Senior Director, Patient Access

Salary: BackgroundThe California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is the states Stem Cell Agency. We were created by the voters of California with an initial investment of $3 billion when they approved Proposition 71 in 2004, and renewed when Proposition 14 was approved in 2020, providing an additional $5.5 billion to invest in stem cell research in California. CIRMs mission, to accelerate world-class science to deliver transformative regenerative medicine treatments in an equitable manner to a diverse California and world, is what drives us to succeed every day.CIRM is the worlds largest institution dedicated to helping people by bringing the promise of regenerative medicine closer to reality. Our mission goes beyond research, we are building the infrastructure, partnerships, and policies that enable equitable access to the next generation of therapies.General StatementThe Patient Access (PA) Team collaborates across CIRMs core programs to foster innovative care delivery models and enhance the accessibility of regenerative medicine therapies. This team develops and manages clinical infrastructure programs such as the Alpha Clinics (AC) Network, Community Care Centers of Excellence (CCCE), and the Patient Support Program (PSP). Additionally, the group serves as a bridge to policymakers and payers collaborating with CIRMs Accessibility and Affordability Working Group (AAWG) and Standards Working Group (SWG) as outlined in Proposition 14.Role SummaryThe Senior Director, Patient Access, provides strategic direction and operational leadership for the Patient Access Team and serves as the programs lead for CIRMs Access & Affordability (A&A) Function. Reporting to the Chief Science Officer (CSO), this role also works in close coordination with the AAWG and its Chair to operationalize strategic priorities, inform policy recommendations, and drive integration of infrastructure, payer engagement, and affordability planning. The Senior Director will lead implementation efforts that enable timely, equitable, and sustainable access to CIRM-funded therapies, coordinating across CIRMs Clinical Development (CDEV), Preclinical Development (PDEV), Legal, and Communications teams.Job FunctionLeadership, Integration and OversightProvide strong managerial leadership, direction, and accountability for the Patient Access Team, including program leads (Alpha Clinics, CCCEs, PSP), project managers, and consultants supporting policy, economic modeling, and payer engagement. Build a high-performance, mission-driven team culture that emphasizes clarity of roles, proactive communication, and delivery of measurable outcomes to advance access and affordability of CIRM-funded therapies across California.Infrastructure AlignmentOversee the integration and performance of CIRMs clinical infrastructure programs (ACs, CCCEs, PSP, and Community-Based Organization (CBO) partnerships) and strategically ensure alignment and active mapping of the CIRM clinical development portfolio to this infrastructure. This includes providing leadership on funding strategies, program implementation, program management and clinical infrastructure network management.Policy and Payer EngagementIn coordination with the CSO and AAWG Chair, lead the development of structured payer and provider engagement frameworks and evidence-sharing forums that leverage CIRMs clinical portfolio and infrastructure data to inform payer decision-making. Facilitate dialogue and high-level collaboration with public and private payers to support the design of California-based reimbursement approaches, strengthening payer confidence and enabling sustainable coverage pathways for CIRM-supported therapies.Affordability and Financial InnovationCollaborate with the President, CSO, and external economic experts to support the development and evaluation of financial models (ex., outcome-based or risk-pooling approaches) that enhance affordability and promote equitable delivery of advanced therapies.Program Coordination and Portfolio IntegrationCoordinate with CDEV and PDEV programs to ensure that Clinical Infrastructure supports the clinical planning, trial execution and patient support needs of CIRM-funded projects. Partner with CDEV and PDEV program needs to identify cross-portfolio needs, access barriers, and implementation challenges, to ensure these insights are incorporated into the Access & Affordability Function. The Senior Director will facilitate coordinated solutions, align infrastructure and payer engagement strategies accordingly, and drive these efforts towards advancing the development and reimbursement preparedness of CIRM-funded projects as well as CIRMs strategic goals.Governance and ReportingServe as program liaison to the AAWG, supporting meeting coordination, policy analysis, and reporting to the Board. Oversee collection and synthesis of data for annual Access & Affordability in collaboration with the Communications team.External Partnerships and AdvocacyBuild partnerships with public and private payers, policymakers, providers and patient advocacy organizations to advance access, screening, and coverage initiatives aligned with Proposition 14 mandates and CIRMs Strategic Allocation Framework (SAF).Data and AccountabilityLead development of standardized performance metrics and dashboards across infrastructure programs to evaluate equity, patient engagement, and clinical trial reach. Ensure transparency and accountability in CIRMs access initiatives.Supervision ReceivedThe Senior Director, Patient Access reports to the Chief Science Officer (CSO).Supervision ExercisedThe Senior Director Patient Access will manage and provide direction to the Patient Access team and associated contractors and/or consultants.Qualifications (Experience and Education)Advanced degree (ex., PharmD, MD, PhD) or a Master's degree (including MBA, MPH, etc.) may be considered in lieu of doctoral degree, provided the candidate has at least 2 additional years of relevant experience.10 years in a senior leadership role within healthcare access, clinical infrastructure leadership, patient access or market access, preferably within biotech, health systems or public sector programs.Demonstrated ability to lead multi-site initiatives and manage cross-sector collaborations spanning healthcare providers, payers, and policymakers.Experience in Cell and or Gene Therapy or other advanced therapy modalities strongly preferred.Competencies & SkillsProven leadership of high-performing, cross-functional teams.Strong understanding of clinical trial infrastructure, site readiness, and patient navigation systems.Expertise in reimbursement policy, affordability modeling, and payer engagement.Skilled at integrating scientific, policy, and operational perspectives into actionable strategies.Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with experience interacting with public payers (e.g., Medi-Cal), federal agencies (FDA, CMS), and advocacy groups.Strategic thinker with the ability to translate complex policy and scientific concepts into practical, measurable implementation steps.Commitment to CIRMs mission of equitable, statewide access to regenerative medicine.Working ConditionsHybrid environment, required to work two days in the South San Francisco office and currently three days remotely. In-person attendance of organizational meetings and board, subcommittee, and working group meetings as requiredProlonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computerMust be willing to work in a high-rise buildingAbility to operate standard office equipmentBe available to work outside of normal business hoursSalary Range and BenefitsThis position is an exempt, full-time role. The expected to pay for this position is $270,000 - $300,000 which fits within the full salary range of $241,885 - $345,540 for the Senior Director job classification. It is uncommon for an individual to be offered a salary near the maximum of the range for a position. Salary for this position will reflect the final candidates qualifications, experience, skills, knowledge, relevant education, and certifications, in addition to being aligned with the internal leadership peer group.Required Application DocumentsApplicants must submit a resume and cover letter to be considered for this position.Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the interview process should inform the interview scheduler at the time of scheduling.For general questions regarding this position or inquiries specifically related to reasonable accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), please contactjobs@cirm.ca.gov.Benefitshttps://benefits.calhr.ca.gov/state-employees/Additional EEO Contact InformationCalifornia Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.Equal Opportunity EmployerThe State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed,sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Salary : $241,885 - $345,540