Director/Senior Director, Government Accounts - Nation

About the role

Stoke Therapeutics (Nasdaq: STOK) is a biotechnology company focused on developing RNA medicines to restore protein expression. Their lead product, zorevunersen, is in Phase 3 trials for Dravet syndrome and aims to address diseases caused by haploinsufficiency.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute pre-launch and launch-phase access strategies across Medicaid FFS and Managed Medicaid, establishing Stoke’s credibility with state agencies ahead of FDA approval.

• Serve as Stoke’s primary relationship owner and strategic point of contact across state Medicaid pharmacy and medical directors, DUR/P&T board members, and Managed Medicaid MCO leaders in priority states.

• Maintain a deep understanding of account-level policies, state drug review processes, competitive dynamics, decision timelines, and state priorities impacting access.

• Develop multi-year state Medicaid access plans that anticipate policy shifts, IRA pricing dynamics, and competitive changes, balancing state-by-state tactical execution with a national access strategy.

• Proactively engage state Medicaid medical and pharmacy directors to secure informal billing guidance, coverage letters, or favorable fee-for-service payment determinations ahead of a permanent J code assignment.

• Monitor AMP-based reimbursement benchmarks, Medicaid Upper Payment Limits (UPLs), and state-specific drug fee schedules to provide payers with accurate, transparent pricing narratives that support appropriate reimbursement under the medical benefit.

• Monitor federal and state Medicaid policy developments—including CMS guidance, CMCS informational bulletins, state plan amendments (SPAs), and 1115/1915 waiver activity—and translate implications for brand access strategy.

• Educate government payers on clinical and economic value in frameworks meaningful to state Medicaid budget and policy decision-makers.

• Education and reimbursement management:

  • Provide Stoke’s patient services and field reimbursement teams with guidance on navigating the miscellaneous J code environment at launch, including NDC crosswalk requirements and Medicaid-specific billing procedures.

  • Act as the internal subject-matter expert on Medicaid reimbursement dynamics for medical benefit products carrying a miscellaneous J code (J3490/J3590) pending assignment of a permanent, product-specific code.

• Collaboration and execution:

  • Lead cross-functional collaboration with Policy, Advocacy, HEOR, Reimbursement, Trade & Distribution, and Marketing partners to advance access goals and account-level execution.

  • Coordinate pull-through activities with Stoke’s field teams, patient services, and reimbursement teams to ensure coverage decisions translate to patient access.

  • Translate complex CMS guidance, state legislative changes, and IRA pricing developments into clear, actionable implications for the business, communicating effectively from field teams to executive leadership.

  • Engage authentically with the Dravet syndrome patient and caregiver community and incorporate community insights into government payer engagement in a compelling and compliant manner.

• Compliance and governance:

  • Conduct all government account engagements in full compliance with company SOPs, OIG guidelines, PhRMA Code, the Anti-Kickback Statute, and applicable federal and state Medicaid regulations.

  • Navigate the unique complexity of a first-in-class disease-modifying ASO therapy with no established Medicaid coverage precedent, finding creative and compliant paths to access.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (MBA, PharmD, MPH) strongly preferred.

• Minimum 15+ years in pharma/biotech; minimum 8 years in government or Medicaid payer account management.

• Proven track record of achieving positive formulary and coverage outcomes for high-cost rare or specialty products in state Medicaid programs.

• Pre-launch government payer strategy experience—not just maintenance of established access.

• Proven ability to navigate and support medical benefit policy creation with Medicaid accounts.

• Hands-on experience navigating the miscellaneous J code environment (J3490/J3590) within Medicaid, including payer education on NDC crosswalk requirements, claims-level billing guidance, and coordination with FRMs and specialty distribution in a Medicaid context.

• Rare pediatric or rare neurological disease product launch experience; CNS or epilepsy payer experience a significant differentiator.

• Familiarity with 340B program intersections for rare disease products and duplicate discount compliance.

• Experience navigating Medicaid disability transition pathways (SSI/SSDI) for pediatric-onset neurological disease populations.

• Experience at a company building its commercial infrastructure for the first time—startup or early commercial-stage biotech.