Senior Director – Public Affairs

Overview

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) is seeking a Senior Director for its Public Affairs team to help lead the day-to-day advocacy communications activities and broader public affairs efforts on issues related to price-setting policies and government programs, including large-scale national campaigns. The Senior Director will provide a wide range of strategic guidance, campaign management, coordination, and support to PhRMA’s Federal, State, Legal, and Policy teams.

The individual will report to the Vice President, Public Affairs, and work with colleagues across the Public Affairs team and the organization to develop, execute, and track public affairs and communications strategies for key advocacy priorities. These priorities are organizationally cross-cutting and require a high degree of management, organization, collaboration, and subject matter expertise on issues related to prescription drug pricing, pharmaceutical innovation, and the related political and policy environment. This position is both internally and externally facing.

Responsibilities

• Leading PhRMA-branded price-setting campaigns on behalf of the Public Affairs department.
• Developing and executing public affairs, communications, media relations, and paid media strategies on federal and state advocacy priorities related to price setting and government programs.
• Serving as a media spokesperson and driving proactive and reactive media engagement on relevant issues.
• Leading the creation of impactful messaging and communications materials, including media statements, blog posts, op-eds, letters to the editor, press releases, talking points, strategic presentations, social media posts, paid media collateral, and other materials.
• Understanding the legislative, political, and advocacy dynamics related to prescription drug costs and coverage.
• Leading collaboration with and providing support for internal and cross-departmental teams, including on legislative, regulatory, grassroots, and third-party activities, as well as providing communications and messaging support to state and federal advocacy, policy, and legal colleagues.
• Managing and mentoring one colleague.
• Performing other duties as assigned.

Key Success Factors

PhRMA seeks a proactive, confident, and collaborative leader who is passionate about influencing today’s health care debate and the challenges the biopharmaceutical industry faces. This role must manage agency partners to ensure alignment and strategic impact by articulating a clear vision and following through on goals and metrics. Key success factors for this role include:

• A campaign mentality with a bias for action.
• A results-oriented leader and team player.
• Creative problem solver able to prioritize or shift gears quickly and be comfortable in a high-pressure environment.
• Proactive and strategic thinker with the ability to assess complex problems and propose solutions.
• A keen understanding of state- and federal-level politics and policymaking.
• Excellent writing skills, with the ability to convey digestible content in an audience-appropriate manner.
• Self-starter, organized, detail-oriented, and responsive.
• Demonstrated leadership, sound judgment, vision, and integrity.
• Ability to plan, implement, and manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet short, non-negotiable, and competing timelines.
• Ability to inspire confidence with senior leadership within the organization and with external constituencies.
• Ability to balance the needs of various internal and external parties with flexibility and a steady temperament.

Professional Experience / Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 8+ years of diverse communications experience including significant media engagement and public affairs campaign management.
• Must be comfortable and have experience as an on-the-record spokesperson.
• Proven management of staff, consultants, and complex issues, projects, tasks, requests, and timelines, and enjoys managing and mentoring staff.
• State- and federal-focused experience within corporate, government, public relations agency, trade association, and/or advocacy organization(s) or political campaigns.
• Must be willing to travel as needed, up to 10% of the time, and be responsive/available after hours and on weekends.

Potential Salary

$141,100 – $197,600 per annum. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

Who We Are

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading innovative biopharmaceutical research companies, which are laser-focused on developing innovative medicines that transform lives and create a healthier world. Together, we are fighting for solutions to ensure patients can access and afford medicines that prevent, treat, and cure disease. Over the last decade, PhRMA member companies have invested more than $800 billion in the search for new treatments and cures, and they support nearly five million jobs in the United States.

Connect with PhRMA

For information on how innovative medicines save lives, please visit:

• www.PhRMA.org
• www.Innovation.org
• www.MAT.org
• www.Facebook.com/PhRMA
• www.Twitter.com/PhRMA

What We Offer

In addition to a highly competitive salary and bonus program, various opportunities for reward and recognition, and a platform of extensive benefits, PhRMA is committed to the development and overall well-being of our team members. We offer traditional (medical, dental, vision, flexible spending, life, AD&D, LTD, STD, LTC) and enhanced benefits such as parental leave, a well-being program, an on-site fitness facility, back-up care, health advocate service, an employee assistance program, and commuting benefits.

We also offer a robust 401k plan with employer contributions upon the first day of hire and immediate vesting, a generous paid time off plan, ten paid holidays (plus inauguration day), half-day Fridays preceding holidays, half-day Fridays in the summer months, and a paid winter break. As an organization, we work remotely on Mondays and Fridays and together in the office on Tuesdays through Thursdays. We also all work remotely in August.

We are committed to the growth and development of our team members and offer many learning opportunities including an integrated onboarding program, best-in-class leadership programming, tuition reimbursement, industry on-site and off-site training, and other management/professional development programs. Corporate social responsibility is also important to us at PhRMA. Our team members participate in community service activities, fundraising drives, and charitable athletic events.

We are committed to supporting our family of professionals at PhRMA and strive to create programs that help our team members manage the challenges of balancing a fast-paced career with their personal goals.

Equal Opportunity Employer

PhRMA provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, disability, matriculation, political affiliation, or veteran status in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.

The job description contains an overview of the activities and duties for this role. Responsibilities may change and new ones may be assigned at any time.

Learn more here