Overview

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) is seeking a highly experienced and skilled professional to join our team as the Deputy Vice President of Media Relations. The DVP of Media Relations will play a crucial role in shaping the organization’s public image, serving as a national spokesperson and effectively managing media relations at the national and state levels. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape public perception, advocate for the pharmaceutical industry, and significantly impact patients’ lives.

The DVP Media Relations will:

• Serve as the main day-to-day spokesperson for PhRMA, effectively communicating the organization’s messaging to the media, public, and key stakeholders.
• Lead and oversee federal and state media relations activities, ensuring alignment with PhRMA’s goals and objectives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with journalists, editors, and media outlets, serving as the primary point of contact for media inquiries and requests.
• Develop and execute proactive communications strategies and agendas that reflect the organization’s priorities, including promoting the industry’s policy solutions and responding to criticisms and attacks from critics.
• Manage the federal and state media relations teams, providing guidance, support, and mentorship to ensure consistent messaging and successful media outreach.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders, including executive team members and colleagues across the organization, to develop comprehensive communication plans and initiatives.
• Act as a key advisor to senior leaders within PhRMA, providing insights, recommendations, and strategies to enhance the organization’s media relations efforts.
• Stay informed about industry trends, regulatory developments, and policy changes that may impact PhRMA and its member companies, and develop effective communication strategies to address these issues.
• Manage crisis communications, acting swiftly and decisively to protect and enhance PhRMA’s reputation during challenging times.
• Monitor and analyze media coverage, identify trends, and provide regular reports and updates to the executive team.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Key Success Factors

PhRMA seeks a proactive, confident, and action-oriented individual who is passionate about contributing to the health care challenges we face today. Key success factors for this role include a strong sense of team and collaborative focus. The preferred candidate will bring substantive health care communications expertise and be an organized, detail-oriented, self-starter with excellent writing skills and the ability to convey content in an audience-appropriate and compelling manner. Demonstrated consensus building, decision-making, and interpersonal skills are essential. This is a highly visible, fast-paced position that is both internally and externally facing. Accordingly, the successful candidate should be adaptable, able to reprioritize and shift gears quickly, comfortable in a high-pressure environment and be politically savvy, diplomatic, responsive, and mature.

Professional Experience / Requirements

• A minimum of 10-15 years of experience in communications, preferably in a PR firm, large trade organization, political campaign, or Capitol Hill.
• Proven track record serving as an on-the-record media spokesperson.
• Experience with rapid response, crisis communications and strategic communications planning.
• Demonstrated experience in health care communications preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information in a clear and compelling manner to various audiences.
• Strong leadership skills, with experience managing and mentoring a team.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Collaborative mindset, with the ability to work effectively with colleagues at all levels, including executive leadership.
• Consensus-building and decision-making skills, with the ability to navigate complex issues and drive effective outcomes.
• Adaptable and flexible, able to reprioritize and shift gears quickly in response to changing priorities and emerging opportunities.
• Demonstrated political savvy, diplomacy, and maturity in dealing with sensitive and high-pressure situations.
• A positive attitude, with a strong sense of team and collaborative focus.

Potential Salary

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 devoted to discovering and developing medicines that enable patients to live longer, healthier and more productive lives. Over the last decade, PhRMA member companies have more than doubled their annual investment in the search for new treatments and cures, including nearly $101 billion in 2022 alone.

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 wellbeing 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 wellbeing program, back-up care, health advocate service, 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, seven paid holidays (plus inauguration day), half day Fridays preceding holidays and a paid winter break.

We are committed to the growth and development of our team members and offer many learning opportunities including an integrated on-boarding program, best-in-class leadership programming, tuition reimbursement at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, 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 organization-wide 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 own 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 non-discrimination in employment.

Learn more here