Director, Payer Relations

The Director, Payer Relations is a strategic and execution-focused leader responsible for developing and advancing payer engagement strategies that ensure patient access and appropriate reimbursement for Iantrek’s glaucoma therapies. This role will lead efforts to shape national and regional payer policy, secure and expand coverage, and drive pull-through across commercial and government payers. As a key member of the Market Access function, the Director will partner cross-functionally with Commercial, Clinical, Reimbursement, Finance, and Executive Leadership to align payer strategy with Iantrek’s broader commercialization goals. This individual will play a critical role in helping Iantrek scale access infrastructure, enabling continued momentum as a leading and fastest-growing company in glaucoma. This is a highly visible role that blends strategy, external influence, and hands-on execution, ideal for someone who thrives in a high-growth, entrepreneurial environment and wants to build from the ground up. Key Responsibilities: Develop and execute a comprehensive payer engagement strategy across commercial and government payers (Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and key regional plans). Lead efforts to secure, expand, and optimize payer coverage policies that support access, appropriate utilization, and reimbursement. Identify and prioritize key payer accounts and build targeted engagement plans aligned to Iantrek’s commercial objectives. Build and maintain strong relationships with national and regional payer decision-makers, including medical directors, policy teams, and reimbursement leaders. Lead payer-facing interactions including clinical and economic presentations, value discussions, and policy negotiations. Represent Iantrek externally with credibility, leveraging clinical data, health economic insights, and real-world evidence to support coverage decisions. Monitor and analyze payer policies, coverage trends, and competitive dynamics to inform proactive strategy development. Provide ongoing insights to internal stakeholders on payer behavior, access barriers, and market dynamics. Partner with internal teams to shape clinical evidence generation and HEOR strategies that support favorable payer positioning. Partner closely with Field Reimbursement, Sales, Marketing, Clinical, and Medical Affairs to ensure alignment between payer strategy and field execution. Support pull-through of coverage decisions by translating payer policy into actionable field guidance and tools. Collaborate with Finance and Leadership on pricing strategy, contracting considerations, and revenue planning. Contribute to the development of Iantrek’s overall Market Access capabilities, including tools, messaging, and internal education. Support development of payer-facing materials, including value dossiers, clinical summaries, and economic narratives. Help establish scalable processes as Iantrek grows, while maintaining agility and speed. Ensure all payer interactions and materials adhere to regulatory, legal, and compliance standards. Operate with the highest level of integrity in all external engagements. Experience: Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (MBA, MPH, PharmD, or similar) preferred 8+ years of experience in Market Access, Payer Relations, or Reimbursement within medical device, biotech, or healthcare Demonstrated success engaging with payers and influencing coverage policy for medical benefit products or procedural technologies Strong understanding of payer decision-making processes, coverage pathways, and reimbursement dynamics across sites of care (ASC, HOPD, physician office) Experience supporting product launches or new category adoption strongly preferred Ability to translate clinical and economic data into compelling payer value propositions Strong executive presence with the ability to engage senior external stakeholders and internal leadership Proven ability to operate both strategically and tactically in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment Collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset with the ability to influence without authority Willingness to travel (~30%) for payer engagement and internal alignment