Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) is seeking a Deputy Vice President of State Advocacy, to oversee PhRMA’s state issue advocacy program.  Reporting to the SVP of State Advocacy, the successful candidate will develop and lead strategies that utilize the issue advocacy program in a way that supports PhRMA’s state legislative priorities. 

Key Responsibilities

• Develop strategies and assist in oversight of PhRMA’s State Issue Advocacy Program working with the State Advocacy team (including the SVP of State Advocacy), PhRMA Regional teams including State Division personnel and complementary staff from Alliance Development and Public Affairs. Work with local and national issue advocacy and lobbyist consultants.
• Assist in managing a significantly resourced annual budget including how and where to deploy resources for maximum impact.
• Ability to ensure seamless integration of strategy and resources for the successful achievement of PhRMA’s state political strategy, including the efforts of internal staff and resources and external partners. Assure close coordination with communications and alliance development initiatives.  
• Oversee external consultants responsible for advising PhRMA on issue advocacy program.
• Manage creative consultants and the process of crafting messaging into creative campaigns to meet PhRMA’s legislative and political goals. 
• Responsible for maintaining and building relationships with politically-affiliated organizations.
• Establish and cultivate high-level relationships with a wide variety of industry and non-industry individuals and groups who can influence public, community, and government actions favorable to PhRMA.   
• In coordination with Public Affairs and State Advocacy, disseminate public polling data to key political audiences.

 The Deputy Vice President will be working with a team developing and executing a cohesive national, state-by-state strategy for managing and preventing ballot issues, that addresses the priorities of PhRMA and its member companies.  The successful candidate will develop, lead, and manage PhRMA’s nationwide ballot issues program, and will be responsible for managing ballot issue campaigns when they do occur.  The individual will be responsible for coordinating with PhRMA’s 12 Regional Directors to ensure alignment on objectives and will directly recruit and oversee external consulting resources.  The successful candidate will leverage campaign-style tactics to achieve results.   

The Deputy Vice President will provide strategic leadership in ensuring the successful development and execution of PhRMA’s national ballot issue program, so that its full capacity is recognized, utilized and seen as a valuable resource for PhRMA and its members.  The individual will help to positively shape and position the image of PhRMA, promoting its agenda at the community-level.  During ballot issue campaigns, the successful candidate will effectively serve as a voice of PhRMA internally and externally.

The Deputy Vice President will work closely with the PhRMA’s partners, staff, member companies, and external stakeholders in developing and executing a comprehensive ballot issue strategy. 

 Additional responsibilities for the Deputy Vice President include:  

•  Creating and implementing regional and state-based strategies in collaboration with key PhRMA colleagues and member company state task force leadership to address ballot issue objectives.
• Building and maintaining key relationships with third-party organizations, and industry trade groups.
• Representing PhRMA at various public meetings; developing and maintaining relationships with key political leaders.
• Building relationships and attending meetings/events with organizations and associations aligned with PhRMA’s ballot issue interests.  

 Key Success Factors
PhRMA seeks a collaborative, driven and creative strategist who is passionate about access to medicines and addressing the healthcare challenges we face today.  The successful candidate will have proven leadership skills, acute political acumen and well-developed advocacy skills as well as long-term vision, sound judgment, a proactive and inclusive mentality and impeccable ethics and integrity.  The individual will be adaptable, a problem solver, be able to prioritize/shift gears quickly and be comfortable in a high-pressure and demanding environment.   Excellent interpersonal, communication and diplomacy skills are a must as is the ability to inspire confidence, effectively engage stakeholders and build, lead, and motivate teams.

 Professional Experience / Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 15 years of experience in the political arena/government affairs with experience managing independent expenditures (IEs), campaigns, party committees, and/or SuperPACs. Additional experience as a government official, staffer to a member of Congress or Congressional committee, or a related position in the Administration, business, or a combination thereof is welcome.  
• Experience in or knowledge of the biopharmaceutical industry preferred. 
• The successful candidate should have a strong track record of delivering results through close collaboration with colleagues.  
• Sound strategic thinking and management skills.  This will include an ability to anticipate emerging government, public or community/social issues of importance to the industry and adapt strategies accordingly.
• The ability to persuasively write and communicate complex concepts, issues and probable outcomes at the highest levels of government and business.
• Outstanding communications skills with a mature understanding of government practices and public policy development. 
• The ability to identify, build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders.  

