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GRAIL is a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured.
The Role
The Senior Director, Payer Engagement will develop payer strategies, manage relationships with payers, lead a team, and ensure compliance and access to GRAIL's products. This role involves negotiating contracts and collaborating with various teams within the organization.
Summary Generated by Built In
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.
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
- These responsibilities summarize the role’s primary responsibilities and are not an exhaustive list. They may change at the company’s discretion.
Required Qualifications:
- 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.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Advance 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.
Physical Demands & Working Environment:
- Hours and days may vary depending on operational needs.
- Standing or sitting for long periods of time may be necessary.
- Some lifting (up to 25 pounds) may be necessary
- Ability to travel 40% as required
Expected full time annual base pay scale for this position is $213K-$305K. Actual base pay will consider skills, experience and location.
This role may be eligible for other forms of compensation, including an annual bonus and/or incentives, subject to the terms of the applicable plans and Company discretion. This range reflects a good-faith estimate of the range that the Company reasonably expects to pay for the position upon hire; the actual compensation offered may vary depending on factors such as the candidate’s qualifications. Employees in this role are also eligible for GRAIL’s comprehensive and competitive benefits package, offered in accordance with our applicable plans and policies. This package currently includes flexible time-off or vacation; a 401(k) retirement plan with employer match; medical, dental, and vision coverage; and carefully selected mindfulness programs.
GRAIL is an equal employment opportunity employer, and we are committed to building a workplace where every individual can thrive, contribute, and grow. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, status as a protected veteran, , or any other class or characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, and local laws. Additionally, GRAIL will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in a manner consistent with applicable law and provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please contact us at [email protected] if you require an accommodation to apply for an open position.
GRAIL maintains a drug-free workplace. We welcome job-seekers from all backgrounds to join us!
Skills Required
- BS/BA degree preferably with a science/ health care major and/or advanced science, public health or allied healthcare degree
- 10+ years expertise in working with payer and policy executive stakeholders
- Demonstrated track record of successfully closing payer negotiations
- Demonstrated success in mentoring senior-level staff
- Ability to travel a minimum of 40% of the time
What the Team is Saying
Neda Ronaghi
Strategy and Operational Excellence Associate Director
Ruth Mauntz
Staff Bioinformatics Scientist
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Tristan Matthews
Senior Director, Software Engineering
David Jenions
Principal Automation Engineer
Satnam Alag
SVP, Software Engineering
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GRAIL Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Healthcare Strength — Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage is paired with mental‑health resources and disability insurance, with some roles noting strong employer support for HSAs on high‑deductible plans.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — New‑hire equity grants with clear vesting schedules and an active ESPP make ownership a meaningful part of total rewards, with equity described as straightforward and accessible.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Flexible time off policies, paid holidays, and routine company breaks (e.g., summer and winter) are highlighted across locations, with additional generous vacation allowances in the UK.
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The Company
What We Do
GRAIL is a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. GRAIL is using the power of high-intensity sequencing, population-scale clinical studies, and state-of-the-art computer science and data science to enhance the scientific understanding of cancer biology, and to develop and commercialize pioneering products.
Why Work With Us
Everything we do is guided by our mission to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. It’s the reason we’re here, and it’s no small task. The right people make all the difference. That’s why we’re looking for those who strive to share their knowledge, contribute their skills, inspire each other and commit to something bigger than themselves.
Gallery
GRAIL Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
GRAIL has a variety of work types depending on the roles. Some roles are onsite like a lab role, some are fully remote like our Galleri Sales Consultant roles. Others are hybrid with 2-3 days onsite. Typically Tuesday and Thursday.
Typical time on-site:
2 days a week
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