Manager, Market Access

At Vericel Corporation, we are pioneers in advanced cell therapies for sports medicine and severe burn care, transforming patient lives through cutting‑edge regenerative medicine. Our commitment to innovation, patient‑centered focus, and scientific excellence drives us to develop groundbreaking treatments including MACI (knee cartilage repair), Epicel and Nexobrid (burn care). Position Summary The Manager, Market Access serves as the business owner of Vericel's patient support program, MyCartilageCare®, ensuring the program delivers an exceptional experience for patients, providers, and the commercial organization while supporting Vericel's business objectives. The successful candidate is responsible for continuously evaluating and improving program performance through data analytics, operational excellence, vendor governance, and cross‑functional collaboration. This individual focuses on strengthening the overall operating model, establishing meaningful performance metrics, improving the patient and provider experience, simplifying workflows, and ensuring the vendor consistently delivers against contractual commitments and Vericel's expectations. Reporting to the Vice President, Market Access, this position partners closely with Sales, Commercial Operations, Finance, Marketing, and the external patient services organization to drive measurable business outcomes through continuous improvement and effective program management. Schedule This position is in‑office from Monday — Thursday in our new Burlington, MA location, with flexibility to work remotely on Fridays. Key Responsibilities Program Strategy & Continuous Improvement Serve as the business owner for the MyCartilageCare® program, ensuring alignment with Vericel's patient access, reimbursement, and commercial objectives. Continuously evaluate program performance and identify opportunities to improve the patient, provider, and customer experience. Develop and implement process improvements that simplify workflows, improve operational efficiency, and support commercial growth. Identify opportunities to leverage technology, automation, and standardization to enhance program performance. Lead implementation of approved program enhancements and operational initiatives. Develop business cases and recommendations supporting future program improvements. Vendor Governance & Performance Management Serve as Vericel's primary business relationship manager for the MyCartilageCare third‑party vendor. Establish, monitor, and continuously refine program Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and operational scorecards. Conduct regular business reviews to evaluate vendor performance, responsiveness, quality, productivity, customer satisfaction, and overall program effectiveness. Hold the vendor accountable for contractual commitments, operational expectations, and continuous improvement objectives. Partner with vendor leadership to identify innovative solutions that improve patient access, reimbursement support, case management, and provider experience. Review, approve, and monitor program invoices and contractual deliverables. Program Analytics & Business Insights Develop meaningful dashboards, scorecards, and performance metrics that measure program effectiveness and business impact. Analyze patient access, reimbursement, case management, provider support, and operational performance data to identify trends, opportunities, and risks. Translate data into actionable business recommendations for senior leadership. Develop and present quarterly and annual program performance reviews. Utilize data to proactively identify operational issues and recommend corrective actions. Support strategic planning through forecasting, performance analysis, and business insights. Cross‑Functional Partnership Partner closely with Sales, Commercial Operations, Marketing, Finance, Medical Affairs, and the patient services organization to optimize program performance. Design and implement operating processes that enable Sales and MyCartilageCare representatives to work directly together while ensuring appropriate governance, visibility, and accountability. Provide program expertise, operational guidance, and business insights to internal stakeholders. Facilitate effective communication and collaboration across cross‑functional teams to support program success. Operational Excellence Champion a culture of continuous improvement across all aspects of the MyCartilageCare program. Evaluate existing workflows and identify opportunities to improve speed, quality, scalability, and customer satisfaction. Lead cross‑functional improvement initiatives using data, customer feedback, and operational insights. Ensure operational processes remain compliant with applicable regulations, contractual requirements, and company policies. Continuously evaluate industry best practices and recommend improvements that strengthen Vericel's patient services capabilities. Qualifications, Education & Experience Bachelor's degree in Business, Healthcare Administration, Life Sciences, Public Health, or a related field. 7+ years of experience in patient services, reimbursement, specialty pharmacy, market access, healthcare operations, commercial operations, or related healthcare environments. Demonstrated experience managing third‑party vendors and holding external partners accountable for contractual commitments, performance metrics, and service level expectations. Strong program and project management experience leading complex cross‑functional initiatives. Advanced analytical capabilities with demonstrated experience developing KPIs, dashboards, scorecards, and operational reporting. Proven ability to identify operational improvement opportunities and successfully implement process enhancements. Strong understanding of reimbursement, specialty pharmacy, patient support programs, and buy‑and‑bill methodologies. Excellent communication, presentation, stakeholder management, and influencing skills. Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Salesforce CRM, and business reporting tools. Preferred Qualifications Experience supporting specialty pharmaceutical, biotechnology, biologic, regenerative medicine, or cell therapy products. Experience working with patient HUB services, reimbursement support programs, or specialty pharmacy providers. Experience utilizing Power BI or similar business intelligence tools. Lean, Six Sigma, Operational Excellence, or Project Management certification. Why Vericel? Cutting‑Edge Science: Work with a leading regenerative medicine product that is transforming patient care. Career Growth: Be a part of a growing organization with opportunities to expand your impact. Collaborative Culture: Work alongside a team of dedicated professionals who are passionate about improving lives. The salary range Vericel reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for this position at the time of this posting is $135,000 to $155,000 annually. The actual salary offered will be determined based on factors such as the candidate’s qualifications, experience, and skills. Bonus, incentive pay, equity and benefits may be provided in addition to the base compensation listed above. In accordance with Massachusetts law, Vericel provides the pay range that it reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for a particular and specific employment position at the time of posting or offer. This range is subject to change based on business needs, market conditions, and individual qualifications. Employees and applicants may request the pay range for their position or for a position to which they are applying. Retaliation for making such a request is strictly prohibited. EEO Statement All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or protected veteran status and will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. Vericel Corporation is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Vericel Corporation is VEVRAA federal contractor and desires priority referrals of protected veterans for job openings at all locations within the state. #J-18808-Ljbffr Vericel® Corporation