Regional Sales & Commercial Lead (North West & Northern Ireland) in Manchester

Company Description

Santen is a specialized company with a proud 130-year heritage focused exclusively on eye health. As a Japan-originated, global company with our footprint in over 60 countries and regions, our mission is to provide essential and significant value to patients and society through our products and services created from our expertise in ophthalmology and from the patient’s perspective.

We are looking for a Regional Sales & Commercial Lead to join our team in the UK covering the territories North West England and Northern Ireland.

Job Description

As a Regional Sales & Commercial Lead you will deliver on defined regional targets by achieving commercial and market access objectives for prioritised ophthalmology brands by driving adoption, accelerating sales, and delivering patient-centred healthcare solutions. This role partners with the NHS and key stakeholders to improve outcomes for patients with ophthalmic conditions, ensuring successful implementation and uptake of the ophthalmology product portfolio.

What you will do

• Deliver agreed market access and sales objectives for ophthalmology brands within designated accounts and territories, across the North West and Northern Ireland.
• Own, develop and implement local business plans in line with brand objectives and sales targets as agreed with Senior Manager Sales (North or South).
• Identify opportunities for each brand in each account; develop and execute strategic account plans in collaboration with cross-functional teams (Market Access Lead, Marketing, MSLs & Ophthalmology Account Manager(s)).
• Act as the primary contact for payer accounts (pharmacy, medicines management, commissioners, NHS business managers) and key customer groups (prescribers and payors).
• Build strong relationships with ophthalmology stakeholders (consultants, specialist nurses, commissioners) to maximise formulary inclusion and product adoption.
• Deliver patient-centred solutions that improve ophthalmic care pathways and address local health economy guidance.
• Analyse NHS ophthalmology datasets and business intelligence to identify performance gaps and implement corrective actions.
• Maintain deep knowledge of key accounts, including revenue sources, competitors, commissioning processes, and objectives.
• Develop and manage relationships with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) in ophthalmology to drive advocacy.
• Share market intelligence and feedback internally to influence strategy and brand planning.
• Stay informed on NHS policies, funding flows, and healthcare structures impacting ophthalmology prescribing and reimbursement.
• Ensure accurate CRM usage for customer data, call planning, and reporting.
• Comply with Code of Practice and company policies, demonstrating behaviours aligned with Santen’s vision and values.
• Lead and execute key account management activities, ensuring optimal market access, stakeholder alignment, and successful brand uptake across assigned territories.

Qualifications

• Degree-level education or equivalent experience.
• Strong knowledge of NHS systems, funding flows, and commissioning.
• Proven success in sales performance, key account management, and payer engagement (ophthalmology experience is a plus, not mandatory).
• Experience influencing policy and practice in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Strong analytical, planning, and negotiation skills, with knowledge of pharmacoeconomics.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities, including KOL development.
• Experience in product launches and working within matrix organisations.
• IT proficiency and CRM experience.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and influential communication, combining critical and creative thinking to deliver patient-focused solutions.
• Commercially astute and accountable, with deep NHS understanding, strategic leadership, and data-driven decision-making to optimise access and performance.

Additional Information

Grow your career at Santen. A career at Santen is an opportunity to make a difference. We aspire to contribute to the realization of “Happiness with Vision” by providing eye health products and services to patients, consumers, and medical professionals around the world. Guided by our CORE PRINCIPLE, “Tenki ni sanyo suru”, Santen is engaged in the global research & development, manufacturing, and sales and marketing of pharmaceutical products in ophthalmology. We have team members around the world using their diverse talents to unlock new modalities and drive innovations for patient outcomes, education and treatment. At Santen, we believe in empowering all our team members with flexible ways of working and a highly inclusive work environment. The Santen Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building diverse teams and ensuring a safe and inclusive physical and virtual workplace for every one of our team members. All employment decisions are based on business needs, role requirements and individual qualifications regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin/ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/ expression, age, disability, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you require any kind of accommodation during our recruitment process, please let the recruiter from our team know.