Back to jobs
New

Dir/Senior Director, Trade & Patient Access Operations

United States

Are you ready to join a team committed to making a meaningful impact on cancer treatment through the discovery and development of precision medicines? At Kura Oncology, you have an opportunity to be a part of something bigger, with a lasting impact that you can be proud of.

At Kura Oncology, we are working to change the paradigm and improve the science of cancer treatment. As an organization, we strive to cultivate a diverse and talented professional culture driven to develop precision medicine therapeutics.

As we continue to build a leading biotech organization with a strong culture, a patient-focused mindset and a team focused on relentless execution, we are looking for innovative, passionate professionals to join us and make our vision a reality.

To succeed at Kura, you will need to have a demonstrated ability for excellence in drug discovery and development and a roll-up your sleeves attitude. The ideal candidate will possess a values-driven work style where integrity and grit drive all behaviors, decisions, and actions.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

We are seeking a highly skilled and dynamic Operations Manager to oversee the strategic and operational aspects of our Trade and Patient Support functions. This role is crucial to ensuring seamless distribution and patient support operations, collaborating with cross-functional teams, managing vendor relationships, and driving continuous improvement. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, particularly with distribution models, patient support operations, and complex supply chain management.

  • Strategy and Tactical Recommendations: Lead the development and execution of distribution strategies with trade partners (e.g., SP, SD, hub, etc.), ensuring optimal alignment with business objectives.
  • Budget Management: Oversee and manage budgets for distribution and patient support, ensuring financial discipline and cost-effective solutions.
  • Vendor Negotiations and Agreements: Provide input and insights during the negotiation and execution of distribution and patient support vendor agreements, ensuring operational efficiency and compliance.
  • Pull-through Support: Collaborate with internal and external partners (SD, SP, hub, etc.) to ensure successful pull-through of distribution agreements, driving operational excellence.
  • Onboarding and Implementation: Lead the onboarding and implementation of all distribution and patient support partners, ensuring smooth transitions and effective integration.
  • Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Develop, align, and ensure compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) across SP and patient support partners, maintaining operational consistency and quality.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with internal teams such as Legal, Supply Chain, Commercial Analytics, Market Access, and Finance to resolve distribution-related issues and improve operational processes.
  • Day-to-Day Operations Management: Oversee daily operations for distribution and patient support partners, ensuring timely execution of activities across SD, SP, free goods pharmacy, and 3PL.
  • Customer Return Policies: Develop and negotiate return policies in collaboration with Legal, Compliance, Commercial, and Finance teams to meet business and regulatory requirements.
  • Performance Metrics: Partner with Kura’s data aggregator and commercial analytics teams to establish robust distribution and hub performance metrics to assess business health and operational success.
  • Compliance and Inventory Management: Ensure compliance with multiple operational policies across all distribution and patient support vendors, monitoring inventory levels to ensure product availability and adherence to financial and legal parameters.
  • Business Reviews and Relationships: Conduct regular business reviews with distribution and patient support partners to evaluate performance and resolve issues, fostering strong, long-term relationships with key partners and stakeholders.
  • Supply Chain and Business Issue Management: Proactively identify potential supply constraints or operational issues, working closely with internal and external teams to mitigate risks and resolve challenges.
  • Market Research and Service Offerings: Evaluate new service offerings based on market research and real-time feedback to enhance operational effectiveness and customer satisfaction.
  • Internal Communication: Share insights on market trends, customer feedback, and best practices with internal stakeholders to support strategy development and operational improvements.
  • Executive Relationships: Build and maintain strong executive-level relationships with targeted trade customers, ensuring ongoing strategic alignment and collaboration.
  • Ad-Hoc Projects: Take on additional responsibilities and ad-hoc projects as needed, demonstrating flexibility and adaptability in a dynamic environment.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS:

