Senior Director, Health Policy & Public Affairs

At Real Chemistry, making the world a healthier place isn’t just an aspiration—it’s our everyday reality. Our drive to transform healthcare is informed by our blend of deep scientific expertise, human-centred creativity, and AI-driven insights, fostering a unique environment where innovation thrives and our people are impact-obsessed. As a global agency, we provide a full suite of services across healthcare communications and marketing to our clients, including top players in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.

Our #LifeatRealChem culture is rooted in our people—we believe we are best together and are committed to excellence for both our clients and colleagues. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your career, if you share our passion for healthcare and connection, we invite you to explore our opportunities.

Discover your purpose. Embrace innovation. Experience #LifeatRealChem.

Do you eagerly await the next issue of Politico or Heath Affairs? Geek out over drug reimbursement models? Consider direct-to-patient drug models to be great dinner table talk?  

If so, come sit next to us.

Real Chemistry’s Public Affairs practice is looking for a Senior Director to support successful and rapidly growing public affairs and policy communications consultancy.

WHO WE ARE

We are communicators who connect at the intersection of corporate reputation, public policy and commercialization. Our team is home to former Hill and trade association staffers, patient advocacy leaders, corporate communicators, and recovering journalists. Our common thread is using simple, straightforward language to explain and explore the complexities of how health care is accessed, paid for, and delivered.  

We know that health policy impacts everyone personally and should be communicated authentically.

We’re also really fun folks who value each other as colleagues and as people—you would definitely want to grab a drink, watch a game or play skee-ball with us.

WHAT WE DO

We support our clients (largely biopharma) as change agents, facilitators, alliance-builders and wordsmiths, supporting product and corporate goals amid an unprecedently dynamic U.S.-focused policy landscape.

Specifically, we craft positioning on the value, price and access approach of therapies, transparency reports and policy positioning platforms. We facilitate issue preparedness workshops to help clients navigate stakeholder needs and concerns ahead of milestone corporate and commercial events. We build actionable, results-oriented public affairs strategies to activate third party engagement on heath policy and access issues.

WHO YOU ARE

In spirit—

• Intellectually curious problem solver looking to get in the weeds on complex health care pricing and access issues
• Lover of health economics and policy seeking to drive conversations around how we allocate limited societal resources in the face of boundless scientific advancement
• Not afraid to ask tough questions and push thinking in rooms with visionary, seasoned health and pharma executives
• Convener looking to ensure that voices and values from all health care stakeholders are reflected in the broader health policy and coverage discourse
  
  

In practice—

• Advisor with a strong understanding of the U.S. health system and policy topics who is able to interpret complex issues and generate insights to create custom, strategic points-of-view and who can collaborate with multiple client stakeholders (market access, government affairs, medical affairs, patient advocacy, etc.)
• Media strategist with line of sight into current industry news and deep understanding of health care reimbursement to provide smart counsel on a time to clients and our Real Chemistry colleagues
• Writer who can deliver presentations, strategic plans, and written materials (e.g., editorial bylines, talking points, strategy memos) and other internal/external communications that meet client objectives in the current health policy environment.
• Growth-minded team player who can proactively identify and pursue opportunities with existing clients, and provides strategic support, creative thinking, and presentation development as part of the new business process.

 

Primary hubs for the Public Affairs practice are New York City and Washington, D.C.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• A minimum of 8 years of experience in a professional environment within public relations, communications, journalism and/or public affairs/public policy/public health is required.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience is required.
• Passion for healthcare, with notable pharmaceutical and/or health care policy expertise; experience with corporate or public affairs communications teams also preferred.
• Independent thinker confident in taking ownership assignments who can also be a team player and enjoy collaboration.
• Highly organized with mindfulness of deadlines, the ability to manage multiple tasks based on priorities, strong attention to detail, and experience bringing structure to problems.
• Demonstrates versatility and is constantly learning, growing, and stretching; sees around the corner to navigate issues before they arise.
• Has a professional presence and performs with a sense of urgency and a profound client service orientation.
• Supervisory skills, with the ability to engage and advise junior staff.
• Previous experience in an agency setting preferred, but not required.

Real Chemistry offers a comprehensive benefit program, including flexible PTO, professional coaching opportunities, expanded paid leave for new parents and a 4th Trimester program that helps new parents transition back to work, and a five-week sabbatical program. 

Real Chemistry is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We foster an environment that embraces diversity. We are stronger with a wider range of opinions, strengths, and backgrounds to achieve our goals.

Pay Range: $110,000 - $135,000 
This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting.  Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on job-related, non-discriminatory factors including but not limited to work experience, skills, certifications, and geographical location. The Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time.   

Real Chemistry is proud to be Great Place to Work® certified; check out what our people shared about our culture and workplace on our Great Places to Work Profile here.

We believe we can do our best when feeling our best, which is why we’ve put together a benefits program designed to give you the support you and your family need at every stage of life. Real Chemistry offers a comprehensive benefit program and perks, tailored to your region. Globally, this includes offices in our key markets with free snacks to keep you running all day long, generous holiday and paid time off, options for private medical, dental, and vison plans, and support in saving for the future. Other perks include mental wellness coaching and support and access to more than 13,000 online classes with LinkedIn Learning.  Learn more about our great benefits and perks and search specific offerings in your region at: www.realchemistrybenefits.com.

Working with Real HART: Since the pandemic, we have adapted to how our people told us they want to work. We have office locations in cities in the US, UK, and Europe with many employees and clients that serve as hubs where and when they need us. For employees who are within an hour of one of our offices, we expect attendance in the office two days per week, either at a Real Chemistry office or onsite with clients. We are also actively opening new office locations, so if one opens near you, our Real HART policy will apply. We are not looking for attendance for the sake of attendance but believe that the opportunity to coordinate in-office team meetings, 1:1 meetings with managers, taking advantage of on-site learning, and connecting with client partners is a critical to delivering on our purpose of making healthcare what it should be. Outside of these offices, we have regions, where people work remotely but come together quarterly for collaboration, culture and learning opportunities. We call this our Real Hybrid and Regional Teams (Real HART) approach. Real Chemistry believes we are best together – and our workplace strategy fosters connection and collaboration in person – but also supports flexibility for our people.

Real Chemistry is an Equal Opportunity employer. We continually strive to build and sustain an inclusive and equitable work environment where our employees feel empowered to leverage all they bring from their personal lived experience and professional expertise, to make our team the best in the industry. We encourage motivated and qualified applicants to apply without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, ethnic or national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local employment discrimination laws where Real Chemistry operates. Should you require accommodations throughout the interview process please let your recruiter know.

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