Market Access & Government Affairs Manager Africa

Job Band:  Job Band 5 (JB5) 
Hiring Manager:  Eyong Ebai 
Lead Recruiter:  Paulina Piotrowska 
Country:  Kenya 

Our ability to grow, develop new capabilities and serve even more patients around the world depends on associates like you, who are passionate about our mission. Thank you for considering this new opportunity to further unlock your potential.

JOB SUMMARY

This critical leadership role is responsible for ensuring that Terumo BCT’s solutions designed to directly improve health outcomes are effectively funded and adopted across key African geographies, ultimately resulting in expanded patient access to life-saving and life-enhancing treatments.

Reporting to the General Manager – Africa, the Market Access & Government Affairs Leader – Africa defines and executes an integrated strategy across market access, policy, and government affairs. The role blends top-down political and policy influence with bottom-up health system engagement, unlocking sustainable funding mechanisms and embedding Terumo BCT’s full portfolio into public and donor-funded healthcare systems.

Acting as both an external ambassador and an internal integrator, this leader manages high-level engagement with governments, Africa CDC, multilateral agencies, donors, NGOs, and the broader healthcare ecosystem. Internally, the role serves as the strategic lead for market access, reimbursement, and policy intelligence ensuring alignment between public health objectives, business priorities, and long-term system sustainability.

The role leads a specialized team that delivers integrated access solutions, secures funding, shapes policy, and drives sustainable market growth. Success requires strong coordination with commercial and functional leaders to identify shared priorities, align strategies with financial goals, and ensure market access plans are executed through regional commercial organizations.

Role Purpose & Strategic Impact

• Elevate blood and cell‑based therapies as national and regional health priorities.
• Influence health policy, budget allocation, and financing mechanisms at the highest levels of government.
• Secure sustainable public, donor, and blended funding pathways that enable scale.
• Translate policy and health system change into measurable increases in patient access and technology adoption.
• Provide strategic intelligence and leadership insight to guide Africa business strategy.

Government Affairs & Policy Leadership

• Lead senior‑level engagement with Ministries of Health, Ministries of Finance, Africa CDC, and political leadership.
• Shape and influence national and regional health policies, UHC frameworks, and budget priorities relevant to blood, cell, and diagnostic systems.
• Represent Terumo BCT in high‑impact regional and global forums (e.g., WHA, AU Summits, TICAD, UNGA‑linked platforms).

Market Access & Health System Strategy

• Drive Africa‑wide access strategies covering public procurement, reimbursement, donor funding, and PPP models.
• Ensure health economic and real‑world evidence are effectively applied to policy, pricing, and funding discussions.
• Align regional execution with global market access frameworks while adapting to local health system realities.

Program & Funding Oversight

• Provide strategic oversight of flagship public health programs (e.g., Sickle Cell Disease / Imara, newborn screening, malaria, maternal health).
• Ensure programs are funded, scalable, and embedded within national systems, not dependent on short‑term projects.
• Link program outcomes directly to access expansion and long‑term demand for Terumo BCT solutions.

Healthcare Ecosystem & Partnership Leadership

• Build and lead multi‑stakeholder coalitions involving governments, donors, NGOs, academia, and private sector partners.
• Position Terumo BCT as a convenor and thought leader in health system strengthening.
• Identify and cultivate high‑level champions and institutional allies.

Policy Intelligence & Internal Advocacy

• Monitor and interpret political, regulatory, and funding trends across Africa.
• Translate external policy developments into actionable insights for the Africa leadership team.
• Drive internal alignment across Commercial, Medical Affairs, Clinical, Regulatory, and Program teams.

People Leadership

• Lead, develop, and mentor the Africa Market Access & Government Affairs team.
• Build internal capability in access strategy, health economics, and government engagement.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and strategic influence.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Education

• B.A. or B.S. Degree required. A Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Public Health or Health Policy preferred.

Experience

• At least 10 years of experience in healthcare reimbursement and health policy with background in real world evidence, health economics and outcomes research and peer review publication process.
• Medical device experience is preferred
• Broad knowledge of government and private payer reimbursement in emerging markets and understanding of the health care policy.
• Experience working with KOLs and consultants, as well as government and private payers.
• At least 2 years managing staff with experience in building and retaining a high-performance team.

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

• Deep understanding of African public health systems, donor environments, and political dynamics.
• Strategic thinking with the ability to translate complex challenges into actionable strategies.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong financial and analytical acumen related to healthcare investment and ROI.
• Fluent in English; proficiency in French or Portuguese is a strong asset.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Reports to: General Manager – Africa
• Location: Nairobi
• Travel: Up to 75% regional and international