Kite Pharma

We’re here for one reason and one reason only – to cure cancer. Every moment is dedicated to developing treatments and every action moves us one step closer to our goal. We’ve made incredible scientific breakthroughs and our pioneering personalized CAR T-cell therapies have changed the paradigm. But we're not finished yet.

Join Kite, as we make even bigger advances in cancer therapies, and help shape where our business and medical science goes next.

We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Kite and help create more tomorrows.

Job Description

The Director, US CAR-T Pricing & Contracting reports to the Head of US Trade, Pricing, and Contracting and is responsible for developing and executing U.S. payer and provider contracting strategies, tactics, and initiatives in partnership with the US Trade, Pricing, and Contracting team and the broader US Market Access organization. The Director partners closely with multiple cross-functional teams—including Brand, Medical, HEOR, Global Commercial Strategy, Sales, Strategic Account Management, Finance, and Legal—to drive coordinated market-shaping and value creation initiatives. Over the next 12-18 months, this position will focus heavily on the development of our US pricing and contracting strategy and drive organizational alignment, processes, infrastructure, training, execution, and measurement for both inline brands and upcoming launch assets. The other critical focus area for this role will be leading the pricing and contracting work and recommendations for launch and upcoming pipeline assets. This position can be based in either our Santa Monica, CA or Foster City, CA office.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Leadership

• Lead the development and execution of comprehensive US pricing and contracting strategies for Kite’s CAR-T portfolio
• Serve as a subject matter expert (SME) for pricing, contracting, and reimbursement across the portfolio
• Identify, develop, and execute initiatives and ecosystem partnership opportunities to support CAR-T expansion goals
• Recommend and implement innovative contracting solutions to improve access to care
• Conduct 360° ecosystem assessments including market research to understand the landscape from payer, patient, and provider perspectives
• Inform and recommend future opportunities and strategic direction based on current initiatives and market insights

Cross-functional Collaboration and Influencing

• Partner with Brand, Medical, HEOR, Global Commercial Strategy, Sales, Strategic Account Management, Finance, Government Affairs, Public Affairs, Analytics, Marketing, Government Pricing, and Legal teams to ensure clear strategy and tactical alignment
• Collaborate with field teams and key payer groups to translate customer insights into actionable opportunities and contracts
• Oversee internal and external stakeholders, including agency and vendor relationships, to implement pricing and contracting strategies and tactics
• Contribute to policy, government affairs, and advocacy strategies to optimize cell therapy access and reimbursement

Value Creation

• Lead launch price and lifecycle pricing recommendations and execution
• Develop unique payer and provider value creation approaches in partnership with Contract Account Strategy, aligning value propositions with ecosystem perspectives
• Drive insights and tactics focused on optimizing portfolio coverage and reimbursement
• Partner with Payer Marketing Team, Strategic Account Management team, and HEOR to continuously define and communicate evolving CAR-T value in the U.S. market, including clinical, humanistic, and economic benefits
• Provide input into future clinical trial designs to support access and value objectives

Measurement & KPIs

• Develop clear and compelling measurement strategies and KPIs in partnership with Contract Ops team to ensure each contract’s objectives and measurement approach are clear
• Work with broader Trade, Pricing, and Contracting team, as well as relevant Gilead and Kite partners, to ensure all contracts are straightforward to operationalize, measure, report, pay, and adjust as needed

Basic Qualifications

• Advanced scientific degree (i.e., MD, PharmD, PhD) and 8+ years of experience OR
• Master’s Degree and 10+ years of experience OR
• Bachelor’s Degree and 12+ years of experience OR

Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years of relevant and/or related hematology/oncology commercial experience or pricing and contracting experience at specialty-focused pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies
• Demonstrated experience in developing and executing pricing and contracting and/or market access strategies in hematology/oncology
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate cross-functionally and influence decision making, strategy, and execution across partners and functions and senior leaders
• Demonstrated high levels of emotional intelligence, situational awareness, ability to build and influence positive culture across teams
• Deep strategic experience leading change-based initiatives, home office functional teams, and/or marketing & strategy projects
• Deep understanding of the reimbursement landscape for CAR-T and the unique aspects of single case agreements, network requirements, etc.
• Extensive understanding of the hematology/oncology clinical landscape and cell therapy business
• Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills; ability to develop and implement strategy in complex environments
• Experience leading cross-functional teams to develop creative solutions in novel situations
• Expertise in market access, pricing, and financial aspects of the U.S. healthcare system (buy and bill, hospital economics, reimbursement, payer/provider economics, pricing policy)
• Experience developing value platforms and contributing to HEOR evidence generation plans
• Engagement experience with payers, providers, channels, and health policy stakeholders
• Advanced PowerPoint and Excel skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

The salary range for this position is:

Bay Area: $226,185.00 - $292,710.00.

Other US Locations: $205,615.00 - $266,090.00.

Kite considers a variety of factors when determining base compensation, including experience, qualifications, and geographic location. These considerations mean actual compensation will vary. This position may also be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, discretionary stock-based long-term incentives (eligibility may vary based on role), paid time off, and a benefits package. Benefits include company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans*.

For additional benefits information, visit:

https://www.gilead.com/careers/compensation-benefits-and-wellbeing

• Eligible employees may participate in benefit plans, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans.

Kite is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of innovative cancer immunotherapies with a goal of providing rapid, long-term durable response and eliminating the burden of chronic care. The company is focused on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and T cell receptor (TCR) engineered cell therapies designed to empower the immune system's ability to recognize and kill tumors. Kite is based in Santa Monica, CA. For more information on Kite, please visit www.kitepharma.com. Sign up to follow @KitePharma on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kitepharma.

For jobs in the United States:

Kite Pharma is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive work environment comprised of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. Employment decisions regarding recruitment and selection will be made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or other non-job related characteristics or other prohibited grounds specified in applicable federal, state and local laws. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicants who require accommodation in the job application process may contact ApplicantAccommodations@gilead.com for assistance.

For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the 'Know Your Rights' poster.

NOTICE: EMPLOYEE POLYGRAPH PROTECTION ACT

YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT

Kite Pharma will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, (c) consistent with the legal duty to furnish information; or (d) otherwise protected by law.

Our environment respects individual differences and recognizes each employee as an integral member of our company. Our workforce reflects these values and celebrates the individuals who make up our growing team.

Kite Pharma provides a work environment free of harassment and prohibited conduct. We promote and support individual differences and diversity of thoughts and opinion.

For Current Kite Pharma Employees and Contractors:

Please apply via the Internal Career Opportunities portal in Workday.