Director, State Government Affairs and Public Health

GSK•New Orleans, LA

1d•Remote

About The Position

This is a field-based role. Must reside within driving distance of one of the capitals in the following states: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, or Florida. As the Director of State Government Affairs and Public Health, your role is to strengthen alignment between GSK’s commercial and Gov’t Affairs Public Policy and Advocacy (GAPPA) teams at the state and local level, expand the capabilities of the State Gov’t Affairs (SGA) team, and support public health policies that improve patient access to needed vaccines and treatments. You will also be responsible for shaping changes to state laws and regulations in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi on GSK priorities and issues related to the pharmaceutical industry with an emphasis on vaccines and public health while serving as a subject matter expert on public health policies within the State Government Affairs team.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
Professional experience working in government or in government relations (including direct lobbying)
Understanding of vaccine approval, recommendations both at the federal and state level, and state implementation process; including the Vaccines for Children program funding and public health and prevention funding.
Familiarity with assigned respective Departments of Health leadership.
Experience with public health policy as well as detailed knowledge of the organization, functions, process and procedures of the assigned state Legislatures, Executive branch, and Department of Public Health and/or Department of Health Care Services.
Must reside within driving distance of one of the capitals in the following states Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, or Florida.

Nice To Haves

Professional experience working directly for a state department of health, and/or a government entity with oversight of public health in assigned states.
Direct lobbying and familiarity with patient advocacy groups, State Departments of Health and state health care provider organizations with a focus on public health outcomes.
Pre-existing relationships with members of the Texas or Florida Legislatures and their respective Departments of Public Health.
Prior Public Health experience in vaccine and infectious disease preferred.
Possess verbal and written communication skills commensurate with the needs of the role.
Ability to process complex information and summarize it concisely in writing and/or verbally in a professional manner in a time sensitive environment.
Experience in developing working relationships with diverse individuals and groups.
Demonstrated ability to work with numerous internal and external stakeholders in a values-compliant manner.

Responsibilities

Lobbying and Advocacy: Engage with state patient advocacy groups, health professional societies, State Departments of Health, state policy makers and trade associations to advance business unit needs at GSK.
Strategic Leadership: Responsible for overseeing those representing GSK’s interests before state governments. Serve as the company’s registered lobbyist in both state legislatures and executive branch agencies. Manage senior executive engagement with Government officials and key business groups.
Policy Influence: Influence state legislation and regulation affecting GSK’s business interests in the following areas: Oncology, Vaccines, Specialty, Respiratory and HIV with an emphasis on prevention and public health policy.
Objective Setting: Responsible for identifying and establishing annual legislative and policy objectives in coordination with government affairs management. Serve as team lead of strategic engagement with public health leaders.
Policy Awareness: Build and maintain robust knowledge of public health and vaccine policy, leading the development and maintaining a thorough working knowledge of existing state policies affecting GSK and public health, including product access and reimbursement, vaccine recommendations (both federal and state), sales and marketing restrictions, and public health initiatives.
Contract Lobbyists: Manage GSK’s contract lobbyists or other consultants in key states as required to ensure they advocate GSK priorities and remain in compliance with GSK rules and values.
Coalition Building: Engage in legislative coalition-building and perform other functions designed to help ensure a legislative and regulatory environment that recognizes and rewards the value and importance of innovative medicines and prevention of disease.
Issue Identification: Identify legislative and regulatory opportunities that support GSK’s business priorities or those that have a negative impact on GSK. These issues can affect GSK’s business planning over periods of many years. Lead in strategy development against these issues related to public health and prevention.
Industry Engagement: Influence industry trade associations to ensure these associations’ priorities include GSK’s priorities.
Stakeholder Alliances: Establish alliances with state patient advocacy groups (partnering with GSK Specialty and Vaccine Advocacy Directors), state health professional organizations, business associations, or other relevant groups as appropriate to further GSK’s priorities ensuring transparency and vales-based mechanisms for funding, strategy, and relationship development.
Strategic Relationships: Build long-term strategic relationships and communicate with internal and external stakeholders to deliver optimal value through strategy, alignment, and execution.
Matrix Teams: Participate with matrix teams and task forces, within GSK and external organizations to advocate GSK priorities, focusing on areas related to public health and vaccines. Embed your role withing relevant business units, including but not limited to vaccines and specialty.
Team Collaboration: Work with other Government Affairs team members to lead communications and engagement strategies in all states related to public health and vaccines, providing strategic direction and advocate engagement opportunities (partnering with GSK Advocacy Directors)
Political Action Committee (PAC): Represent the GSK Employees Political Action Committee.