At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead market access strategies for cardiovascular disease, ensuring patient access and system readiness.
- Company: Join a leading UK pharmaceuticals company focused on cardiovascular health.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Field-based role with significant impact across the UK healthcare system.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in patient care and shape the future of cardiovascular treatment.
- Qualifications: Experience in market access and strong understanding of NHS structures required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Business Unit: UK Pharmaceuticals – Cardiovascular Disease
Reporting To: National Healthcare Director – CVD
Location: United Kingdom (field‑based, regional remit)
Territories: There are 6 roles across the UK defined territories – please indicate preferred location with your application. North East & Yorkshire, North West, Midlands, East of England, South West, South East.
Role Purpose: The Market Access Lead – CVD is a senior, field‑based role accountable for promotional and non‑promotional, system‑level pathway leadership to support the successful product launch and appropriate patient access across cardiovascular disease pathways. The role focuses on primary and secondary care pathway readiness, enabling market and patient access, identification, diagnosis, referral and initiation through effective engagement with NHS systems.
Key Responsibilities:
- System Strategy & Planning (CVD): Develop regional system and pathway plans aligned to the national CVD strategy and launch priorities. Segment and prioritise Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), Trusts and Primary Care Networks (PCNs) based on unmet need, pathway maturity and readiness.
- System Readiness: Initiate early strategic conversations with NHS stakeholders to ensure system readiness (formularies, guidelines, pathways, prescribing systems, homecare where applicable).
- Pathway Development: Lead pathway‑led initiatives to enable prevention, diagnosis, initiation and optimisation of CVD care across primary and secondary care. Map end‑to‑end lipid and ASCVD pathways, identifying gaps in patient flow, referrals and accountability. Support implementation of service redesign and collaborative working projects that deliver shared value for patients, the NHS and our organization.
- Stakeholder Engagement & Influence: Build and maintain trusted relationships with senior NHS stakeholders including ICB leaders, clinical leads, medicines optimisation teams and pathway owners. Facilitate insight‑led, outcome‑focused discussions that position our organization as a credible partner in cardiovascular pathway improvement. Ensure all engagements are compliant with ABPI Code and internal governance, maintaining a clear separation from promotional activity.
- Cross‑Functional Working: Work in close partnership with cross‑functional teams – Medical Affairs, Value, Access & Devolved Nations, Marketing and Corporate Affairs – to deliver a joined‑up approach to CVD. Align regional activity with national priorities set by the National Healthcare Director – CVD. Act as a conduit of high‑quality regional insight into Head Office to inform launch optimisation and ongoing strategy.
- Insight, Measurement & Continuous Improvement: Capture and synthesise system insights to inform national planning and refinement of pathway strategy. Track progress against system readiness milestones (e.g. guideline inclusion, pathway adoption, commissioning progress). Share best practice across regions to accelerate learning and consistency of execution.
Skills & Capabilities:
- Strong understanding of the UK NHS structure, including ICBs, primary care, secondary care and commissioning processes;
- Proven experience in pathway development, market access enablement or service redesign and collaborative working, ideally within cardiovascular disease or long‑term conditions;
- Senior‑level influencing and relationship‑building skills with NHS decision‑makers;
- Ability to operate confidently within market access governance frameworks;
- Strong analytical and problem‑solving capability, with the ability to prioritise high‑impact system opportunities;
- Leadership behaviours – collaboration, focus on impact, urgency, experiment‑learn‑adapt, open communication.
Experience Required:
- Significant experience in UK healthcare‑facing, market access roles with system‑level engagement.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and deliver pathway or service initiatives and collaborative working within the NHS.
- Strong understanding of cardiovascular disease pathways and lipid management desirable.
- Proven judgement, autonomy, collaboration and professionalism appropriate to a senior field‑based role.
Required Skills:
- Account Management
- Adaptability
- Cardiovascular Pharmacology
- Clinical Trials
- Commercial Contract Management
- Customer Needs Analysis
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
- Financial Acumen
- Healthcare Industry
- Identifying Sales Opportunities
- Learning Effectiveness
- Management Meetings
- Market Access
- Medical Affairs
- Operational Delivery
- Patient Flow
- Patient Identification
- Pharmaceutical Sales
- Pharmacokinetics
- Pharmacotherapeutics
- Primary Care Sales
- Strategy Development
- Sales Target Achievement
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Strategic Thinking
Preferred Skills:
- Account Management
- Adaptability
- Cardiovascular Pharmacology
- Clinical Trials
- Commercial Contract Management
- Customer Needs Analysis
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
- Financial Acumen
- Healthcare Industry
- Identifying Sales Opportunities
- Learning Effectiveness
- Management Meetings
- Market Access
- Medical Affairs
- Operational Delivery
- Patient Flow
- Patient Identification
- Pharmaceutical Sales
- Pharmacokinetics
- Pharmacotherapeutics
- Primary Care Sales
- Strategy Development
- Sales Target Achievement
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Strategic Thinking
Market Access Lead - Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) in Whitehall employer: Merck & Co., Inc.
As a Market Access Lead in Cardiovascular Disease, you will join a dynamic and innovative team dedicated to improving patient outcomes across the UK. Our company fosters a collaborative work culture that values professional growth, offering extensive training and development opportunities tailored to your career aspirations. With a strong commitment to employee well-being and a focus on impactful healthcare solutions, we provide a rewarding environment where your contributions can truly make a difference.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Market Access Lead - Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) in Whitehall
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with professionals in the cardiovascular field. Attend industry events, webinars, or even local meet-ups. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that Market Access Lead role.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your expertise! When you get the chance to chat with NHS stakeholders or potential employers, make sure to highlight your experience in pathway development and market access. Share specific examples of how you've made an impact in previous roles.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t wait for job openings to pop up. Reach out directly to companies you're interested in, like us at StudySmarter. Express your interest in the Market Access Lead position and ask about upcoming opportunities.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your knowledge of the UK NHS structure and cardiovascular disease pathways. Be ready to discuss how you can contribute to system readiness and stakeholder engagement. We want to see your passion and understanding!
We think you need these skills to ace Market Access Lead - Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) in Whitehall
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Market Access Lead role. Highlight your experience in pathway development and market access, especially within cardiovascular disease. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!
Showcase Your NHS Knowledge:Demonstrate your understanding of the UK NHS structure and how it relates to the role. Mention specific experiences where you've engaged with ICBs or other NHS stakeholders. This will show us you know your stuff and can hit the ground running!
Highlight Relationship-Building Skills:Since this role involves a lot of stakeholder engagement, share examples of how you've built trusted relationships with NHS decision-makers. We love to see strong interpersonal skills that can help us collaborate effectively!
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Merck & Co., Inc.
✨Know Your NHS Inside Out
Make sure you have a solid understanding of the UK NHS structure, especially how ICBs, primary care, and secondary care work together. Brush up on recent changes in the healthcare landscape and be ready to discuss how these impact cardiovascular disease pathways.
✨Showcase Your Pathway Development Experience
Prepare specific examples of your past experiences in pathway development or market access enablement. Highlight any successful initiatives you've led, particularly those that involved collaboration with NHS stakeholders, as this will demonstrate your capability in this senior role.
✨Build Relationships Before the Interview
If possible, try to connect with current or former employees in similar roles. This can give you insights into the company culture and expectations, plus it shows your proactive approach to stakeholder engagement, which is crucial for this position.
✨Prepare Insightful Questions
Think of thoughtful questions to ask during the interview that reflect your understanding of the role and the challenges faced in CVD market access. This not only shows your interest but also your strategic thinking and ability to engage in high-level discussions.
