Senior Director, Payer Engagement

Grail•Menlo Park, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Our mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. We are working to change the trajectory of cancer mortality and bring stakeholders together to adopt innovative, safe, and effective technologies that can transform cancer care. We are a healthcare company, pioneering new technologies to advance early cancer detection. We have built a multi-disciplinary organization of scientists, engineers, and physicians and we are using the power of next-generation sequencing (NGS), population-scale clinical studies, and state-of-the-art computer science and data science to overcome one of medicine’s greatest challenges. GRAIL is headquartered in the bay area of California, with locations in Washington, D.C., North Carolina, and the United Kingdom. It is supported by leading global investors and pharmaceutical, technology, and healthcare companies. For more information, please visit grail.com GRAIL is seeking a Senior Director, Payer Engagement to lead and scale our payer-facing strategy during a critical phase of commercialization and growth. This individual will manage a team of Account Leads responsible for developing and advancing a robust pipeline of payer engagements, pilots, partnerships, and coverage-enabling activities. The ideal candidate brings a strong track record of payer relationship management, team leadership, and cross-functional influence, with the ability to translate clinical and economic value into compelling payer narratives. This role is based in Menlo Park, California, and will move to Sunnyvale, California in Fall 2026. It offers a flexible work arrangement, with the ability to work from GRAIL's office or from home. Our current flexible work arrangement policy requires that a minimum of 40%, or 16 hours, of your total work week be on-site. Your specific schedule, determined in collaboration with your manager, will align with team and business needs and could exceed the 40% requirement for the site. At our Menlo Park campus, Tuesdays and Thursdays are the key days where we encourage on-site presence to engage in events and on-site activities.

Requirements

BS/BA degree preferably with a science/ healthcare major and/or advanced science, public health or allied healthcare degree
10+ years expertise in working with payer and policy executive stakeholders, with an understanding of value-drivers across all levels within the institutions. This includes deep knowledge of reimbursement pathways, system channel strategies (employer benefits, health plans, community engagements) care delivery at the provider level, and patient engagement strategies.
Demonstrated track record of successfully closing payer negotiations that resulted in meaningful, expanded insurance coverage.
Demonstrated success in mentoring senior-level staff and cultivating high-performing teams within a fast-paced, evolving healthcare landscape.
This position will cover markets and institutions across the US and candidates must be able to travel a minimum of 40% of the time.

Nice To Haves

BS/BA degree preferably with a science/ healthcare major and/or advanced science, public health or allied healthcare degree
15+ years partnership development and account management experience leading substantive revenue generating accounts..
Demonstrated success to develop executive presentations that require cross functional input, analytical expertise to represent business opportunities and challenges, and presentation skills to deliver and influence large gatherings of decision makers.
Proven ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment, with strong strategic thinking and execution skills.
Deep understanding of the healthcare ecosystem and each of the stakeholder’s priorities and revenue flow, such as payers, employer, and IDN’s based on previous engagements and partnership development.
Demonstrated success implementing product and service solutions with health systems and health plans.
Innovative thinking and exceptional eye for business, analytical and problem-solving skills.
Strong understanding of compliance-related concepts including the laws, regulations and policies that govern marketing and sales activities and the importance of compliance in all job-related function
Track record of working with objective based goals and success in achieving them
This position will cover markets and institutions across the US and candidates must be able to travel a minimum of 40% of the time.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a comprehensive payer engagement strategy aligned with corporate and commercialization objectives
Lead proactive outreach and relationship-building with national, regional, and local payers across commercial, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid segments
Serve as a senior representative of the company in high-level payer discussions, including establishing and leading quarterly executive meetings
Drive a structured pipeline of payer activities, including introductory meetings, value discussions, pilots, data evaluations, and pathways toward coverage and access
Build and maintain visibility into payer engagement pipelines, progress, and outcomes, tracking key performance indicators such as payer interest, pilot conversions, and coverage readiness
Provide regular updates to executive leadership, translating payer engagement outcomes and feedback into actionable insights and recommendations
Lead, mentor, and scale a team of Payer Account Leads, setting clear goals, performance metrics, and accountability while coaching on payer messaging, negotiation strategies, and stakeholder management
Negotiate complex payer contracts and develop collaborative project opportunities, including those requiring cross-functional support for evidence generation
Partner closely with Market Access, HEOR, Medical Affairs, Commercial, Government Affairs, and clinical development teams to ensure aligned, compliant, and payer-relevant engagement
Inform evidence-generation and commercialization priorities by incorporating payer feedback into clinical, real-world, and economic strategies
Understand and anticipate payer and partner needs across the system of care to ensure appropriate, compliant access to the company’s products
Ensure access to GRAIL's products are achieved and in a compliant manner