Chief of Staff – Public Affairs

Overview

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) is seeking a Chief of Staff (CoS) who will support PhRMA’s Public Affairs team in the performance of their duties, initiatives, and responsibilities. This position reports to the Chief Public Affairs Officer (CPAO) working closely with the Public Affairs leadership team. This is a highly visible position that will be both internally and externally facing. The CoS will serve as the department’s point of contact with PhRMA leadership and staff, member company communicators, and other stakeholders, and help the CPAO ensure alignment and coordination across strategic goals and objectives. The CoS will be an advocate for the work of the department and will work to ensure the alignment of departmental work with the priorities of the organization.

The Chief of Staff will:

• Coordinate and manage PhRMA priorities - Working with the Chief Public Affairs Officer and leadership team, track PA activities for alignment to PhRMA priorities, including the development of priority work plans and metrics. Provide regular updates to CPAO on progress toward objectives and make recommendations on potential changes if necessary.
• Coordinate production and preparation for board meetings, member meetings, and internal leadership planning sessions- Lead planning for member meetings, board presentations, and Public Affairs leadership meetings, including setting agendas, recommending strategic directions, and reviewing and helping to shape content. Create and drive agendas and lead the development of presentation content for key internal and external meetings. In collaboration with the Public Affairs leadership team, lead efforts to disseminate information about department activities to internal PhRMA leadership and member companies; play a role in overseeing content on member websites and preparing update bulletins/routine communications for member companies.
  • Promote regular dialogue and assist in the building and maintaining of relationships with key member company staff and Public Affairs Steering Group members, addressing concerns and/or recommendations, coordinating and engaging as appropriate. Serve as a trusted information conduit for senior staff at member companies.
• Liaise with Alliance, Policy, Advocacy, Legal, and Administration - Serve the vitally important function of representing the work of the Public Affairs department amongst colleagues and counterparts in the organization. Serve as a conduit of communications for the department. Have a deep understanding of the highest priorities facing the department and coordinate execution and follow-up, facilitate quality information flow and thorough collaboration with department leadership, speak on behalf of the team internally at PhRMA, and generally enhance the effectiveness of the leadership team. Maintain centralized knowledge of team information.
• Lead operational and resource planning – Responsible for budget planning and management processes to ensure resources are allocated in accordance with vision and strategy and serve as the PhRMA staff lead on cross-departmental budget work group activities. Serve as part of the Public Affairs leadership team and in this role, advise on strategic and operating plans, help with planning and prioritization, stakeholder engagement, and departmental effectiveness.
• Process Manager: Oversee and manage processes related to approvals, portfolio planning and prioritization, resource allocation, and stakeholder engagement. The individual will identify challenges and implement solutions to support departmental success and alignment with PhRMA priorities.
• Lead development of departmental materials: Ensure effective/meaningful communications to the Committee chair, help develop and edit written pre-reads, talking points for Board members, and verbal presentation content (slides and talking points). Provide post-meeting follow-up communications and materials, as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Key Success Factors
PhRMA seeks a creative, collaborative strategist who is passionate about access to medicines and addressing the healthcare challenges we face today. Key success factors for this role include experience working with and inspiring confidence in senior executives, having a long-term vision, political acumen, sound judgment, and impeccable ethics and integrity. The individual will be highly organized, adaptable, a creative problem solver, able to reprioritize/shift gears quickly, and comfortable in a high-pressure environment. Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and diplomacy skills are a must as is the ability to synthesize, simplify and translate complex healthcare issues both verbally and in writing to broad audiences.

Professional Experience / Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Health Policy, Public Affairs or related field;
• 8 years of progressively responsible experience in a government affairs and/or advocacy capacity with a trade association, corporation, campaign apparatus, or in government;
• Excellent writing ability and highly organized orientation;
• Demonstrated knowledge of public affairs and communications;
• Experience engaging with or working in the health care industry is not required but is a plus; and
• Experience supporting senior executives, including CEOs, in their public and internal communications.

Potential Salary

$141,100 - $266,700 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 well-being program, on-site fitness facility, back-up care, an employee assistance program, and pre-tax 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, -ten 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 together in the office on Mondays through Thursdays and remotely on Fridays. We also work remotely in August.

We are committed to the growth and development of our team members and offer many learning opportunities including an integrated onboarding 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 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 nondiscrimination 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.

If you would like to apply, please submit your resume to our Shadow Search partners:

• Will Caggiano: will@shadowsearch.co
• Patrick Eagan: patrick@shadowsearch.co