Vice President, Public Affairs (Healthcare)
About The Position
Weber Shandwick is seeking a Vice President to join its Public Affairs team, focusing on leading key healthcare client engagements and providing expertise in health policy and public affairs. This role involves collaborating with leaders across various teams and is based in the Washington, D.C. office with a hybrid schedule. The ideal candidate will identify trends, stay updated on healthcare developments, simplify complex health policies for diverse audiences, and develop effective public affairs strategies and patient advocacy programs. The position requires strategic skills to drive engagement for healthcare clients and on important issues, strong collaboration, and a desire to grow within the health policy sector. A robust background in public affairs and media relations within the Washington, D.C. market is essential, along with a proven history of leading external communications and issues management campaigns in the health sector, including the pharmaceutical industry. Experience working directly with senior-level clients to shape and execute communications and media strategies is also required. Public affairs experience should encompass a thorough understanding of current U.S. health policy and the political landscape at federal, state, and local levels, as well as the interplay of earned, paid, and owned media. Candidates must be driven, poised, and team-oriented, with a demonstrated ability to quickly learn issues and communicate effectively. Exceptional judgment is needed when interacting with team members, clients, and partners, including legal and government relations professionals. Experience managing teams and supervising individuals is also necessary. As a vice president, the candidate should be an energetic and constructive team lead and a supportive supervisor and mentor to junior colleagues.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree
- 9-12 years related professional experience
- Integrated communications and public affairs experience, specializing in health policy and advocacy
- Experience leading and motivating integrated teams that collaborate effectively and deliver high-impact outcomes
- Robust earned strategy and media relations experience
- Experience providing counsel to senior leaders
- Proactive self-starter and problem solver with meticulous attention to detail
- Effective oral and written communication skills
- Experience supervising and mentoring colleagues
- Resilient mindset, deep curiosity, and a healthy sense of humor
- Strong public affairs and media relations background in the Washington, D.C. market
- Proven track record of leading external communications and issues management campaigns in the health space, including the pharmaceutical industry
- Experience working directly with senior-level clients to shape and execute communications and media strategies
- Thorough understanding of current U.S. health policy and the political landscape at the federal, state, and local levels, as well as the intersection of earned, paid, and owned media.
- Exceptional judgment when working with team members, client contacts, and partners, including legal and government relations partners
- Experience managing teams and supervising individuals
Responsibilities
- Design and implement public affairs and issue advocacy campaigns on behalf of corporate, coalition, and trade association clients, with an emphasis on the health sector.
- Provide counsel to senior level executives among firm clientele on health policy developments, public affairs campaigns, and strategic communications planning; apply best practices in communications counsel and projects, in collaboration with other senior leaders.
- Develop, oversee, and execute reputation, stakeholder engagement and integrated marketing and communications programs and campaigns, including but not limited to: data and analytics, strategic planning, formative research, message testing, creative concepting and production, earned, paid, and owned media.
- Lead major assignments for corporate healthcare clients in support of business initiatives, including supporting leadership or executive messaging, positioning, and thought leadership.
- Craft and execute earned-first media strategies and high-quality materials as part of corporate, public affairs and issues/crisis communications.
- Serve as a primary client contact responsible for strategic counsel; management of account deliverables, deadlines, budgets and contracting; and oversight of cross-functional teams, ensuring we deliver our best work and exceed client expectations.
- Create opportunities for team members to learn and grow – promoting and maintaining a collaborative, inclusive work environment conducive to success.
- Serve as a key member of the public affairs team, contributing to ongoing business development and talent development.
Benefits
- Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer
- Recruits qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, ethnic or national origin, protected veteran status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status or citizenship status.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
