Associate, Issues and Public Affairs Communications

Lilly • Indianapolis, IN

3d • $64,500 - $150,700 • Hybrid

About The Position

This role is an integral member of the Global Corporate Communications, Crisis and Issues team, supporting the U.S. Public Affairs Senior Director and collaborating closely with three Director and Senior Director-level partners across the public affairs and issues communications function. This position works in a cross-functional environment with Global Public Policy (GPP), Legal, Federal Government Affairs (FGA), Value and Access (LVA), and Business Unit Corporate Affairs (BUCAs), and reports to the Senior Director, U.S. Public Affairs.

The Associate primarily delivers public affairs communications campaigns that advance Lilly's U.S. policy priorities — including media strategy, collaborator engagement, third-party mobilization, and digital/social amplification — while also supporting the team on issues and crisis communications. The ideal candidate will bring strong writing skills, sound policy judgment, and biopharmaceutical industry knowledge.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in communications, public relations, journalism, political science, public policy, or a related field.
• 3 years of communications experience, with relevant exposure to public affairs, policy communications, or issues/crisis communications.
• Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Lilly will not provide support for or sponsor work authorization and visas for this role, including but not limited to F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, J-1, H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, or L-1.

Nice To Haves

• Previous experience in the pharmaceutical, biotech, or healthcare industry.
• Experience working with or at trade associations, advocacy organizations, or public affairs agencies.
• Familiarity with paid media strategy and digital/social amplification tactics.
• Demonstrated ability to work across, up, and down the organizational ladder and to build productive working relationships across functional and geographic boundaries.
• Strong project management capabilities, including process development, communications of standard methodologies, and measurement.
• Experience working with or directing external agencies and vendors.

Responsibilities

• Support the development and execution of environment-shaping communications campaigns for priority U.S. policy goals in partnership with GPP, Legal, FGA, LVA, and the BUCAs; supply communications ideas and tactical options to cross-functional partners, helping build shared ownership of the communications approach.
• Collaborate with partners within Global Corporate Communications — including Corporate Channels and Creative (CCC) and Internal Communications — to implement campaign tactics across earned, paid, and owned channels.
• Coordinate with trade associations' (e.g., PhRMA, BIO) public affairs teams to support alignment of their efforts with Lilly's policy priorities, and help inform internal stakeholders on the evolving policy and political environment.
• Contribute to counsel for cross-functional partners on communications strategies and tactics that include earned and paid media, digital/social amplification, advocacy partnerships, speaking opportunities for Lilly executives, and events or briefings.
• Stay ahead of the evolving U.S. policy landscape in terms of drug pricing, intellectual property, patient affordability, reimbursement, and innovation.
• Demonstrate global sensibility by understanding how U.S. policy decisions connect to and intersect with international policy environments, and flag implications for broader campaign strategy as appropriate.
• Work with Federal Advocacy to find opportunities to improve the efficiency of advocacy groups through communications in support of policy priorities.
• Draft and support placement of op-eds on behalf of Lilly executives.
• Develop advocacy communications materials, including issue backgrounders, fact sheets, and collaborator letters.
• Support the development of proactive and reactive message documents, including talking points, standby statements, press releases, and FAQs.
• Assist in monitoring and tracking the evolving external stakeholder landscape to help assess potential issues and inform response strategies.
• Collaborate with the broader team and external agencies on rapid response protocols and help lead incoming media inquiries related to public affairs and policy issues.
• Build and maintain relationships with key U.S. policy media.
• Work collaboratively with business partners and the extended communications team to run media inquiries, identify story opportunities, and support earned media placements.
• Evaluate and recommend new ideas to drive Lilly's voice externally.
• Partner with and provide direction to external agencies and vendors, as needed.
• Flex to support other areas of the reputation management team, as needed.

Benefits

• company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance)
• company-sponsored 401(k)
• pension
• vacation benefits
• eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits
• flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts)
• life insurance and death benefits
• certain time off and leave of absence benefits
• well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level