Summary

The Associate Director, Issue Advocacy & Strategic Alliances will execute and contribute to comprehensive public affairs issue advocacy campaigns that advance the goals of the US business. In partnership with Issue Advocacy team, this person will serve as a key point of contact with external advocacy organizations that are active in state and federal health policy debates, ensuring a Novartis approach to policy alignment and advocacy. Simultaneously, he/she will serve as US Patient Advocacy's designated partner to key externally facing Novartis functions, including Communications, Patient Advocacy, Medical Affairs, to ensure a collaborative and integrated approach in support of US business priorities.

Novartis will not sponsor visas for this position.

• Drive advocacy campaigns in coordination with US Government Affairs, Public Policy, and other internal teams to execute state and federal public affairs strategies aligned with specific product and cross-portfolio business objectives that shape a favorable operating environment and advance patient access.
• Cultivate of a well-developed network, including at the state level, that provides access to key stakeholders, critical intelligence, and ability to anticipate future policy landscape.
• Engage and educate advocacy leaders, including executives within business organizations, medical societies, and state and national advocacy organizations, on Novartis policy priorities and related solutions.
• Educate the US PA organization about key political, resource, and engagement dynamics related to third party organizations and provide strategic insights to inform public affairs strategy development, as appropriate.
• Develop quantitative analyses and insights related to third-party advocacy efforts to inform and drive a proactive, predictive, and strategic long-term engagement strategy.
• Serve as US PA's designated partner to key externally facing Novartis functions, including Communications, Patient Advocacy, Medical Affairs, to ensure a collaborative and integrated approach in support of US business priorities.
• Monitor budget and related resources, identify and work with internal partners and external vendors, establish operating frameworks and metrics, and drive initiatives to completion.
• Represent Novartis on select alliance committees of trade associations and in key working groups, shaping their alliance agendas and advancing Novartis priorities at trades in coordination with other US PA trade association leads.

• Operate as a trusted advisor to key Novartis leaders while learning, understanding and steering US business interests.
• Identify, inform, and contribute to predictive Public Affairs strategies with long-term objectives in mind for key US therapeutic areas and brands that drive business objectives with demonstrated results.
• Effective communications that provide colleagues with pertinent information on how the US political and policy environment for relevant third-party organizations impacts the US commercial function and what US PA is doing in response.
• Advancing Novartis advocacy priorities at trade organizations and shaping their alliance agendas, with particular emphasis at the state level.
• Ability to navigate high-impact, high-risk and complex situations within a highly matrixed organization

• Undergraduate degree required. asters level degree or equivalent in law, public policy or health administration is preferred.
• 5+ years of professional experience preferably in pharmaceutical or health care industry; experience in Public Affairs, specifically working with elected officials, executive level management, patient groups, advocacy community, and industry associations; and successfully working within a corporate structure.
• Deep knowledge of US political and policy landscape; key government health programs (e.g. Medicare, Medicaid); patient advocacy community; and the interplay of the above.
• Strong understanding of pharmaceutical industry business model, the intersection of business and public policy and macro healthcare trends.
• Experience working in and across communications, advocacy, and policy functions and developing strategies that bring all functions together for a successful result.
• Experience developing and executing issue campaigns around health policy topics.
• Proven ability to communicate business critical information at senior levels and to reconcile multiple stakeholders. Experience working with senior level and/or c-suite executives.
• Excellent project management capabilities.