Director Market Access & Government Affairs, Public Affairs - Nordics

Edwards Lifesciences is the global leader in patient-focused medical innovations for structural heart disease. Driven by a passion to help patients, the company collaborates with the world's leading clinicians and researchers to address unmet healthcare needs, working to improve patient outcomes and enhance lives.

As Director of Market Access in Sweden, you will elevate Edwards leadership in Public Affairs both externally and internally, to broaden external engagement and to develop partnerships with relevant stakeholders across the Nordics countries.

The role will lead the implementation Market Access and Government Affairs programs to secure timely patient access and appropriate funding to the innovative technologies that Edwards brings to healthcare systems in Nordics and beyond.

Through dialogues and interactions with Ministry of Health, AOTMiT (HTA), NFZ, Payers, Institutions, decision-makers and medical societies, the Market Access & Government Affairs role will engage with key stakeholders in Nordics to define the best access pathways within the health care system to benefit patients, building an innovation-friendly environment with high ethical standards and in partnership with Authorities.

The role will implement Market Access & Government Affairs programs in alignment with the Business Units imperatives and Public Affairs EMEACLA (Europe, Middle East, Africa, Canada, Latin-America) strategy to secure patients’ access to Edwards Lifesciences technologies.

This role can be office (Malmo) or remote based with regular travel required.

How you will make an impact:

• You will have a comprehensive understanding of the external access policy and decision-making environment which influence current and future access and funding landscape.
• Lead the identification, prioritization and management of market access and governmental strategic issues that matter to EW SHD businesses, in close collaboration and alignment with the Country Leadership Team,
• Establish, maintain and strengthen a network of contacts with policymakers, government officials and agencies, as well as payers, HTA body AOTMiT, patient groups and medical societies in Nordics
• Define and implement Public Affairs strategy cross-business-unit aiming at the prioritization of patient access to Structural Heart Disease innovations,
• Work in close cooperation with Business Units in delivering Edwards differentiated value proposition with the engagement and the interaction with relevant clinical and non-clinical stakeholders.
• Design and execute Public Affairs actions aimed to elevate role and recognition of Edwards in the healthcare decision making arena,
• Formulate and deliver the optimal access strategy for each of Edwards Lifesciences current and pipeline technologies mainly in the structural heart,
• Coordinating the implementation of the Public Affairs access plans with the Regional EMEACLA teams and resources,
• Engaging with authorities to ensure successful implementation of market access strategies to ultimately allow for funding and access of Edwards innovations.
• Developing innovative access strategies, differentiated value tools and performing economic evaluations of new technologies,
• Support cross-portfolio initiatives that impact hospital funding (e.g., procedure coding, tariff updates, quality indicators, ),Performing constant monitoring about the changes in the funding and policy environment impacting Edwards Lifesciences current and future portfolio. Understand and anticipate trends in the external environment, assess their impact and the opportunities for the company, and navigate these complex realities to support business growth.
• Help craft policy on value-based procurement to ensure reward of Edwards breakthrough innovation.
• Ensure Edwards’s leadership and optimal representation in the industry organizations.
• Critical for the role is the ability to engage with Edwards Nordics Leadership Team to develop strategies and execute in order to make an impact to patient access to Edwards innovation.
• You will be a member of the Edwards Leadership Team in Nordics, and of the EMEACLA Public Affairs Community.

What you will need:

• Working knowledge of healthcare systems and policies in Nordics
• Knowledge and experience of health, economic and social issues and trends in Nordics.
• Knowledge and experience in health economics and/or health outcomes.
• Expertise in Public Affairs, Government Affairs and Market Access, with strong stakeholder engagement and negotiation skills.
• Fluency in English (written and oral).
• Significant in depth experience in market access, government affairs, advocacy and external engagement in the Medical Technology and/or pharmaceutical industry in Nordics.
• Business level English and any Scandinavian language, both written and spoken

What else we look for:

• Bachelors degree with a postgraduate qualification, preferably a Master’s degree, in Political Science, Lifesciences, Law, Economics, or Business
• Ability to leverage inhouse regional resources in support of the Nordics Public Affairs strategy
• Ability to lead successful projects and teams in a local as well as international, fast-paced matrix environment.
• Strong communication skills, oral and written. Aptitude to influence senior individuals
• Strong network among government officials, policy makers, patient organizations, payers and an understanding of how things get done.
• Strong Business Acumen, Strategic thinking and cross-functional collaboration mindset.
• To-do attitude and sense of urgency
• Ability to craft and drive key messages support Edwards’s strategy.
• Ability to communicate, cooperate and align priorities with business units and different functions and teams inside Edwards,
• Ability to relate and network with key stakeholders inside and outside the company and to recommend internal as well as external business solutions
• Experience in cardiology / structural heart would be advantageous