Director, Gov’t Affairs - Oncology & Specialty

Role Summary

The Director, Gov’t Affairs of U.S. Therapeutic Area Strategies (TAS) is responsible for devising and implementing government affairs strategies that drive therapeutic area specific policy initiatives to remove barriers to access and support AbbVie’s business objectives. The role serves as the liaison between U.S. Government Affairs and the U.S. Oncology and Specialty Business Units, sharing developments, risks and opportunities with Government Affairs colleagues and providing legislative intelligence to brand teams. Key duties include identifying opportunities to advance Government Affairs strategies, ensuring GA understands critical business drivers in oncology and specialty portfolios, building advocacy partnerships, and collaborating with GA partners to provide policy insights to the U.S. Oncology and Specialty Business Units.

Responsibilities

• Support the Oncology and Specialty Business Units in creating a more favorable public policy environment for AbbVie’s business activities by shaping government policies to positively affect patient access and reimbursement among government and commercial players for oncology and specialty brands in the U.S.
• Serve as a resource and connector for the U.S. Government Affairs function to the Oncology and Specialty Business Units by ensuring close alignment and understanding of commercial and pipeline priorities with public policy goals and focusing on advancing access opportunities and addressing access challenges in the U.S.
• Establish, develop and maintain relationships with third party organizations. Drive aligned policy advocacy strategies with third party organizations and seek to achieve productive long-term working relationships with partners. Undertake regular and rigorous product/therapeutic area-oriented assessment of government affairs and policy environment to develop, review and update engagement plans with external stakeholders.
• Serve as the Government Affairs designated partner for the US brand teams in oncology and specialty. Support and align with brand teams for brand planning, strategy development and capacity building across a product’s life cycle. Mobilize appropriate policy, public affairs and government affairs resources to ensure implementation of comprehensive government affairs strategies.
• Develop and drive GA launch readiness approach in collaboration with U.S. Government Affairs and other core functions. Align with U.S. Federal and State Government Affairs teams and Global Policy and Alliance Access Strategies team to provide on-going advice and guidance to the Oncology and Specialty Business Units on policy and political developments that directly impact oncology and specialty brands or above brand issues.
• Anticipate trends in external environment that will impact oncology and develop plans to address areas of concern.
• Provide strategic counsel to U.S. brand teams while also ensuring alignment with corporate policy positions.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with internal stakeholders to ensure global alignment of strategies. Align with Global TAS team members to inform and support early brand strategy development and engagement efforts for pipeline products.
• Manage consultants and budget to effectively resource public policy advocacy strategies.
• Domestic travel (30 percent) required.

Qualifications

• Required: Ten or more years of relevant experience in the pharmaceutical industry, another health care sector, or in a public policy role. Ability to integrate political, policy and government affairs expertise to develop effective strategies and implementation plans. Strong business acumen and knowledge of relevant therapeutic areas and affiliated advocacy community required. Experience in government or campaigns including designing and leading coalitions required.
• Required: Advanced knowledge and understanding in the core areas of government affairs and policy (stakeholder and alliance development, government relations, political/campaign experience, access and reimbursement public policy and economic analysis) to maximize colleague contributions.
• Required: Ability to lead and contribute to cross-functional teams. Well-honed political acumen and impeccable integrity while having the executive presence necessary to deal effectively with high-profile stakeholders such as company executives and a variety of external constituencies including governments and leadership of third party organizations.
• Required: Candidate must possess strong analytical, critical thinking and interpersonal skills, the ability to speak and write persuasively and with clarity, strong organizational skills, flexibility and adaptability to changing requirements, resourcefulness and creativity, strong attention to detail, a proven track record of being able to work under deadlines and an ability to work collaboratively in a fluid organizational environment.
• Required: Must be an individual who works well in a team environment and enjoys working in a collegial, yet highly demanding culture. Must be able to work collaboratively with business leaders and other internal stakeholders.

Education

• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in a related field such as health care administration, political science, public administration or policy.
• Preferred: Advanced degree.