Senior Policy Lead

Company: Cencora
Location: Washington
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

Our team members are at the heart of everything we do. At Cencora, we are united in our responsibility to create healthier futures, and every person here is essential to us being able to deliver on that purpose. If you want to make a difference at the center of health, come join our innovative company and help us improve the lives of people and animals everywhere. Apply today! Job Details This role is in support of Cencora's global pharma consulting services The Role: The Senior Director, Health Policy plays an integral role in developing, delivering , and selling data-driven solutions to clients as part of evolving our Reimbursement Policy Analytics offering. At Cencora, we are passionate about helping our clients anticipate reimbursement challenges and creating targeted reimbursement and health policy solutions that maximize patient access at every stage of the product life cycle. This role will play heavily in thought leadership, business development and strategic and tactical management of project execution. Key Duties & Responsibilities: Strong subject matter expertise in life sciences healthcare policy ( eg , Medicare and Medicaid policy and regulations, Inflation Reduction Act, federal budget scoring models, alternative payment models, etc.) Primary driver of thought leadership activities and presence for health policy offerings internally and externally and business development subject matter expert and driver of BD opportunities Familiarity with key data sources for healthcare analysis ( eg , Medicare claims, Medicare Part D data, commercial claims data, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data, Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey data) Experience working with patient advocacy and industry groups is preferred Quickly recognize and understand clients’ business questions ; ability to identify and connect client market access and HEOR requirement needs to the rest of the business for RFP execution Develop data-driven solutions and analysis frameworks that clearly answer those questions Execut ion of contracted work as strategic oversight, providing leadership of the team. Ability to manage projects effectively and efficiently and be flexible enough to shift directions, if needed Interpret and summarize results accurately Quickly recognize and understand clients’ business questions Create story-based narratives that articulate how results directly inform product launch strategies or influence policy decision-makers MANAGEMENT: Accomplishes team results by communicating expectations; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; coaching, and counseling employees; developing, coordinating, and enforcing systems, policies, procedures, and productivity standards. No direct line management at initiation of role, but will be a possibility over time Creates innovative business expansion and/or new services Responsible for lead proposal writing Allocates human and financial resources as appropriate to ensure objectives are accomplished within scope of project requirements Searches and pursues revenue generation opportunities and effectively manages to ensure that new revenue is realized Overall responsibility for timeliness, accuracy, and completeness of all services Identifies areas for risk Fosters proactive, continued quality improvement Ensures and maintains highest integrity and honesty in all business activities EDUCATION: Graduate degree in public policy, healthcare policy or law, or another related field Requires broad experience in fields such as public policy, business administration, sales, marketing, or similar vocations generally obtained through completion of a four year bachelor's degree program or equivalent combination of experience and education. Master’s degree or equivalent experience is preferred. Normally requires directly related and progressively responsible experience within healthcare consulting or pharmaceutical, biotechnology or medical device industry with a history of successful achievement in the fields of reimbursement strategies and tactics ; tangential experience in market access and/or HEOR a plus. ? W ORK EXPERIENCE: Minimum of 12 years relevant healthcare policy and reimbursement experience SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE : Strong connections with Congress and Pharma Previous experience working in DC uantitative analytical skills, including advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel and SAS Deep understanding of core policy issues relevant to industry, including the Inflation Reduction Act, PBM transparency, 340B, Most Favored Nation (MFN), GENEROUS, etc. Robust expertise in Medicare payment policies, particularly related to pharmaceuticals and associated services, is strongly preferred Experience and comfort with existing Medicare and commercial data sets, including but not limited to medical claims, prescription drug claims, hospital chargemaster data, medical policy data, prescription formulary coverage data Experience in a wide range of topics, including coverage, coding, and payment across commercial and public payers, drug distribution and specialty pharmacy, and patient support services Ability to translate detailed technical information to others with limited experience in policy or quantitative analysis Excellent verbal and written communication skills and presentation skills to convey complex and changing legislation, regulations, and their impact Ability to travel 15% - 30%. Travel would be primarily for in-person meetings with policy clients in Washington, DC. MINIMUM SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY REQUIREMENTS: Possesses and applies an advanced knowledge of particular field of specialization to the completion of projects of major complexity, sufficient to teach others. Must have achieved recognized standing in professional field through original contribution. Able to substantially contribute to business strategy and planning within specified area of expertise. Proven ability to contribute to a team and to deliver results on time, with the available resources, and within budget Proven ability to work on multiple projects and with multiple individuals simultaneously Proven ability to maintain high quality output Knowledge of the pharmaceutical/biotechnology/medical device industry and experience with issues surrounding the marketing of pharmaceutical products, including issues surrounding coding, coverage, and reimbursement of those products Thinks independently and adapts easily to changes Results- oriented , strategic partner Economic, financial and quantitative problem-solving skills Ability to direct his/her staff in the development, analysis, and preparation of high quality client deliverables Strong organizational and communication skills; attention to detail Demonstrated success within the consulting environment or pharmaceutical industry Broad technical knowledge of reimbursement strategies and/or health policy Ability to interact with and influence clients to drive new business development for the company Interest and ability to “think outside the box” Excellent writing skills, as well as the ability to communicate complex material in presentations and discussions in a straightforward manner Displays flexibility and collaboration Strong interpersonal skills in order to develop sound, long-term client relationships and an ability to influence clients without being overbearing Ability to work well in a dynamic, successful consulting firm, which maintains high quality standards and demands excellence Salary range: up to $250k per annum depending on the experience and geo location. -This Salary Range reflects a National Average for this job. The actual range may vary based on your experience and locale. Ranges in Colorado/California/Washington/New York/Hawaii/Vermont/Minnesota/Massachusetts/Illinois State-specific locations may be up to 10% lower than the minimum salary range, and 12% higher than the maximum salary range. What Cencora offers We provide compensation, benefits, and resources that enable a highly inclusive culture and support our team members’ ability to live with purpose every day. In addition to traditional offerings like medical, dental, and vision care, we also provide a comprehensive suite of benefits that focus on the physical, emotional, financial, and social aspects of wellness. This encompasses support for working families, which may include backup dependent care, adoption assistance, infertility coverage, family building support, behavioral health solutions, paid parental leave, and paid caregiver leave. To encourage your personal growth, we also offer a variety of training programs, professional development resources, and opportunities to participate in mentorship programs, employee resource groups, volunteer activities, and much more. For details, visit https://www.virtualfairhub.com/cencora Full time Salary Range* $161,100 - 230,450 *This Salary Range reflects a National Average for this job. The actual range may vary based on your locale. Ranges in Colorado/California/Washington/New York/Hawaii/Vermont/Minnesota/Massachusetts/Illinois State-specific locations may be up to 10% lower than the minimum salary range, and 12% higher than the maximum salary range. Equal Employment Opportunity Cencora is committed to providing equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or membership in any other class protected by federal, state or local law. The company’s continued success depends on the full and effective utilization of qualified individuals. Therefore, harassment is prohibited and all matters related to recruiting, training, compensation, benefits, promotions and transfers comply with equal opportunity principles and are non-discriminatory. Cencora is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the employment process which are consistent with legal requirements. If you wish to request an accommodation while seeking employment, please call 888.692.2272 or email hrsc@cencora.com . We will make accommodation determinations on a request-by-request basis. Messages and emails regarding anything other than accommodations requests will not be returned . Affiliated Companies: Affiliated Companies: Cencora Patient Services, LLC

Keywords: Cencora, Washington DC , Senior Policy Lead, Executive , Washington, DC