Director, Direct To Patient Channel Strategy and Partnerships – MariTide

About the role

This role supports the U.S. launch of MariTide, Amgen's lead candidate for the obesity market. The Director, DTP Operations will oversee the operational infrastructure of the Direct-to-Patient (DTP) channel, ensuring it runs smoothly from launch to scale.

Responsibilities

• Own the operational infrastructure of the DTP channel, including core workflows, intake routing, fulfillment execution, billing, and patient support systems.

• Translate the DTP channel architecture and system design set by the Executive Director into operational processes, SOPs, and team-level execution plans.

• Partner with the Director, DTP Channel Strategy and Partnerships to ensure channel design decisions are operationally viable and launch-ready.

• Ensure operational readiness across all systems and processes ahead of launch, including end-to-end testing and contingency planning.

• Drive continuous improvement post-launch, identifying operational friction and leading structured problem-solving to resolution.

• Oversee the design, build, and operational management of cash-pay, coupon, and copay support programs within the DTP channel.

• Ensure payment workflows are accurately implemented, tested, and reconciled across cash-pay and reimbursed pathways.

• Lead the Sr. Managers for Cash/Coupon Programs and Copay Support in delivering operationally sound, patient-friendly payment experiences.

• Own the operational design and execution of intake workflows, benefits verification, and prior authorization processes within the DTP channel.

• Partner with payer, hub, and/or fulfillment partners on prior auth workflows, approval rates, and appeal processes.

• Lead the Sr. Manager, Intake/Benefits/Prior Auth Programs in managing day-to-day intake operations and continuous improvement.

• Define and own operational KPIs across the DTP channel, including intake completion rates, fulfillment SLAs, prior auth approval rates, copay utilization, and patient drop-off.

• Work with Commercial Data & Analytics (CD&A) to build dashboards and reporting that give leadership real-time visibility into operational health.

• Establish governance cadences across the operations team and with operational partners, ensuring issues are surfaced and resolved quickly.

• Drive accountability to SLAs across internal teams and external partners; escalate material gaps with clear resolution plans.

• Cross-functionally collaborate with the Director, DTP Channel Strategy and Partnerships, Marketing, Value & Access, Medical, Regulatory, Legal, and Compliance on operational policies, patient communications, and program design.

• Work with the Sr. Program Manager to ensure operational workstreams are reflected in the integrated launch plan and tracked to readiness.

• Lead, develop, and retain a team of three Sr. Managers across cash/coupon programs, copay support, and intake/benefits/prior auth, with potential for additional team members down the road.

• Set clear priorities, operational standards, and development plans for each direct report.

• Build a culture of accountability, operational rigor, and continuous improvement within the team.

Requirements

The ideal candidate will have a Doctorate degree and 4 years of commercial, digital health, operations, or marketing experience, or a Master’s degree and 7 years of experience, or a Bachelor's degree and 9 years of experience. Experience in pharma/biotech commercialization, digital health, telehealth, or consumer health operations with direct accountability for operational model design and execution is preferred.

Experience building or operating direct-to-patient or direct-to-consumer channel infrastructure, including intake, telehealth, fulfillment, payment processing, and patient support programs is required. Deep understanding of prior authorization workflows, benefits verification, and hub services in a specialty or high-cost therapy context is necessary. Familiarity with cash-pay program mechanics, coupon and copay program administration, and Gross-to-Net implications is expected. Experience managing operational partners and vendors against SLAs, including escalation management and performance improvement is required. Strong systems fluency, with demonstrated ability to translate operational requirements into workflow specifications and work effectively with technology and integration teams, is essential. Experience building and leading high-performing operational teams, including hiring, developing, and retaining direct reports, is preferred. A data-driven approach to operational management, with demonstrated ownership of SLA performance, conversion, adherence, and patient experience metrics, is expected. Comfort operating under ambiguity and competitive pressure in a high-visibility launch environment is crucial.