Associate Director, Patient Services

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for an Associate Director, Patient Services based in Canada. This is a strategic patient services leadership opportunity within a fast-growing biopharmaceutical environment focused on improving outcomes for people living with severe autoimmune diseases. The role will lead the day-to-day delivery and continuous evolution of a patient support program, ensuring a personalized and effective patient journey. You will work across diagnosis, treatment initiation, fulfillment, adherence, and ongoing disease management to help remove barriers to care. The position combines strategic planning, operational leadership, vendor management, data analysis, and cross-functional collaboration. You will partner closely with commercial, medical, market access, regulatory, finance, legal, and compliance teams. The role offers significant scope to introduce digital solutions, improve processes, and use insights to strengthen patient and stakeholder experiences. This is a remote position in Canada with approximately 20% travel and strong visibility across the organization. Lead the execution of patient support program strategies and annual operating plans, ensuring initiatives align with patient needs, business objectives, and the overall patient journey. Provide day-to-day oversight of the patient support program and serve as a key contact for program providers, vendors, and operational partners. Plan and manage vendor-led projects and strategic initiatives, ensuring timely delivery, measurable outcomes, quality, and accountability. Identify and implement innovative and digital opportunities that improve program efficiency, patient engagement, and stakeholder experience. Build and maintain strong partnerships across Sales, Marketing, Market Access, Medical Affairs, Finance, Legal, Compliance, Regulatory, and operational teams. Develop relationships with external stakeholders, including agencies, patient support vendors, and technology or electronic medical record partners. Use patient program data to generate actionable insights, improve performance, optimize reporting, and support strategic decision-making. Enhance dashboards, analytics, and performance reporting to strengthen visibility into program effectiveness and patient outcomes. Manage contracts, statements of work, purchase orders, budgets, invoices, and financial reporting while monitoring risks and variances. Maintain program governance, operating guidelines, SOPs, and documentation, supporting audit readiness and adherence to applicable regulatory requirements. Drive continuous improvement and cost optimization through process enhancements, digital transformation, and effective vendor management. Support industry engagement and monitor developments in patient support, reimbursement, market access, and related healthcare trends. Provide guidance and education to internal stakeholders on patient services strategy and operations. Partner with senior patient services leadership to deliver departmental priorities and organizational objectives. Requirements Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline; backgrounds in biotechnology, biomedical sciences, healthcare, business, or related fields are relevant. Approximately 7–10 years of relevant experience in biopharmaceuticals, specialty pharmaceuticals, healthcare, patient services, market access, reimbursement, or a related sector. At least 5 years of experience in patient support programs, patient services, marketing, market access, reimbursement, or patient access, including program operations and vendor management. Demonstrated experience leading complex patient-focused programs and driving operational excellence across the patient journey. Strong understanding of the Canadian pharmaceutical and healthcare environment, including relevant customers, stakeholders, and internal operating models. Experience managing patient-