Director External Affairs

About the job

Be a part of revolutionary change.

At PMI, we’ve chosen to do something incredible. We are transforming our business – and building our future – with one clear purpose: to deliver a smoke-free future. Big changes create big opportunities. Our company needs team members who believe in this transformational change and will work hard to make it happen.

The Director External Affairs, PMI US will be responsible for creating and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders at the state level, particularly state attorneys general, state regulators, and their staff. The Director will develop strategies for cultivating these relationships, which will demand in-depth legal, political, and policy assessments.

This role will require someone with significant experience in developing and implementing comprehensive government relations strategies across multiple states. A strong candidate will be entrepreneurial, self-sufficient, creative, and strategic in their approach toward stakeholder engagement, and be comfortable working with government officials on a bipartisan basis.

The Director External Affairs role may allow for remote work but would require regular travel to Connecticut, Washington, DC, and throughout the United States.

The Director will work collaboratively with relevant internal business, public relations, political affairs, and legal teams to ensure alignment between business priorities and public policy goals.

Your ‘day to day’:

• Lead the efforts of PMI’s Regional External Affairs Directors in their political engagement, with an emphasis on cultivating relationships with state attorneys general, their offices—political and career staff, and their member organizations.
• Work on a bipartisan basis within the states to build support for PMI’s policy objectives.
• Follow policy and political developments at the state level, and provide regular assessments to the External Affairs team and PMI leadership on how these developments will impact PMI’s legal and regulatory priorities.
• Serve as the primary focal point and take a leadership role with member organizations such as the Republican Attorneys General Association, Democratic Attorneys General Association, the Attorney General Alliance, and the National Association of Attorneys General to engage with state policymakers and understand their political and policy objectives.
• Draft and present internal strategy plans and communications regarding stakeholder activities tied to PMI’s support of membership organizations and political entities.
• Travel extensively within the United States for the purpose of representing PMI and developing key relationships.
• Identify and develop relationships with organizations, including unconventional allies, who share PMI’s mission of building a smoke-free future.

Who we’re looking for:

• 10+ years of experience within the state affairs, legal, or lobbying field in the U.S.
• Strong understanding of emerging political and policy trends, the state policymaking process, and best practices for engagement and investment in political activities and issue education campaigns.
• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills, creative and strategic thinking, and strong communications ability.
• Knowledge of state tobacco policies, including the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement.
• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time.
• Willingness to potentially register as a lobbyist in multiple states.
• Self-starter and project leader.
• Juris Doctor degree preferred, but not required.
• Past work experience within a state attorney general’s office a plus.

What we offer

• We offer a competitive base salary, annual bonus (applicable based on level of position), great medical, dental and vision coverage, 401k with a generous company match, incredible wellness benefits, commuter benefits, pet insurance, generous PTO, and much more!
• We have implemented Smart Work, a hybrid model of working that promotes flexibility in the workplace.
• Seize the freedom to define your future and ours. We’ll empower you to take risks, experiment, and explore.
• Be part of an inclusive, diverse culture where everyone’s contribution is respected; Collaborate with some of the world’s best people and feel like you belong.
• Pursue your ambitions and develop your skills with a global business – our staggering size and scale provide endless opportunities to progress.
• Take pride in delivering our promise to society: To improve the lives of a billion smokers.

Annual Base Salary: $188,000-$258,500

PMI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

PMI Global Services Inc. and PM Global Brands Inc. are a subsidiary of Philip Morris International Inc. Philip Morris International (PMI) is leading a transformation in the tobacco industry to create a smoke-free future and ultimately replace cigarettes with smoke-free products to the benefit of adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, society, the company, its shareholders, and its other stakeholders. PMI is a leading international tobacco company engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, as well as smoke-free products, associated electronic devices and accessories, and other nicotine-containing products in markets outside the U.S. In addition, PMI ships versions of its IQOS Platform 1 device and consumables to Altria Group, Inc. for sale under license in the U.S., where these products have received marketing authorizations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) pathway; the FDA has also authorized the marketing of a version of IQOS and its consumables as a Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP), finding that an exposure modification order for these products is appropriate to promote the public health. PMI is building a future on a new category of smoke-free products that, while not risk-free, are a much better choice than continuing to smoke. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities, and scientific substantiation, PMI aims to ensure that its smoke-free products meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. PMI’s smoke-free product portfolio includes heat-not-burn and nicotine-containing vapor products. As of September 30, 2023, PMI’s smoke-free products are available for sale in 82 markets in key cities or nationwide, and PMI estimates that approximately 19.7 million adults around the world, excluding Russia and Ukraine, have already switched to IQOS and stopped smoking. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com.

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