Senior Director, State Government Affairs

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute state advocacy strategies that align with Ferring's business objectives, patient access goals, and public policy priorities.
• Partner with business leaders, Government Affairs colleagues, and cross-functional teams to identify advocacy priorities and deliver coordinated policy strategies.
• Monitor, analyze, and communicate legislative and regulatory developments, providing strategic guidance on risks, opportunities, and business implications.
• Lead state-based advocacy campaigns and influence legislative, regulatory, and reimbursement environments that impact patients, healthcare providers, and Ferring's therapeutic areas.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with policymakers, regulators, governors, legislators, congressional delegations, advocacy organizations, healthcare stakeholders, coalition partners, trade associations, medical societies, and patient groups.
• Represent Ferring's interests before state government officials, industry organizations, and external stakeholders while elevating the company's reputation and visibility on key public policy issues.
• Identify and advance policy opportunities while proactively addressing legislative and regulatory challenges affecting the business.
• Serve as Ferring's lead representative and policy subject matter expert on state government affairs issues, providing timely insights on emerging trends and policy developments.
• Support and guide lobbying and advocacy efforts through policy analysis, strategic recommendations, messaging, stakeholder engagement, and coalition-building initiatives.
• Develop advocacy strategies that support product launches, market access objectives, and improved patient access and reimbursement outcomes.
• Prepare and deliver policy communications and advocacy materials, including briefing documents, legislative summaries, testimony, talking points, policy proposals, and stakeholder presentations.
• Prepare and support internal stakeholders for legislative meetings, hearings, formulary discussions, regulatory engagements, and other policy-related activities.
• Collaborate with public health organizations, academic institutions, patient advocates, prevention leaders, and community partners to advance public health objectives aligned with Ferring's mission.
• Lead the selection and management of external consultants, government relations firms, lobbying partners, and policy experts to support advocacy initiatives.
• Manage budgets, timelines, resources, and external partnerships to ensure effective execution of state advocacy priorities.
• Deliver actionable policy insights that inform business decisions, protect healthcare access, improve patient outcomes, and create enterprise value.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's or Law degree preferred.
• Major in Government Relations, Public Administration, Public Relations or Political Science, Legal Studies, or commensurate experience in these or related area is preferred.
• 7+ years of progressively responsible experience in government affairs / relations at the local, state or federal level required; direct experience with policy issues affecting the life sciences industry with internal pharmaceutical company experience a plus.
• Understanding of legislative processes, including policy and budget processes, required; deep understanding preferred.
• Expert skills in research, evaluating and interpreting complex information.
• Understanding of customer service and customer relations, problem solving and tools for use in conflict management.
• A track record of success experience in life sciences with patient and professional organizations a plus.
• Strong knowledge of policy development methodologies and procedures required, experience in a Congressional office and/or with state legislators and Governors offices a plus.
• Demonstrated understanding and working knowledge of budgeting, budget management and projections for a government affairs function.
• Effective written and oral communication skills required; experience in communications field a plus.
• Skilled in creating, preparing, reviewing and editing correspondence, reports, presentations and other assigned documents.
• Ability to influence and drive positive outcomes with Senior level Government officials & Stakeholders.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work independently, autonomously, proven ability to be self-directed, work with minimal supervision and accept responsibility.
• Ability to make sound judgments in reporting and interpreting data and information.
• Role will require travel up to 50% and is based out of the Washington D.C. market (office).