Associate Director - Pricing, Market Access & Governmental Affairs

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.

At Santen, we are driven by a clear purpose: improving the quality of life through innovative ophthalmic solutions. As Associate Director, Pricing, Market Access & Governmental Affairs – Italy, you will play a critical leadership role in ensuring our therapies reach patients quickly and sustainably.

This is a highly visible, strategic position at the intersection of commercial success, policy influence, and patient access—offering the opportunity to shape the future of eye health in Italy and across EMEA.

You will lead the design and execution of market access, pricing, and governmental affairs strategies in Italy, ensuring optimal reimbursement and strong institutional positioning for our portfolio.

Working closely with the General Manager Italy and the Director, Access Evidence (EMEA), you will act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership while driving initiatives that maximize both business value and patient access.

What You Will Do

• Define and execute integrated pricing, reimbursement, and access strategies across national and regional levels
• Lead negotiations with payers and institutions, securing sustainable and favorable access conditions
• Shape and drive governmental affairs and policy engagement, positioning Santen as a credible, long-term partner
• Act as a strategic bridge with public stakeholders, influencing healthcare dialogue and reform
• Lead cross-functional and EMEA projects, ensuring alignment with global access and commercial priorities
• Provide strategic insights to senior leadership, anticipating market access challenges and opportunities
• Build and develop high-performing teams and capabilities, fostering a culture of excellence and impact

The ideal candidate has a strong academic foundation, with an advanced degree in Business, Economics, Life Sciences, or a related field—ideally complemented by postgraduate or PhD-level education. Combined with this, your native-level Italian and fluency in English enable you to operate seamlessly across local and international environments, engaging confidently with stakeholders at all levels.

What You Bring

• 10+ years of experience in Market Access, Pricing, and Public/Government Affairs within the healthcare industry
• Proven success in launching innovative or breakthrough therapies
• Deep understanding of European pricing systems and regulatory frameworks (including IRP dynamics)
• Strong track record in high-stakes negotiations with payers, institutions, and healthcare stakeholders
• Strategic mindset with the ability to navigate complexity and lead through change
• Experience in people leadership and talent development
• Excellent communication, influencing, and project management skills

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.