The successful candidate will be politically savvy with a minimum of 10 years of progressively senior level experience in political campaign management, ballot issues, advocacy, state policy issue management, and/or public affairs.  Direct campaign experience is a must and the ability to travel is imperative.   Corporate experience is a plus.  The individual must be comfortable with ambiguity and have experience working in a matrixed environment.  

 The successful candidate will:

• Be knowledgeable about ballot issue strategy and state politics, and understand how they impact the development and execution of an integrated issue advocacy program.
• Have demonstrated success in leading and managing a national or state-wide campaign or ballot issue campaign, and the ability to direct and motivate people and outside consulting resources.
• Have proven experience directly managing a sizable budget and staff and consultant resources.  
• Advise and influence senior-level business executives across PhRMA and its member companies to marshal organizational resources to achieve ballot issue goals.
• Possess strong leadership skills, be unflappable under pressure, confident (without being overbearing), and creative with a willingness to do new things.
• Have demonstrated experience building partnerships and strategic alliances.  S/He should employ a collaborative approach to gain internal respect and build consensus with superiors, peers, and subordinates.
• Possess outstanding communications and interpersonal skills, including the ability to relate well to a wide range of constituencies; and the ability to clearly articulate messages and command the respect of an audience.
• Be a coalition and consensus builder – someone who can work effectively with related organizations with mutual interests.  
• Be a person of high-character with excellent planning, organization and leadership skills, as well as superior verbal and written communications skills.  

 Potential Salary

• $224,500 - $320,000 per annum. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors. 

Who we are  
 The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading innovative biopharmaceutical research companies, which are laser focused on developing innovative medicines that transform lives and create a healthier world. Together, we are fighting for solutions to ensure patients can access and afford medicines that prevent, treat and cure disease. Over the last decade, PhRMA member companies have invested more than $800 billion in the search for new treatments and cures, and they support nearly five million jobs in the United States.  

Connect with PhRMA 
 For information on how innovative medicines save lives, please visit:  
www.PhRMA.org
www.Innovation.org
www.MAT.org
www.Facebook.com/PhRMA
www.Twitter.com/PhRMA    

What we offer

In addition to a highly competitive salary and bonus program, various opportunities for reward and recognition and a platform of extensive benefits, PhRMA is committed to the development and overall wellbeing of our team members.  We offer traditional (medical, dental, vision, flexible spending, life, AD&D, LTD, STD, LTC) and enhanced benefits such as parental leave, a wellbeing program, back-up care, health advocate service, employee assistance program and commuting benefits.  We also offer a robust 401k plan with employer contributions upon the first day of hire and immediate vesting, a generous paid time off plan, seven paid holidays (plus inauguration day), half day Fridays preceding holidays, half day Fridays in the summer months and a paid winter break. As an organization, we work remotely on Mondays and Fridays and together in the office on Tuesday through Thursday. We also all work remotely in the month of August.

We are committed to the growth and development of our team members and offer many learning opportunities including an integrated on-boarding program, best-in-class leadership programming, tuition reimbursement, industry on-site and off-site training, and other management/professional development programs.  Corporate social responsibility is also important to us at PhRMA.  Our team members participate in organization-wide community service activities, fundraising drives and charitable athletic events.

We are committed to supporting our family of professionals at PhRMA and strive to create programs that help our team members manage the challenges of balancing a fast-paced career with their own personal goals.

Equal Opportunity Employer 

PhRMA provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, disability, matriculation, political affiliation or veteran status in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment.

The job description contains an overview of the activities and duties for this role. Responsibilities may change and new ones may be assigned at any time.