Associate Director, Policy and Alliance Development

Role Summary

The Policy & Alliance Development Associate Director will support the strategy and execution of US Public Affairs (USPA) activities, with initial focus in pain and kidney areas. This role will work within Public Affairs as well as cross-functionally with other internal Vertex functions, including commercial, medical, R&D and legal, to ensure alignment and progress around our corporate goals and objectives.

• Serves as the primary liaison to the USPA State Government Affairs (SGA) team on state policy work.
• Supports identification of SGA opportunities to advance pain program objectives and generates materials and assets to execute on those engagements.
• Monitors state legislation and identifies substantive policy and political opportunities and risks to the company’s business.
• Leads key USPA pain projects and is responsible for departmental program/process operations to help successfully advance policy initiatives.
• Develops plans, goals, processes, and logistics for projects, gaining cooperation and alignment.
• Summarizes and creates communications for internal stakeholders on key information such as program progress, timeline updates, and potential risks.
• Monitors project budgets and is accountable for understanding and communicating forecast variance, risks and opportunities.
• Compiles succinct reports and prepares minutes for internal meetings; methodically tracks all action items and finds new ways to stay abreast of multi-dimensional tasks.
• 10-20% travel anticipated.

• Minimum of 7-8 years current and relevant experience in the pharmaceutical industry and prior experience in patient advocacy, public health policy, government relations or related field(s), preferably with experience in the pain environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, often addressing novel/unusual situations and exercising judgement.
• Excellent ability to collaborate with other functional areas and build effective, productive business relationships.
• Project management skills and highly proficient at managing, tracking, and measuring.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities/projects at a given time, ensuring deadlines, budgets, and status updates.
• Developed communication skills and the ability to synthesize data and information into meaningful insights.
• Very detail oriented and strong project/operation management skills.
• Comfortable with working in areas of uncertainty.