VP, National Accounts

About the Role

This position is based in our Cambridge, MA office, with relocation to Waltham, MA planned later this year. We follow a flexible, “magnet not mandate” approach to in-office work, encouraging collaboration and onsite engagement while supporting hybrid flexibility based on role and business needs.

Responsible for building, managing, and developing a team of experienced account managers and directors to expand Akebia’s sales opportunities and product access within all dialysis organizations. This role ensures the efficient and compliant management of Akebia’s relationships with Dialysis Organizations, including customer relationship management, contract and pricing negotiation, and strategic growth planning. The position also involves communicating business issues and opportunities to internal senior management, integrating sales and marketing strategies, and collaborating with commercial, finance, legal, medical affairs, and compliance stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Akebia leader for dialysis organizations and GPOs, supporting both in-line commercialization and launch planning for Akebia products.
• Lead the development of account-specific strategies and plans with clear objectives and key results measured quarterly and annually.
• Build positive business relationships within assigned Dialysis Organization (DO) accounts to ensure optimal access for physician prescribing of Akebia products.
• Identify key business issues within assigned accounts to assess impact on Akebia products.
• Lead the development and negotiation of contracts and Akebia-approved promotional programs within DO accounts.
• Monitor treatment protocols, guidelines, access, and reimbursement knowledge that may impact product utilization.
• Ensure contract compliance by reviewing business performance quarterly.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders and dialysis organizations to ensure compliance with service agreements, including reporting purchase data and service fees.
• Communicate organization-specific rules and promotional policies with the Akebia field sales force.
• Provide expert consultation on provider-specific business issues to support sales and marketing.
• Compliantly collaborate with Medical Affairs resources to support critical Akebia business initiatives across assigned accounts.
• Establish and maintain positive business relationships with key decision-makers within assigned provider accounts.
• Maintain knowledge of pull-through opportunities, program development, projected impact, and implementation techniques.
• Develop and justify budgeting requests for specific customer programs.
• Maintain a high level of industry awareness, including implications of contracts, integration of companies, and value-added program effectiveness.
• Maintain expertise in dialysis service knowledge, treatment guidelines, pharmacologic approaches, and pharmacoeconomic impact.
• Stay informed about competitive companies, product lines, place in therapy, contracting activities, and value-added programs.
• Prepare and present executive-level presentations.
• Manage territory and assigned accounts within set OPEX and program budgetary guidelines.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant area of study.
• 15+ years’ experience in an account management role with responsibility for dialysis organization customers of varying sizes (LDO/MDO/SOD/IDO).
• Established relationships with dialysis customers.
• 3+ years as a member of a commercial leadership team.
• Clinical, technical, and scientific knowledge and aptitude in complex disease states.
• Valid driver’s license.

Preferred Qualifications

• 12+ combined years’ experience in the bio/pharmaceutical industry.
• Previous experience and relationships with large dialysis organizations.
• Previous account management and team management experience.
• Previous sales experience.
• Experience integrating health economics and Medical Affairs resources into account management.
• Experience working in complex disease states.
• Advanced knowledge of renal business issues, including reimbursement logistics within provider and payer areas.
• Proven track record of effective account management skills and building positive business relationships with key decision-makers.
• Proven ability to develop and execute account-level strategic and tactical plans.

Schedule

Willing to travel at least 60% of the time, including significant overnight and weekend travel.

Pay

Targeted base salary range: $307,913 - $380,363 USD. Base pay is one component of the company’s total rewards package, which also includes eligibility for the corporate bonus program or incentive compensation, equity, health care, vision, dental, retirement, and PTO benefits.

About Akebia

An Akebian is curious, empathetic, and values making connections to people and ideas. Akebians aren’t afraid of diving in and owning a process or problem, as we all work toward a common purpose—to better the lives of each person impacted by kidney disease. To learn more about what it means to be an Akebian, visit www.akebia.com.