Vice President of European Public Affairs

**Summary**:
Location: Belgium, hybrid working 12 flexible working days per month in the office.

About the role:
As the Vice President of European Public Affairs(PA), you will be a dynamic and visionary leader, directly reporting to the Head of Global Public Affairs. This role is pivotal in managing enterprise government affairs and serving as a key member of both the Global PA and Europe Commercial leadership teams. You will excel in building and maintaining strong relationships with key government officials, influencers, and opinion leaders. Here you can craft and implement proactive strategies that positively impact our company and will confidently represent the company externally on all public policy matters, especially in Brussels. This is an opportunity to be the strategic partner to the Global Head of Public Affairs to advise the CEO on all public affairs matters within in the EU.

This leader will coach and develop a team of over 50 highly skilled individuals across the European region, Russia and the UK.

**About the Role**:
**Key Responsibilities**:

- Drive the strategic advocacy strategy for Brussels and the rest of Europe.
- Be the established point of contact and maintain working relationships with government officials of federal and state government officials, members of business, trade and political associations, and other segments of society/stakeholders directly involved with the public policy process at the highest levels.
- Develop a strong relationship and shared vision with the company’s senior business leaders, establishing an external affairs mission which helps to create and deliver competitive strength to the organization.
- Act as a key member of the senior management team and foster a proactive, rather than reactive orientation in the external affairs arena; monitor developments of interest and concern to the company, keeping executive leadership informed of potential impacts (in addition to recommending and implementing solutions to such issues).
- Oversee the development and dissemination of positions to help advance the company’s objectives, including testimony, comments on regulations, and external affairs-related talking points and messages for use by company leadership.
- Lead the creation and execution of specific external affairs strategies and programs to ensure significantly increased reputation and understanding of the company with respect to its strategic positioning in the industry.
- Lead a significant team of Brussels and Swiss-based, as well as in-country public affairs associates.
- Conceive, plan, develop and execute an annual business plan and budget designed to assist the company in achieving their strategic goals with relation to external affairs.
- Shape public policy and legislation with prioritization of policy trends/issues by using data and insights incorporating geopolitics and geostrategy.

**Note: This role will require approximately 30% travel within Europe and at times outside of this.**

**Essential Requirements**:

- A bachelor’s degree or equivalent required. Advanced degree in Law, Public Health or Public Administration is desirable.
- Current experience in government relations within a highly regulated industry. Ideally within the pharmaceutical industry possessing a deep knowledge of the pharmaceutical business model, EU healthcare systems and political and economic environment.
- Have an established and current network within the EU particularly Brussels.
- Confidence in presenting and advising c-suite leaders on key public affairs topics.
- Broad business acumen and acute political sensitivity with excellent advocacy skills that can adapt to dynamic external factors while managing and changing agendas in a fast-paced environment.
- Capacity to anticipate emerging government, public or community/social issues of importance to the industry and to position the company effectively to handle such issues in all aspects.
- Ability to lead a team of trained professionals, encouraging their growth and independence, including leveraging their skills in a way that can only increase their visibility and credibility of the function.
- High self-awareness and proven agility to lead across large and complex cross-functional teams.

**Benefits and rewards**:
Read our handbook to learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally:
**Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion**:

- We are committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams representative of the patients and communities we serve._

Division

Corporate Affairs

Business Unit

Innovative Medicines

Location

Belgium

Site

Vilvoorde

Company / Legal Entity

BE03 (FCRS = BE003) Novartis Pharma nv-sa

Functional Area

Communications & Public Affairs

Job Type

Full time

Employment Type

Regular

Shift Work

No

Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams' representative of the patients an