Director, US Public Policy

About the role

Our company is committed to being the premier, research-intensive biopharmaceutical company and is dedicated to providing leading innovations and solutions for today and the future.

Our company's Global Policy and Public Affairs (GPP) organization works with policymakers, public health leaders, patient and provider organizations, trade associations, coalitions, and other stakeholders to advance public policies that support innovation and improve patient access to medicines and vaccines.

The U.S. Federal Policy and Government Relations team within GPP is seeking a public policy leader with a law degree and experience in public health matters to serve as Director, U.S. Public Policy. The Director will lead policy development and execution for vaccines and for our company's investigational long-acting influenza antiviral (a non-vaccine approach to influenza) and provide legal and policy analysis across the broader public policy portfolio, including access, oversight, intellectual property, research and development, etc.

The successful candidate will combine broad public policy knowledge, public health experience, and strong legal analysis and drafting skills to develop practical recommendations and build alignment across a highly matrixed organization, including colleagues in medical, commercial, legal and other subject-matter experts.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead policy development and execution for vaccines and for our company's investigational long-acting influenza antiviral; monitor and assess related federal, regulatory, and administrative developments across public health, prevention, access, coverage, reimbursement, and health-system infrastructure.
• Work with the team to support legal analysis of issues across the public policy portfolio, in coordination with the issue lead and legal counsel, as needed, including pricing, reimbursement, access, intellectual property, and oversight.
• Develop evidence-based company policy positions, comment letters, and other policy submissions, integrating public health evidence, legal analysis, and business considerations in partnership with cross-functional colleagues.
• Translate complex policy developments into clear insights, implications, options, and recommendations for senior policy and business leaders.
• Identify emerging risks and opportunities and develop proactive strategies to advance or protect priority policy outcomes.
• Build and maintain relationships with government officials, public health organizations, patient and provider groups, policy organizations, and other partners, and represent our company in trade association and coalition meetings.
• Lead cross-functional policy workstreams from strategy through execution, including workplans, decision points, stakeholder roles, budgets, and measures of progress or impact.
• Manage policy research, consultants, and other resources that strengthen policy development, thought leadership, and advocacy strategies.

Required Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) or equivalent law degree required.
• At least seven years of relevant experience in public policy, government, public affairs, a trade association, a patient or provider organization, consulting, or the biopharmaceutical sector.
• Demonstrated knowledge of U.S. public policy and the legislative, regulatory, and administrative policymaking processes at the federal and/or state level.
• Experience addressing public health matters and the ability to lead policy work on vaccines and on a long-acting antiviral influenza product while contributing to broader public policy issues, including pricing, reimbursement, and patient access.
• Sound judgment and strong legal research, analysis, and drafting skills, with the ability to work through unfamiliar issues, develop practical recommendations, and collaborate effectively with legal counsel and subject-matter experts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with senior leaders and high-level external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience working across culturally teams and matrixed teams with a high degree of collaboration.

Required Skills

Healthcare Policies, Patient Advocacy, Policy Analysis, Policy Development, Political Forums, Public Health, Public Policies, Regulatory Development, Strategic Planning, Strategic Thinking

Preferred Skills

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• 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.
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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 primary location for this posting is: USA - District of Columbia - Washington DC (Pennsylvania Ave)

Pay and benefits

Where required by law, the compensation range for this role is provided below.

The salary range for the primary location of this role is

$190,800.00 - $300,300.00

This range reflects the Company's reasonable expectation of the base salary applicable to this role at the time of 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.

Additional location(s): Please note the salary range above applies to the Primary Location of the position. Where a role has other listed locations, different compensation guidelines may apply. You may find the salary ranges for additional locations below. If the salary range is not listed for the location you are applying to, our Talent Acquisition team will provide further information to you relevant to your location.

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: No relocation
• VISA Sponsorship: No

Travel Requirements

• 10%
• Flexible Work Arrangements: Hybrid
• Shift: 1st - Day
• Valid Driving License: No
• Hazardous Material(s): N/A
• Job Posting End Date: 11/18/2026

Additional information

*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.