Senior Business Development Associate, Payer Partnerships

About the role

You will spearhead the expansion of Headway's network by forging and deepening payer partnerships that make mental healthcare financially accessible. This position places you at the commercial center of the business, where you translate complex market dynamics into actionable strategies for growth. You will own the full lifecycle of key payer relationships, ensuring that every interaction advances our strategic objectives. In this capacity, you will act as the primary architect of value-based propositions tailored to distinct payer segments. You will leverage data and insight to dismantle barriers to care and align incentives across stakeholders. This role demands comfort with high-stakes negotiations and the discipline to execute against long-term goals. You will be instrumental in turning Headway's platform into the backbone of how payers deliver mental health value.

Key facts

What you'll do

Conduct rigorous market and buyer analysis to identify high-value payer segments and prioritize target accounts based on strategic fit and growth potential.

Develop sophisticated deal content, executive briefings, and negotiation playbooks that clearly articulate the value of partnering with Headway.

Lead external communications with payer stakeholders, translating complex platform capabilities into tailored narratives that drive consensus.

Utilize AI tools to generate insights and drafts, while applying critical judgment to validate outputs and ensure alignment with commercial best practices.

Orchestrate end-to-end payer engagements, managing timelines, stakeholders, and dependencies to close deals efficiently.

Build and maintain trusted relationships with key payer decision-makers, positioning Headway as a collaborative partner rather than a vendor.

Analyze competitive dynamics and pricing structures to craft offers that balance competitiveness with Headway's long-term value creation.

Monitor the performance of executed agreements, identifying opportunities to expand scope or refine terms based on real-world feedback.

Champion Headway's platform vision in discussions, highlighting how automation and integration improve outcomes for providers and payers.

Represent the commercial team in cross-functional discussions, ensuring that payer feedback directly informs product and strategy.

Own the documentation and reporting of all payer interactions, maintaining a clear audit trail to support forecasting and strategy updates.

Identify and mitigate risks in negotiations by anticipating objections and preparing evidence-backed responses in advance.

Collaborate with implementation and success teams to ensure smooth onboarding of new payer partners and sustained satisfaction.

Act as the commercial voice of the customer within Headway, advocating for payer needs in internal prioritization discussions.

Drive the execution of agreed commercial terms, ensuring that contracts translate into measurable access improvements for providers and members.

Requirements

You have 3+ years in consulting, BD, partnerships, or sales where you owned external relationships end-to-end - ideally with real reps operating client-facing without a safety net.

You possess direct healthcare experience that has exposed you to payer dynamics, reimbursement models, or provider workflows.

You demonstrate genuine commercial instinct, reading rooms quickly and building trust to move conversations toward concrete outcomes.

You are fluent in AI tools, understanding both their capabilities and limitations, and you never deploy an output without pressure-testing its accuracy and relevance.

You are resourceful and scrappy, approaching obstacles with creativity and persistence to uncover unconventional solutions.

You communicate with clarity and precision, adapting your style to executives, clinicians, and operators without losing substance.

You maintain strict integrity in all interactions, ensuring that commitments are realistic and aligned with Headway's capabilities.

You thrive in fast-paced environments, balancing multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail and high standards.

Nice to have

Experience working with mental health benefits, insurance verification, or credentialing workflows.

Familiarity with electronic prior authorization or claims adjudication systems.

Understanding of value-based care models and how they apply to behavioral health.

Practical notes

Compensation details are outlined in the Key facts section above.

This is a full-time remote position open to candidates in the United States.

Headway participates in E-Verify. To lessen barriers for qualified candidates, the recruiter will provide accommodations for disabilities during the hiring process if needed.