Regional Access & Launch Manager
MENA Region · Rare Disease & Advanced Therapies
Experience Level: Mid-Senior
Reported to: Regional Head - Middle East and North Africa
Remote
GCC-focused
Rare Disease · ATMPs
Saudi | UAE | Kuwait ( We also welcome applications from candidates based in the UAE or Kuwait
About the Role
This is a high-impact, cross-functional leadership role at the heart of a fast-growing organisation that serves as a full-service commercialisation and distribution partner for innovative biotech companies entering MENA markets. Specialising in rare diseases and advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) — including cell and gene therapies (CGTs) — we work as an extension of our partners' commercial organisations, delivering end-to-end market access, launch, and patient access capabilities across the GCC and broader MENA region
The Regional Access & Launch Manager / Lead will be the pivotal commercial and scientific bridge between our biotech partners and the complex, multi-stakeholder healthcare environments across the region. You will simultaneously drive market access strategy, lead product launches, engage payers and regulators, and support business development through due diligence on new assets and partnerships. This is a role for someone who thrives on variety, exercises strong independent judgement, and is energised by building something meaningful
Key Responsibilities
Market Access & Pricing Strategy
- Develop and execute tailored market access strategies for rare disease and ATMP portfolios across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and the broader GCC markets
- Lead payer engagement with key bodies, including SFDA/NHIC, DHA, HAAD, MOH Kuwait, and relevant HTA committees, adapting value frameworks to local evidence requirements
- Build health economic and outcomes research (HEOR) arguments and dossiers to support reimbursement and funding decisions, including outcomes-based and managed entry agreement models where applicable
- Navigate the unique access landscape for high-cost therapies, one-time treatments, and CGTs — including budget impact models, registries, and patient support programme designs
- Monitor evolving reimbursement policies, HTA developments, and national rare disease frameworks to proactively adapt access strategies
Product Launch & Commercial Execution
Lead integrated launch planning and execution for new rare disease and ATMP assets entering the region, coordinating cross-functional workstreams including regulatory, medical, supply, and patient access
Establish launch readiness frameworks, KPIs, and go-to-market timelines in close alignment with the biotech partners
Drive commercial performance through forecasting, account management, and key account engagement with treating centres, multidisciplinary teams, and patient advocacy groups
- Drive innovative solutions that enable optimal market access strategies for ATMP assets, particularly in settings with complex reimbursement pathways and unclear patient journeys
- Ensure compliant, patient-centric access pathways are in place prior to and following commercial launch, including named patient, compassionate use, and early access programmes
- Manage and strengthen Uniphar’s network of local distributors and 3rd party vendors across GCC markets, while driving expansion strategies into additional countries within the MENA region
.Business Development & Asset Evaluation
- Identify, evaluate, and prioritise new asset and partnership opportunities within the rare disease and ATMP space for the MENA region
- Conduct structured opportunity assessments and due diligence reviews, including market sizing, patient population mapping, competitive landscape analysis, pricing benchmarking, and revenue modelling
- Develop and present investment cases to senior leadership to support partnership decision-making and resource allocation
- Build and maintain a network of biotech and pharma partners, advisors, and ecosystem stakeholders to support deal sourcing and pipeline development
Regulatory & Operational Coordination
- Support regulatory submission strategies and liaison with local regulatory authorities as part of launch readiness, working with regulatory affairs resources internally and at partner companies
- Oversee patient support programme design, special access pathways, and supply chain considerations for rare disease products requiring specialised handling or distribution
- Ensure compliance with all local legal, promotional, and pharmacovigilance requirements across the portfolio
Qualifications & Experience Essential
- 10+ years of pharmaceutical or biotech industry experience, with a strong grounding across at least two of the following disciplines: market access, and commercial/launch management
- Demonstrated experience in rare disease and/or ATMP / CGT commercialisation — including deep familiarity with the patient journey, small patient populations, and the access complexities unique to these categories
- Hands-on experience in the GCC or broader MENA region, with working knowledge of key payer, regulatory, and HTA stakeholders across Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait.
- Proven track record of leading or materially contributing to successful product launches in the region
- Experience with business development or asset evaluation, including the ability to conduct independent opportunity assessments and communicate findings to senior stakeholders
- Ability to operate effectively across medical, access, and commercial functions — comfortable navigating ambiguity and prioritising across competing demands
Preffered
- Advanced degree in life sciences, pharmacy, or medicine (MD, PharmD, PhD or equivalent); an MBA or business qualification is a plus
- Experience working with or within a speciality distributor, regional commercial partner, or similar partnership-driven commercial model
- Existing relationships with rare disease KOLs, patient advocacy organisations, or payer stakeholders in the GCC
- Familiarity with health economic modelling tools and reimbursement dossier development for high-cost therapies
- Proficiency in Arabic; strong written and spoken English is essential
Core Competencies
✦ Strategic thinking & commercial agility
l✦Cross-functional leadership without authority
✦ Stakeholder engagement & influence
✦ Analytical rigour & data-driven decision-making
✦Patient-centricity & rare disease advocacy
✦ Resilience & entrepreneurial drive
✦Relationship-building across cultures
✦ Execution excellence & accounatbility
What We Offer
- The opportunity to shape the rare disease and advanced therapy access landscape across one of the world's most dynamic and rapidly evolving healthcare markets
- Working closely with senior management to build out Uniphar’s global access offering for clients
- A high-autonomy, high-ownership role where your decisions directly drive patient access outcomes and business results.
- Close collaboration with world-class biotech partners at the forefront of innovation in rare and ultra-rare diseases
- A remote-first, flexible working environment based in Saudi Arabia, UAE, or Kuwait, with regular regional and international travel
- Competitive compensation package commensurate with the seniority and scope of the role, including performance-based incentives