Director, Corporate & State Government Affairs (NY, NJ, PA)

Job description

At AstraZeneca, we pride ourselves on crafting a collaborative culture that champions knowledge-sharing, ambitious thinking and innovation – ultimately providing employees with the opportunity to work across teams, functions and even the globe. Our dedication to sustainability is also central to our culture and part of what makes AstraZeneca a great place to work. We know the health of people, the planet and our business are interconnected which is why we’re taking ambitious action to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, from climate change to access to healthcare and disease prevention.

Are you ready to shape state policy and community impact so more patients gain timely access to breakthrough medicines? In this regional leadership role covering the greater New York area, you will set the agenda for corporate reputation and state government affairs, translating strategy into visible outcomes across communities, payers, and policymakers. This role's primary focus is within New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey - as such, we are seeking candidates that reside within that locality, with preference being New York state.

You will partner across commercial, market access, medical, legal, and corporate affairs teams to power enterprise priorities—enhancing visibility of our R&D footprint, accelerating early diagnosis initiatives, and ensuring our brands are accessible for all patients. Do you thrive at the intersection of policy, advocacy, and business execution, and enjoy adapting quickly in a complex environment? This is a field-based leadership position with significant external engagement and cross-functional influence.

You will have the platform, network, and autonomy to run with bold ideas, bring unexpected teams together, and build policy and programming that unlocks value at pace while staying true to our purpose.

Accountabilities

Regional Reputation Strategy: Develop and implement a regional plan to enhance corporate reputation, increase community presence, and showcase innovative R&D sites; track outcomes through stakeholder engagement and visibility measures.

Therapeutic Flagship Programs

Lead and deliver therapeutic flagship programs with multiple stakeholders, ensuring strong pull-through with commercial teams.

Community Engagement Leadership

Build and implement a regional community engagement strategy that strengthens partnerships and supports local health priorities.

State Policy Leadership

Serve as the registered lobbyist for the region; design and run state-based lobbying campaigns aligned to company priorities.

Payer Policy Integration

Strategically integrate state policy within public and private payers to ensure AstraZeneca brands are accessible for all patients.

Early Diagnosis Advancement

Identify and lead opportunities to expand early diagnosis, working with public health officials, patient groups, and subject matter experts.

Influencer and Alliance Development

Develop and maintain strong relationships with elected officials, governors, executive agencies, trade associations, think tanks, and third-party allies; act as an external leader with vision.

National Political Organizations

Demonstrate leadership with national political organizations and committees to implement policy programming.

Sustainability and Health Equity Advocacy

Connect with experts, develop plans, and implement initiatives that advance sustainability and health equity interests.

PAC Engagement

Participate in Political Action Committee grassroots solicitations and organize and attend fundraisers.

Community Ecosystem Building

Lead internal workstreams to assess corporate priorities and build positive community ecosystems.

Reputation and Expansion Support

Collaborate to enhance corporate reputation through direct community engagement that supports US expansion initiatives.

Internal Policy Leadership

Provide leadership on local state-related public policy issues; serve as the resident expert on legislative matters and strategy.

Cross-Functional Alignment

Ensure integration of state-related business objectives across commercial, market access, legal, sales, and marketing teams.

Legislative and Regulatory Analysis

Identify, analyze, and act on legislative and regulatory initiatives and emerging issues that impact the company.

Brand Support via Policy Strategy

Develop and implement legislative and regulatory strategies that assist and achieve brand objectives.

Resource and Budget Management

Allocate resources strategically; perform budget allocation and consultant evaluations; manage contract lobbyists and strategic alliance managers.

PAC Education

Assist the Director of Political Programs with PAC education and recruitment, including internal speaking engagements.

Corporate Brand Linkage

Liaison with Corporate Affairs partners to ensure strong links to corporate brand initiatives.

Federal Coordination

Liaison with federal government affairs lobbyists on region-specific issues; employ state strategies to mitigate impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act and other federal mandates.

Business Goals Integration

Understand AstraZeneca’s business goals and priorities; build strategies to support them and act on emerging political issues.

Essential Skills/Experience

Bachelor's degree is required. Minimum of 6+ years of experience in pharmaceutical or related industry. Strong public speaking skills. Strong desire to be part of a close-knit, highly focused team committed to unparalleled stakeholder satisfaction and helping make AstraZeneca a great place to work and grow. Strong negotiation and advocacy skills. Knowledge of legislative, regulatory, and political processes. Requires strong internal stakeholder and alliance building capabilities.

Amenable to lobbyists' travel/schedule; including late night, off-hour and weekend responsibilities — up to 40% travel is required.

Desirable Skills/Experience

Advanced degree (MA/MS/MPH, JD) is preferred. 8+ years of experience in government, politics, or government affairs with a minimum of 6 years in the bio-pharmaceutical or related space. Experienced interpersonal communications; public speaking and writing skills. Demonstrated ability to work on large public affairs projects aimed at enhancing corporate visibility with our growth and expansion. Deep knowledge of the healthcare industry especially with public and private payers, supply chains, and state/federal political influence on the pharmaceutical business.

Demonstrated experience of working collaboratively across sales, market access, medical affairs and various corporate affairs functions; comfortable in a highly matrixed organization. Highly proficient in standard business software applications. Demonstrated experience with ally development, public relations, and health care policy.

Why AstraZeneca

At AstraZeneca, your policy leadership powers a global enterprise focused on delivering faster, smarter impact for patients. You will join a relationship-driven, globally connected community where unexpected teams get in the same room to unleash bold thinking, use data to make better decisions in real time, and take smart risks to reimagine how we work. We invest in innovation and talent, value kindness alongside ambition, and align our efforts to meaningful outcomes—from accelerating access to medicines to advancing sustainability and health equity—so your contribution resonates across society and the planet.

Bring your voice to this pivotal regional role and shape policy, reputation, and access that matter—step forward and lead the agenda for patients and the enterprise. The annual base pay (or hourly rate of compensation) for this position ranges from $137,135 to $205,703. Our positions offer eligibility for various incentives—an opportunity to receive short-term incentive bonuses, equity-based awards for salaried roles and commissions for sales roles.

Benefits offered include qualified retirement programs, paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves), as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans. #LI-Hybrid Date Posted 06-Nov-2026 Closing Date 22-Nov-2026 Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics.

If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.