Director, State Government Affairs - Mid Atlantic

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas – immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

The Director, State Government Affairs is a strategic leader and central partner to AbbVie’s Government Affairs team, responsible for developing and executing comprehensive lobbying and advocacy strategies that actively shape state legislative and regulatory environments in support of AbbVie’s business and policy objectives. This role anticipates and responds to state policy trends, collaborates with internal business partners and Government Affairs colleagues and works in collaboration with the State Strategic Alliances and Local Government Affairs to engage external alliances to create a robust political and policy environment that fosters continued medical innovation, patient access, and AbbVie’s long-term success. Rigorous compliance with all state lobbying and campaign finance laws and regulations.

Mid-Atlantic covers: Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia

Responsibilities

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with state policymakers and regulators, including Governors, Lieutenant Governors, Attorneys Generals and members of the state legislature in the selected region and with external stakeholders to advance AbbVie’s state policy goals.

• Develop and execute comprehensive lobbying and advocacy strategies to shape state legislative and regulatory activity, including direct engagement with policymakers, regulators, third-party groups, and coalitions. Assess the state and local political and public policy environment to determine where action is advisable, make recommendations on AbbVie’s approach, and manage internal expectations regarding legislative and regulatory impacts. Represent AbbVie in matters impacting the company, proactively evaluate legislation and regulations, and assess opportunities and threats to AbbVie’s interests. Create and implement Government Affairs strategies to address issues, focusing on lobbying, third-party advocacy, policy development, and targeted media engagement to support AbbVie’s policy goals.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with internal business stakeholders – including Commercial, Legal, Market Access, Corporate Affairs and Regional and District managers – within position’s assigned region - to leverage state advocacy strategies. Engage with these key business stakeholders and partner with GA Therapeutic Area Strategies team to understand commercial objectives in order to develop creative legislative, regulatory, policy, and political solutions tailored to the position’s region to drive business objectives.
• Lead state trade association task forces and coalitions and drive trade association action on key issues of importance to AbbVie. Develop engagement plans for key national groups affecting state policy and political initiatives (RGA, DGA, NCOIL, CSG, etc.). Work closely with Federal Government Affairs to manage the intersection of state and national politics, policy, lawmakers, and associations.
• Manage outside consultants within region, including setting objectives, defining missions and ensuring execution in support of state legislative strategies.
• Ensure rigorous lobbying and political giving compliance of all legally required registrations for the corporation, staff and outside counsel within the position’s region.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related field such as health care administration, political science, public administration or policy required. Advance degree preferred.
• Eight to ten years’ experience in lobbying, public administration, political party activity, legislative staff work, or related experience. Experience in health care industry or other highly regulated industry is preferred.
• Top tier executive presence necessary to engage effectively with high-profile stakeholders such as elected officials, executives and a variety of external constituencies; including ability to influence and navigate political landscape.
• Demonstrated ability to master complex policy and legislative issues, think creatively, and develop innovative strategies and solutions. Possesses thorough knowledge of major state health programs—including Medicaid—and state finance and appropriations processes, as well as a deep understanding of private healthcare marketplace dynamics such as insurance, drug benefit plans, and key payer strategies (e.g., PBMs, pharmacies, employers, consumers).
• Ability to act independently and demonstrate sound business judgment within the scope of broad guidelines. Demonstrated ability to create and implement comprehensive GA strategies that include lobbying, association engagement, third party advocacy, media, and other Government Affairs tools that result in successful engagement of external groups and individuals.
• Advanced analytical, critical thinking and interpersonal skills, the ability to speak and write persuasively and with clarity, strong organizational skills, flexibility and adaptability to changing requirements, resourcefulness and creativity, strong attention to detail, a proven track record of being able to work under deadlines and an ability to work collaboratively in a fluid organizational environment.
• Works well in a team environment and enjoys a collegial, yet highly demanding culture while effectively collaborating with business leaders and other internal stakeholders.
• Candidates must also have comprehensive knowledge of all Microsoft Office applications.
• Domestic travel (50 percent) required.

Key Stakeholders 

Internally with US Area senior management, other members of the GA team across AbbVie and other relevant cross-function support functions. Externally with state officials including governors, legislators, staff and third-party groups.

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future. ​

• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.​

• This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs. ​

• This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs​

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law. 

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community.  Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. 

US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html

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