharmD, PhD or equivalent); MBA or business qualifications advantageous.
• Background with specialty distributors, regional commercial partnerships, or similar partnership-driven commercial structures.
• Established relationships with rare disease key opinion leaders, patient advocacy groups, or payers in the GCC.
• Familiarity with health economic modeling and reimbursement dossier development methodology for costly therapies.
• Fluency in Arabic and proficient command of written and spoken English required.