Description

BASIC SUMMARY:  

The Vice President of Government Affairs will serve as a key advocate for the Charles River’s interests before federal policymakers, with a primary focus on drug development issues. This individual will develop and execute global education and advocacy strategies, engage with congressional offices and federal agencies, manage third party lobbyists, and help shape policy outcomes that support the Charles River's strategic objectives. The role requires strong policy acumen, exceptional relationshipbuilding abilities, and the capacity to translate complex business issues into clear and compelling publicpolicy positions. The ideal candidate is a self-starter who thrives in a fastpaced, highly collaborative environment and brings deep experience working within the federal legislative and regulatory landscape. The ideal candidate will blend visionary leadership with a hands-on approach to advance the organization's mission and shape critical legislative outcomes.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Strategic Policy Development & Vision: Design and execute comprehensive global government strategies that align with the organization's purpose and goals. Assess the impact of legislative or regulatory proposals, and establish short- and long-term policy priorities. Lead direct advocacy efforts with congressional staff, elected officials, and federal regulators on issues impacting Charles River (25%)
• Stakeholder Engagement & Coalition Building: Cultivate and maintain strategic relationships with key global government officials, lawmakers, industry partners, and advocacy groups. Build and lead high-impact coalitions to amplify the organization's voice and drive consensus on critical policy issues. Monitors the legislative and regulatory environment and communicates developments to Charles River stakeholders (20%)
• Advocacy & Government Relations: Direct third party lobbying activities and grassroots advocacy and education efforts to advance or oppose specific legislation and regulations. Prepare compelling testimony, policy briefs, and advocacy campaigns designed to influence policymakers and key regulatory bodies (20%)
• Board Communication & Organizational Leadership: Serve as the primary subject matter expert on all federal issues and support the Chief Legal Officer and Chief Communications Officer  in their support of, and education to, the Board of Directors  on these matters. Translate complex political, economic, and social issues into actionable updates, ensuring the board is informed of emerging risks and opportunities (15%)
• Research Analysis & Impact: Oversee the data collection, research, and rigorous evaluation of public policy outcomes. Ensure all policy positions are backed by evidence and measure the effectiveness of advocacy initiatives to demonstrate value to stakeholders (10%)
• Budget & Resource Management: Develop and manage the annual budget for the public policy department. Allocate necessary resources for policy research, lobbying efforts, and public awareness campaigns while ensuring strict compliance with lobbying and financial disclosure regulations (5%)

Stakeholders: Chief Communications Officer, Chief Scientific Officer, CEO
 

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Education:   Master’s degree in public policy, Political Science, Public Administration, Law or related field, or an advanced scientific degrees in a relevant field
• Experience: 10+ years of progressive experience in public policy, government relations, or legislative advocacy. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted as a satisfactory substitute for the specific education and experience listed above.
• Other:
  • 5+years in a senior leadership position or a position that interacts with Board of Directors and/or Executive Leadership roles.
  • Deep understanding of local, state and federal legislative and regulatory processes
  • Proven track record of successfully building coalitions and influencing public policy outcomes.
  • Exceptional written communications skills for drafting briefs, testimonies and board reports
  • Strong media literacy and experience serving as an official organizational spokesperson

WORKPLACE REQUIREMENTS:

• Lives and located in Washington D.C
• As a remote worker, has sufficient internet and technical infrastructure and a home-based location suitable for creating a professional environment for video conference calls.