Job Description
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated Position Description Position: Trade Account Associate Director Department: Market Access, Trade & Distribution Reports To: Senior Director, National Trade & Distribution Accounts Location: Field-Based Position Summary
The Trade Account Associate Director (TAAD) is responsible for leading strategic account management and executing Vertex’s U.S. trade and distribution strategy across assigned channel partners. This role leads the negotiation, implementation, and ongoing management of Specialty Pharmacy and Retail Master Purchase and Service Agreements, Enhanced Service Agreements, and Distribution Purchase and Service Agreements.
The TAAD plays a critical role in ensuring the effective distribution and availability of Vertex’s commercialized products and supporting the tactical execution of new product launches and label expansions. The role serves as a primary point of contact for assigned national and regional trade partners, including full-line wholesalers, specialty distributors, specialty pharmacies, retail pharmacy chains, independent community pharmacies, and other channel stakeholders.
This position requires a distinctive combination of deep, practical channel expertise and independent analytical and strategic capability. The successful candidate will understand trade, distribution, contracting, specialty pharmacy, and pharmaceutical distribution models in practice. Equally important, they will be able to independently structure ambiguous business questions, identify and analyze relevant data, assess alternatives and risks, and develop clear, defensible recommendations related to their aligned accounts.
The TAAD is expected to own complex account questions end to end - from problem definition through analysis, recommendation, stakeholder alignment, and execution. This individual will operate as a strategic business leader who strengthens Vertex’s ability to make data-driven decisions, solve complex channel challenges, and advance Market Access priorities.
Primary Responsibilities
Strategic Account Leadership
- Lead strategic engagement and account management for assigned national and regional wholesalers, distributors, specialty pharmacies, retail pharmacy organizations, and other trade-channel partners.
- Develop and maintain long-term, strategic relationships with key decision-makers within assigned accounts and across the healthcare distribution industry.
- Create and execute strategic account plans that align account objectives, channel opportunities, and Vertex business priorities.
- Lead regular account business reviews by synthesizing account performance, market trends, channel insights, and cross-functional input into clear priorities, recommendations, and actions.
- Deliver an “above-the-agreement” customer experience through proactive relationship management, efficient issue resolution, and appropriate deployment of Vertex resources.
Contracting and Performance Management
- Negotiate, implement, and manage all contracts in alignment with Vertex objectives, account needs, and compliance requirements.
- Maintain detailed knowledge of contractual obligations, service commitments, and performance measures for assigned accounts; independently actioning on timebound contractual obligations without managerial direction.
- Manage account performance against established KPIs and contractual obligations via scorecards, channel reports, and analytics dashboards.
- Develop data-driven business cases to support compliant enhanced services, account-specific opportunities, and resolution of unique account scenarios with respective partners, such as Accounting, Quality.
- Identify potential risks, service gaps, or contractual performance issues and lead timely, compliant resolution efforts.
Analytical and Strategic Problem Solving
- Independently frame ambiguous trade, distribution, access, and account-management questions; develop hypotheses; identify relevant data sources; and produce actionable, evidence-based recommendations.
- Analyze trade-channel data, inventory reports, purchasing trends, customer behavior, custom data offerings, and market intelligence to identify opportunities, risks, and emerging channel trends.
- Translate complex data and analysis into clear business narratives, strategic recommendations, and executive-ready communications.
- Evaluate strategic options by assessing financial, operational, customer, supply, and compliance implications; clearly articulate trade-offs and recommend a path forward.
- Proactively identify issues and opportunities before escalation is required, applying sound business judgment and a solutions-oriented approach.
- Partner with analytics, finance, and functional experts as appropriate while retaining accountability for defining the business question, interpreting results, and recommending action.
Distribution Operations and Product Launch Support
- Coordinate account readiness for new product launches and label expansions, including operational planning, account education, product availability, and compliant deployment of Vertex resources.
- Ensure timely, complete, and accurate receipt of channel data feeds in agreed-upon formats, including 844, 845, 849, 852, and 867 transaction data.
- Lead resolution of data and reporting issues, including purchasing trends, class-of-trade integrity, inventory visibility, and days-on-hand reporting.
- Monitor product availability, inventory levels, and supply-related trends to support appropriate distribution planning and minimize access disruptions.
- Support organizational preparedness for Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) requirements and other applicable distribution regulations.
Enterprise and Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with Trade & Distribution and cross-functional stakeholders to inform distribution strategies for pipeline products and new therapeutic areas.
- Provide recommendations regarding:
- Distribution network design and composition
- Services provided by wholesalers, specialty pharmacies, retail pharmacy chains, and specialty distributors
- Innovative approaches to engaging distributors and retail community pharmacies
- Class-of-trade capabilities across distributors, pharmacies, group purchasing organizations, and integrated delivery networks
- Identify strategic opportunities across hospitals, retail community pharmacy, group purchasing organizations, and integrated delivery networks, in partnership with relevant internal Vertex account teams.
- Provide compliant education and subject-matter expertise to internal stakeholders on distribution practices, purchasing insights, trade-channel dynamics, and 340B program considerations.
