Director Policy/Government Relations

Job Description

Job Description:

The Director is responsible for supporting global public policy efforts related to our Company therapeutic area franchises addressing infectious disease, with primary responsibility of leading development and implementation of public policy strategies in support of our Company HIV prevention program.  In conjunction with the global franchise teams, cross-functional global teams, regional and country policy teams, the senior policy team, and the broader Corporate Affairs team, the Director will help to develop and execute our Company global plan in support of the HIV prevention program, including identifying, analyzing, and responding to public policy issues, developing and implementing our Company therapeutic area policy strategy and positions, and advocating in support of our Company strategic business priorities.

Primary Activities:

• Manage development and implementation of global public policy strategic plans in coordination and alignment with cross-functional teams and planning processes in support of Global Commercial Team therapeutic-area strategies.
• Lead development of policy positions and stakeholder engagement strategies to support successful introduction, access, reimbursement, implementation, and uptake of our Company HIV prevention portfolio.
• Partner closely with commercial, market access, medical affairs, outcomes research, communications, and regional teams to identify and address policy barriers, shape the external environment, and advance policies that support prevention access, innovation, and method mix choice.
• Ensure coordination across Global Public Policy teams and with senior Global Public Policy management and Corporate Affairs stakeholders, with the Global Business Unit, Global Franchise, Global Commercial Teams, and other internal teams and stakeholders.
• Engage with regional and country policy teams to provide strategic guidance and policy coordination to support policy strategy development and implementation.
• Engage relevant internal stakeholders to ensure our Company advocacy with public policy agencies and organizations is coordinated, consistent, and effective.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key external stakeholders, including, governmental, multilateral, and non-governmental stakeholders, including patient advocacy groups.
• Engage and collaborate with HIV prevention stakeholders, including community and advocacy organizations, public health agencies, multilateral organizations, healthcare providers, and other partners involved in prevention policy, implementation, and access.
• Represent our Company in industry and other external policy-related fora with external stakeholders active in the therapeutic area policy arena.
• Manage external consultants and policy development projects.

Skills:

• BS/BA required.  Master’s or graduate degree in a field related to health care policy strongly preferred. 
• Minimum 10 years of experience addressing public policy issues and strong knowledge of issues related to HIV, including experience related to HIV prevention, with at least 5 years within the global policy space preferred. 
• Experience with and expert knowledge of government and non-governmental organizations active on global public policy issues required. 
• Strong knowledge of global healthcare public policy processes including understanding the roles and influence of various stakeholders.    
• Experience engaging HIV community, advocacy, multilateral, public health, and global health stakeholders preferred.
• Experience addressing policy issues related to prevention access, reimbursement, health technology assessment (HTA), healthcare financing, public health programs, and implementation of preventive health interventions preferred.
• Understanding of issues impacting access to HIV prevention services, including barriers affecting populations disproportionately impacted by HIV, preferred.
• Experience with public health prevention programs, immunization programs, sexual health services, HIV prevention programs, or implementation of population-based health interventions preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to identify strategic priorities, work within a matrix organization to achieve policy goals. 
• Experience managing consultants and budgets. 
• Ability to work collaboratively and inclusively essential.
• Excellent English-language written and oral communication skills required. 

Required Skills:

Healthcare Policies, Health Policies, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Patient Advocacy, Policy Development, Preventive Care

Preferred Skills:

Public Policies

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.  As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.  For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

EEOC Know Your Rights

EEOC GINA Supplement​

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

The primary location for this posting is:

USA - District of Columbia - Washington DC (Pennsylvania Ave)

Where required by law, the compensation range for this role is provided below.

The salary range for the primary location of this role is:

$190,800.00 - $300,300.00

This range reflects the Company's reasonable expectation of the base salary applicable to this role at the time of posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs. The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

Additional location(s): Please note the salary range above applies to the Primary Location of the position. Where a role has other listed locations, different compensation guidelines may apply. You may find the salary ranges for additional locations below. If the salary range is not listed for the location you are applying to, our Talent Acquisition team will provide further information to you relevant to your location.

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

Brussels
Lucerne
Zurich
Rahway
Upper Gwynedd

San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully 
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company.  No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails. 

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

25%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/a

Job Posting End Date:

11/17/2026

*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.