Executive Director, Policy and Communications

Job Description

• Shape the external healthcare, political, and regulatory environment to support the Company’s strategic priorities and long-term growth objectives.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the Managing Director and Germany Leadership Team on policy, public affairs, reputation, and stakeholder engagement matters.
• Ensure that external stakeholder perspectives, healthcare policy developments, and reputational considerations are fully integrated into business strategy and decision-making.
• Anticipate and assess trends that may impact innovation, patient access, healthcare delivery, and the company’s operating environment.

• Define and execute the Company’s German health policy and government affairs strategy.
• Lead engagement with key national and regional decision-makers across the German healthcare ecosystem both federal and state level.
• Anticipate and influence legislative, regulatory, reimbursement, and healthcare policy developments.
• Shape discussions related to innovation and patient access, AMNOG and reimbursement frameworks, Prevention and vaccination policies, Digital health transformation, Research and life sciences policy, Healthcare system modernization, Public health priorities.
• Develop policy positions and advocacy strategies that support sustainable healthcare solutions and patient outcomes.
• Lead the strategic direction and governance of franchise-level policy, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement campaigns, ensuring alignment with enterprise priorities, patient access objectives, and evolving healthcare policy developments.

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across government, healthcare, academia, patient organizations, industry, and society.
• Develop executive briefings, policy intelligence, stakeholder analyses, and strategic recommendations to support business planning and decision-making.
• Position the Company as a preferred partner for addressing healthcare challenges and advancing innovation.
• Maintain strategic engagement with Government and State ministries and other relevant parliamentary committees, Patient organizations, Industry associations including vfa, other relevant institutions and regional decision-makers.
• Advance the Company’s sustainability, health equity, and inclusion priorities through strategic stakeholder engagement, partnerships, and policy dialogue.
• Represent the Company in strategic external forums, industry platforms, and healthcare policy discussions.

• Develop and lead an integrated corporate communications strategy aligned with business priorities.
• Protect and strengthen our reputation as a trusted healthcare partner among policymakers, healthcare professionals, patient organizations, scientific institutions, and the broader public.
• Position the Company and its leaders as credible thought leaders on healthcare innovation, prevention, public health, research, and the future sustainability of the German healthcare system.
• Lead the development of our AI strategy across policy, communications, and external engagement, ensuring the organization captures emerging opportunities while maintaining the highest standards of compliance, ethics, and trust.
• Provide strategic communications counsel to the Managing Director and Leadership Team.
• Ensure consistency and effectiveness of internal and external communications across all stakeholder groups.
• Lead crisis communications and issues management strategies when required.

Develop integrated policy, stakeholder engagement, and communications

• Serve as an active member of the Germany Leadership Team, contributing to the development and execution of the overall business strategy and long-term objectives.
• Provide strategic counsel to the Managing Director and Leadership Team on external trends, healthcare policy developments, stakeholder expectations, reputation risks, and emerging opportunities.
• Ensure external stakeholder perspectives, policy developments, reputational considerations, and societal trends are integrated into enterprise decision-making, business planning, and strategic priorities.
• Champion a coordinated enterprise approach across business units and functions to advance the Company’s strategic objectives and long-term growth ambitions.
• Partner with leaders across the organization to align policy, stakeholder engagement, communications, sustainability, and employee engagement priorities with business needs and organizational goals.

• Lead and develop a high-performing Policy & Communications organization.
• Foster a culture of strategic thinking, external focus, innovation, collaboration, and accountability.
• Build organizational capabilities in policy shaping, stakeholder engagement, communications, and external influence.
• Ensure effective allocation of resources and measurable impact of strategic initiatives.

• Advanced degree in Public Policy, Public Health, Political Science, Economics, Communications, Business Administration, Law, or a related discipline.
• Extensive leadership experience in health policy, public affairs, government relations, market access, corporate affairs, communications, or related functions.
• Deep understanding of the German healthcare system, pharmaceutical policy environment, and reimbursement landscape.
• Demonstrated success engaging senior policymakers, healthcare authorities, and external stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of healthcare system transformation, innovation policy, market access, pricing, and reimbursement.
• Experience advising executive leadership teams on strategic external affairs matters.
• Proven track record of influencing complex stakeholder environments and shaping public policy discussions.

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE