Senior Manager, Trade Relations

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

In a few words… 

Abarca is igniting a revolution in healthcare.? We built our company on the belief that with smarter technology we are redefining pharmacy benefits, but this is just the beginning…  

As Sr. Manager of Trade Relations, you will define and lead Abarca’s pharmaceutical rebate and formulary strategy, serving as key subject matter expert on rebate optimization and manufacturer engagement. This role operates with a high degree of autonomy to prioritize initiatives, inform decision making, and drive rebate and formulary initiatives in alignment with Abarca’s business objectives. This role owns the evaluation and negotiation of rebate opportunities, the development of enterprise-wide coverage strategies, and the integrity of all rebate and formulary financial modeling delivered to clients. You will leverage deep manufacturer relationships and market intelligence to inform strategic decisions that optimize cost, clinical value, and competitive positioning across Abarca’s book of business. 

The fundamentals for the job… 

• Lead the strategic assessment, negotiation, and execution of pharmaceutical manufacturer rebate agreements, ensuring optimal financial and clinical outcomes for clients.
• Accountable for driving rebate performance, net cost optimization, formulary value, and competitive positioning across Abarca’s book of business. 
• Serve as key advisor and decision influencer for rebate strategy, including evaluation of manufacturer offers, contract structures, and value-based arrangements, in partnership with Clinical, Legal, Finance, and executive stakeholders. 
• Lead the definition, governance, and ongoing optimization of Abarca’s core formulary and coverage strategies, balancing net cost optimization, clinical value, member impact, and client competitiveness across template and custom formularies. 
• Accountable for all rebate and formulary financial modeling delivered to clients, ensuring accuracy, strategic alignment, and clear articulation of value.
• Establish governance standards, review processes, and quality controls to ensure rebate and formulary financial models are accurate, consistent, compliant, and strategically aligned. 
• Leverage manufacturer relationships to generate actionable market intelligence and strategic insights that inform pricing, formulary, and drug trend strategies.
• Serve as the organizational SME on rebate programs, market dynamics, and emerging manufacturer strategies, advising leadership, sales, and client teams.
• Lead the strategic relationship and performance governance with Abarca’s rebate aggregator, Optum, including alignment on rebate guarantees, issue resolution, performance tracking, and execution of joint strategic initiatives. 
• Partner cross-functionally (Clinical, Analytics, Underwriting, Sales, Legal) to translate rebate strategy into client-facing solutions, RFP responses, and growth initiatives.
• Lead, mentor, and develop Trade Relations team members by setting priorities, strengthening strategic and analytic capabilities, and elevating negotiation effectiveness. 

Requirements:

The bold requirements…   

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Finance, Healthcare Administration, or related field (or equivalent experience) 
• 10+ years of relevant experience in PBM, health plan, or pharmaceutical contracting, pricing, or strategy roles. 
• 3+ years of leadership experience, including direct and/or matrixed leadership of high-performing teams and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Deep expertise in pharmaceutical rebate contracting, formulary strategy, and drug pricing dynamics 
• Proven track record of leading complex negotiations and driving measurable financial outcomes 
• Strong analytical and financial modeling acumen, with experience translating complex analyses into strategic decisions 
• Experience owning and driving enterprise-level strategies or programs with significant financial impact 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• We are proud to offer a flexible hybrid work model which will require certain on-site workdays (Puerto Rico Location Only) 

Nice to have… 

• Advanced technical skills (e.g., SQL, data modeling, or analytics platforms) to support strategic decision-making
• Experience managing large-scale rebate programs 
• Experience defining and executing formulary strategies to drive cost savings 

Physical requirements… 

• Must be able to access and navigate each department at the organization’s facilities. 
• Sedentary work that primarily involves sitting/standing. 

At Abarca we value and celebrate diversity. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are guiding principles of Abarca and ensure Abarca’s workforce reflects the communities it serves.? We are proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, medical condition, genetic information, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.  

Abarca Health LLC is an equal employment opportunity employer and participates in E-Verify.? “Applicant must be a United States’ citizen. Abarca Health LLC does not sponsor employment visas at this time”  

The above description is not intended to limit the scope of the job or to exclude other duties not mentioned. It is not a final set of specifications for the position. It’s simply meant to give readers an idea of what the role entails.