- Collaborate closely with colleagues across Market Access, Sales and Marketing, Guidance & Patient Support, Global Insights, Analytics & Commercial Operations, Accounting, Legal, Medical, Finance, Data Technology & Engineering, Government Affairs, Patient Advocacy, Regulatory, Quality, and Commercial Manufacturing & Supply Chain.
- Exercise sound judgment and uphold Vertex values, policies, and compliance standards in all activities. Foster collaboration, accountability, and enterprise thinking to drive business results.
Minimum Qualifications
- At least 10 years of commercial experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, pharmaceutical distribution or pharmacy, or related industry.
- Preferred the candidate has at minimum of five years working directly with or at any combination of these organizations: McKesson, Cencora, Cardinal, Accredo, CVS, Optum SP, Frontier Therapies, Walgreens, Acaria, Orsini, Panther, Biologics, VytlOne, Morris & Dickson, Anda, Walgreens, Walmart, BioPlus, Onco360, CareMed, various Hospital Specialty Pharmacies (HSSPs)
- Existing relationships with key trade and distribution organizations, including national and regional wholesalers, specialty distributors, specialty pharmacies, retail pharmacy chains, health-system specialty pharmacies
- Bachelor’s degree required; MBA, PharmD, or other advanced degree strongly preferred.
- Direct experience working with wholesalers, specialty distributors, specialty pharmacies, retail pharmacy organizations, or other trade and distribution accounts.
- Experience supporting commercialization of cell and gene therapies, rare or orphan disease products, cystic fibrosis therapies, pain-management products, or other specialty medicines.
- Strong analytical skills and demonstrated ability to interpret trade-channel, inventory, contracting, reimbursement, and customer data.
- Experience with 340B program considerations, DSCSA requirements, serialized product distribution, and related compliance practices.
- Experience managing national and/or regional pharmacy, specialty pharmacy, wholesale, or distribution accounts.
- Demonstrated experience negotiating and managing complex commercial agreements, with a record of successful business outcomes.
- Deep practical knowledge of pharmaceutical distribution networks, specialty pharmacy models, trade processes, product launches, contracting, and pharmaceutical supply-chain operations.
- Strong understanding of pharmacy reimbursement, medical and pharmacy benefit economics, healthcare policy, and distribution-related business drivers.
- Demonstrated ability to independently solve complex and ambiguous business problems. Candidates must be able to structure an unclear question, identify relevant data and stakeholders, perform or direct analysis, and develop a well-reasoned recommendation.
- Proven ability to translate complex analysis into concise business narratives, recommendations, and decisions for senior leaders and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Strong strategic thinking and business acumen, with the ability to connect account-level decisions to broader Market Access, commercial, patient access, operational, and enterprise implications.
- Track record of high ownership, intellectual curiosity, and self-directed problem solving; able to lead work from initial problem definition through execution.
- Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, organizational, and project-management skills.
- Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders, build trusted relationships, and work effectively in a highly matrixed organization.
- Working knowledge of applicable FDA regulations governing pharmaceutical promotion and the PhRMA Code relevant to healthcare professional interactions.
- Valid driver’s license and ability to travel up to 50% of the time.
Preferred Qualifications
- MBA, PharmD, or other relevant advanced degree.
- Experience developing distribution strategies for products with complex patient access, reimbursement, fulfillment, inventory, or specialty-pharmacy requirements.
- Experience creating financial models, account-level business cases, channel analyses, scenario plans, or strategic recommendations supporting pharmaceutical distribution, specialty pharmacy, market access, or commercial decisions.
- Experience presenting and defending data-driven recommendations in executive forums or with senior external account stakeholders.
- Experience leading strategic planning, pipeline readiness, distribution-network design, or cross-functional decision-making for new product launches.
At Vertex, we embrace continuous learning and encourage employees to stay informed on advances in AI, technology, automation, and industry trends. We seek talent who bring an external perspective, demonstrate curiosity and sound judgment, and thoughtfully adopt new capabilities that improve decision-making, drive innovation, increase efficiency, and help deliver better outcomes for patients.
Pay Range:
$166,400 - $249,600
Disclosure Statement:
The range provided is based on what we believe is a reasonable estimate for the base salary pay range for this job at the time of posting. This role is eligible for an annual bonus and annual equity awards. Some roles may also be eligible for overtime pay, in accordance with federal and state requirements. Actual base salary pay will be based on a number of factors, including skills, competencies, experience, and other job-related factors permitted by law.
At Vertex, our Total Rewards offerings also include inclusive market-leading benefits to meet our employees wherever they are in their career, financial, family and wellbeing journey while providing flexibility and resources to support their growth and aspirations. From medical, dental and vision benefits to generous paid time off (including a week-long company shutdown in the Summer and the Winter), educational assistance programs including student loan repayment, a generous commuting subsidy, matching charitable donations, 401(k) and so much more.
Company Information Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation.
Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.
Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at ApplicationAssistance@vrtx.com
