Senior Director, State Government Affairs & Patient Advocacy (EAST)
Vertex Pharmaceuticals
3 months ago
Remote friendly (Boston, MA)
United States
Patient Advocacy
General/Position Summary
Senior Director, State Government Affairs & Patient Advocacy leads an integrated, multi-regional East organization of state government affairs and patient advocacy regional directors. Serves as the East leader accountable for aligned state government affairs and grassroots patient advocacy strategy, execution, and performance. Represents Vertex externally to policymakers, regulators, patient advocacy organizations, community leaders, providers, professional societies, and other stakeholders; integrates engagements with internal teams to advance business objectives, protect patient access, and support disease education, screening, and reimbursement priorities.
Key Duties & Responsibilities
- Lead and manage East operations (Regional Directors), including budget oversight, strategic planning, and performance management.
- Primary East point of contact and subject matter expert for external stakeholder engagement; ensure coordinated outreach and consistent messaging; excel at external speaking engagements.
- Drive cross-functional development and regional execution of enterprise policy/advocacy strategies for marketed and pipeline therapies, R&D priorities, disease education, screening, reimbursement models, and patient access challenges.
- Build and sustain relationships with state executive/legislative stakeholders, agencies, and partners; anticipate policy/political risks and opportunities.
- Partner with internal functions (Federal Government Affairs, Policy & Alliance Development, Medical Affairs, Market Access, Legal/Compliance, Regulatory, Communications).
- Identify and assess regional trends/stakeholders/emerging issues; translate insights into actionable recommendations.
- Design and execute multi-faceted campaign-style initiatives integrating patient/community perspectives aligned to enterprise priorities.
- Improve stakeholder mapping, budgeting, issue tracking, reporting, and coordinated execution processes.
- Oversee regional management of consultants and vendors.
- Ensure compliance with applicable state lobbying, political activity, and patient advocacy engagement laws and Vertex policies.
Required Education
- Bachelor’s degree.
Required Experience
- Typically 12 years’ work experience and 5 years’ supervisory/management experience (or equivalent).
- Demonstrated experience in public affairs/state government affairs/patient advocacy/grassroots engagement/public policy/external relations (preferably healthcare/public health).
Required Knowledge/Skills
- Strong experience working with diverse stakeholders (state executive/legislative branches, patient advocacy, community groups, providers, professional societies).
- Ability to recommend and execute integrated strategies aligned to enterprise priorities.
- Excellent verbal and written communication; ability to brief and influence senior stakeholders and present complex issues.
- Analytical/research/stakeholder-mapping skills; translate emerging issues into action.
- Detail-oriented, organized, self-initiating; manages multiple priorities across a distributed team.
- Ability to manage/develop leaders; build networks/partnerships.
- Strong cross-functional collaboration.
Other Requirements
- Ability to travel within the East territory and to Vertex Boston offices on a regular basis.
Benefits/Compensation (as stated)
- Pay range: $248,600–$372,800; eligible for annual bonus and annual equity awards.
Senior Director, State Government Affairs & Patient Advocacy leads an integrated, multi-regional East organization of state government affairs and patient advocacy regional directors. Serves as the East leader accountable for aligned state government affairs and grassroots patient advocacy strategy, execution, and performance. Represents Vertex externally to policymakers, regulators, patient advocacy organizations, community leaders, providers, professional societies, and other stakeholders; integrates engagements with internal teams to advance business objectives, protect patient access, and support disease education, screening, and reimbursement priorities.
Key Duties & Responsibilities
- Lead and manage East operations (Regional Directors), including budget oversight, strategic planning, and performance management.
- Primary East point of contact and subject matter expert for external stakeholder engagement; ensure coordinated outreach and consistent messaging; excel at external speaking engagements.
- Drive cross-functional development and regional execution of enterprise policy/advocacy strategies for marketed and pipeline therapies, R&D priorities, disease education, screening, reimbursement models, and patient access challenges.
- Build and sustain relationships with state executive/legislative stakeholders, agencies, and partners; anticipate policy/political risks and opportunities.
- Partner with internal functions (Federal Government Affairs, Policy & Alliance Development, Medical Affairs, Market Access, Legal/Compliance, Regulatory, Communications).
- Identify and assess regional trends/stakeholders/emerging issues; translate insights into actionable recommendations.
- Design and execute multi-faceted campaign-style initiatives integrating patient/community perspectives aligned to enterprise priorities.
- Improve stakeholder mapping, budgeting, issue tracking, reporting, and coordinated execution processes.
- Oversee regional management of consultants and vendors.
- Ensure compliance with applicable state lobbying, political activity, and patient advocacy engagement laws and Vertex policies.
Required Education
- Bachelor’s degree.
Required Experience
- Typically 12 years’ work experience and 5 years’ supervisory/management experience (or equivalent).
- Demonstrated experience in public affairs/state government affairs/patient advocacy/grassroots engagement/public policy/external relations (preferably healthcare/public health).
Required Knowledge/Skills
- Strong experience working with diverse stakeholders (state executive/legislative branches, patient advocacy, community groups, providers, professional societies).
- Ability to recommend and execute integrated strategies aligned to enterprise priorities.
- Excellent verbal and written communication; ability to brief and influence senior stakeholders and present complex issues.
- Analytical/research/stakeholder-mapping skills; translate emerging issues into action.
- Detail-oriented, organized, self-initiating; manages multiple priorities across a distributed team.
- Ability to manage/develop leaders; build networks/partnerships.
- Strong cross-functional collaboration.
Other Requirements
- Ability to travel within the East territory and to Vertex Boston offices on a regular basis.
Benefits/Compensation (as stated)
- Pay range: $248,600–$372,800; eligible for annual bonus and annual equity awards.