AVP, US State Policy and Government Affairs

Job Description

Our U.S. State Policy and Government Affairs team works with state, local, and federal stakeholders across the country. We address legislative and regulatory issues that advance and protect innovation in medicines, vaccines, and animal health while helping improve and safeguard patient access to care.

The Associate Vice President (AVP), State Policy and Government Affairs, leads a team responsible for state policy, government affairs and alliance development. This team represents the company in interactions with executive, legislative, and regulatory bodies at the state and local levels.

In this role, the AVP supports business objectives by shaping a policy environment that encourages innovation and reduces barriers to access. The AVP also serves as a trusted subject matter expert, building relationships with government officials, advocacy organizations, and trade associations to address a rapidly evolving policy landscape.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategy and policy leadership: Lead the U.S. strategy for key state policy issues affecting the company and the biopharmaceutical industry, including policy priorities across products, therapeutic areas, and above-brand issues.

• Team leadership and execution: Direct the team’s strategy and execution on state legislative and policy issues across U.S. divisions and operations, including human health and animal health, and oversee the executive directors responsible for lobbying, policy, and alliance development.

• Issue analysis and response: Identify, analyze, and develop the company’s response to public policy issues that affect strategic business priorities.

• Operations and resource management: Lead department operations, budget planning, long-range planning, and resource management and development.

• Cross-functional partnership: Partner with U.S. Federal Public Policy & Government Affairs and Global Policy teams on issues that require coordination across state, federal, and global levels. Work across divisions with therapeutic franchise, policy, and subject matter experts to align priorities and strategy.

• Executive counsel and stakeholder engagement: As a member of the Global Policy & Public Affairs leadership team and the U.S. Country Council leadership team, brief, advise, and support executive leadership on external policy engagements.

• Policy alignment and advocacy: Ensure state advocacy strategies align with existing company positions, and work with leadership and stakeholders to develop and align on new policies.

• External representation: Represent the company with trade, business, and advocacy organizations, as well as corporate alliance boards and working groups at the regional and national levels, including PhRMA and BIO.

• Compliance oversight: Ensure all state advocacy conducted by the team complies with company policy and applicable state and federal laws.

• People development and vendor management: Support the professional development, growth, and well-being of team members, and manage external consultants and projects.

Education:

• Required: BA/BS

Required Experience and Skills:

• At least 15 years of experience in state government affairs and policy.

• Extensive knowledge of policy issues affecting the biopharmaceutical industry.

• Experience leading successful proactive state policy initiatives and navigating state legislative policy process.

• Strong internal and external stakeholder engagement experience.

• Demonstrated ability to lead high-performing teams and influence across complex, matrixed organizations.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level briefing and message development.

• Proven ability to navigate complex, fast-moving policy environments.

• Strong ethics, professionalism, and political judgment.

Required Skills:

Biopharmaceutical Industry, Biopharmaceutical Industry, Biopharmaceuticals, Biopharmaceutics, Business Decisions, Cross-Cultural Awareness, Ethics, EU Policy Making, Executive Leadership, Franchise Leadership, Global Policy, Health Care Advocacy, Legislative Policy, Legislative Relations, Long Term Planning, Media Communications, Multilateral Organizations, Policy Development, Political Forums, Professional Development, Public Speaking, Regulatory Training, Stakeholder Engagement, State Government, Strategic Thinking {+ 2 more}

Preferred Skills:

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:

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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.

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The salary range for this role is

$310,900.00 - $489,400.00

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this 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.

You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

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:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

08/14/2026

*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.