Job Description: Director, Market Access & HEOR – Japan

Primary Function of Position

This role leads the clinical, economic, and access-focused evidence strategy for the Ion Business Unit exclusively within Japan. You own the national strategy that demonstrates how Ion improves patient outcomes, care pathways, and health-system efficiency across Japanese institutions—using that evidence to secure optimal reimbursement, expand institutional adoption, and drive long-term access.

This role will work closely with Japan Commercial Leadership, Country Medical Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, Clinical Marketing, and Clinical Development Engineering, while acting as the primary Japanese market access liaison to the Global Access Value and Economics (GAVE) team at headquarters.

Key Responsibilities

Set the Japan Evidence & Access Strategy

• Define a 3–5 year national reimbursement and market access roadmap for Japan, aligned with MHLW submission timelines, 

Design and Deliver Japan-Specific Evidence

• Lead the design and execution of local clinical and economic studies (Japanese real-world evidence [RWE], cost-effectiveness, budget impact models tailored to the Japanese healthcare system, and DPC resource utilization) to satisfy MHLW, HTA, and hospital value committee requirements.

Translate Data into Local Value Stories

• Transform global and local evidence into Japanese-tailored value propositions, HTA dossiers (C2H submissions), executive slide decks, economic tools, and hospital decision aids for Japanese payers, hospital administration, and clinical champions.

Execute Reimbursement & Access Pathways

• Develop and execute national access plans (e.g., MHLW reimbursement coding, C1/C2 category applications, innovation/usefulness premium requests, DPC inclusion/exclusion logic, and hospital budgeting rules).

• Supply all necessary Ion-specific evidence and analytics for national pricing and coding submissions without directly owning commercial sales pricing.

Act as the Domestic "Go-To" Expert for Evidence & Access

• Serve as the subject matter expert on Japanese health policy, reimbursement frameworks, and HEOR for internal cross-functional teams in Japan and global headquarters.

Shape the External Environment

• Build and maintain strategic relationships with key Japanese opinion leaders (KOLs), thoracic/pulmonology societies (e.g., JRS, JSRE), MHLW/Chuikyo/C2H advisors, and hospital administration decision-makers.

• Selectively participate in local policy consultations, guideline updates, and collaborative registries to lower barriers to adoption.

Lead Partners, Vendors, and Budgets

• Provide leadership to direct reports and matrixed team members.

• Select and manage Japanese HEOR/HTA agencies, local CROs, and medical data vendors. Own the domestic market access budget, directing investment toward high-impact initiatives that accelerate procedure volume and funding.

Track Impact and Course-Correct

• Monitor key performance metrics (e.g., MHLW pricing decisions, time to NHI coverage, DPC impacts, hospital value committee approvals, and procedure adoption rates).

• Leverage insights from Japanese healthcare reform, policy updates, and competitive trends to refine the local strategy over time.

Qualifications

Required

• Education: Advanced degree in a clinical, scientific, or health-economics discipline (e.g., MD, PharmD, PhD, MPH, or MSc in Health Economics, Public Health, or Life Sciences).

• Experience: 10+ years of progressive experience in Market Access, HEOR, or Health Policy specifically within the Japanese medical device or interventional technology industry.

• Track Record: Demonstrated success securing favorable reimbursement, coding, or funding outcomes in Japan (e.g., MHLW/Chuikyo submissions, new C1/C2 functional category listings, HTA evaluations, or DPC tariff optimizations).

• System Knowledge: Deep expertise in the Japanese healthcare system, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) regulatory/reimbursement pathways, Central Social Insurance Medical Council (Chuikyo), Center for Outcomes Research and Economic Evaluation for Health (C2H), and hospital DPC funding mechanisms.

• Communication: Ability to distill complex procedural details into clear operational and economic value arguments for senior medical professionals, hospital directors, and government officials.

• Language Proficiency: Native or bilingual fluency in Japanese and business level English (both written and verbal) are required to negotiate locally and communicate effectively with global leadership.