  • Education: Bachelor's degree in a related discipline; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
  • Experience: 10+ years of experience in pharma/biotech, with a focus on market access, building and managing patient support and/ or distribution functions.
  • Distribution Models: Strong understanding of and experience with various distribution models, including limited distribution networks.
  • Patient Support Operations: Proven expertise in patient support operations (e.g., hub services, copay assistance, PAP, quick start, bridge programs).
  • Specialty Patient Populations: Experience launching specialty therapies, particularly in rare or oncology populations, and managing associated distribution models.
  • Vendor and Stakeholder Relationships: Established relationships with key stakeholders in SP, SD, and patient support domains.
  • Industry Knowledge: Familiarity with the latest trends in distribution, patient support, and oncology eMR systems and pharmacy processes.
  • Compliance and Pricing: Understanding of price and pricing implications in distribution agreements, including Fair Market Value services.
  • Problem-Solving and Analytical Skills: Strong problem-solving capabilities with an ability to think strategically and execute operational solutions.
  • Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to work cross-functionally and influence diverse teams.
  • Business Acumen: Strong business acumen, with the ability to drive operational improvements and navigate complex business challenges.
  • Adaptability: High interest in working in the hands-on, fast-paced environment of a small biotechnology company with limited resources.
  • Travel: Moderate travel required to customers and the home office.

The base range for a Director is $219,000 - $250,000 and Senior Director is $256,000 - $294,000 per year. Individual pay may vary based on additional factors, including, and without limitation, job-related skills, experience, work location, and relevant education or training. Kura's compensation package also includes generous benefits, equity, and participation in an annual target bonus.

Kura’s Values that are used for candidate selection and performance assessments:

  • We work as one for patients
  • We are goal-focused and deliver with excellence
  • We are science-driven courageous innovators
  • We strive to bring out the best in each other and ourselves

The Kura Package

  • Career advancement/ development opportunities
  • Competitive comp package
  • Bonus
  • 401K + Employer contributions
  • Generous stock options
  • ESPP Plan
  • 20 days of PTO to start
  • 18 Holidays  (Including Summer & Winter Break)
  • Generous Benefits Package with a variety of plans available with a substantial employer match
  • Paid Paternity/Maternity Leave
  • In-Office Catered lunches
  • Home Office Setup
  • Lifestyle Spending Stipend
  • Commuter Stipend (Boston Office)
  • Regular employee social activities, including happy hours, monthly birthday celebrations, Kura Koffee Talks, and much more!

Kura Oncology is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing personalized therapeutics for the treatment of blood cancers and solid tumors. The company’s diverse pipeline consists of small molecules that target cancer signaling pathways where there is a strong scientific and clinical rationale to improve outcomes by identifying those patients most likely to benefit from treatment. Kura Oncology’s approach to drug development is focused on rapidly translating novel science into life-saving medicines. Our goal is to help patients with cancer lead better, longer lives. Kura Oncology has offices in San Diego, California, and Boston, Massachusetts.

Kura’s pipeline consists of three investigational drug candidates: ziftomenib, tipifarnib and KO-2806. Ziftomenib, a once-daily, oral drug candidate targeting the menin-KMT2A protein-protein interaction, has received Breakthrough Therapy Designation for the treatment of R/R NPM1-mutant acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Kura has completed enrollment in a Phase 2 registration-directed trial of ziftomenib in R/R NPM1-mutant AML (KOMET-001). The Company is also conducting a series of clinical trials to evaluate ziftomenib in combination with current standards of care in newly diagnosed and R/R NPM1-mutant and KMT2A-rearranged AML. Tipifarnib, a potent and selective farnesyl transferase inhibitor (FTI), is currently in a Phase 1/2 trial in combination with alpelisib for patients with PIK3CA-dependent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (KURRENT-HN). Kura is also evaluating KO-2806, a next-generation FTI, in a Phase 1 dose-escalation trial as a monotherapy and in combination with targeted therapies (FIT-001). For additional information, please visit Kura’s website at www.kuraoncology.com and follow us on X and LinkedIn.

Kura Oncology is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. 

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Education

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Kura Oncology’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.