At Bristol Myers Squibb, our employees often ask, “Who are you working for?”—a question that fuels collaboration, accountability, and urgency in our work. Our purpose-driven culture inspires us to discover, develop, and deliver innovative medicines to prevail over serious diseases. We offer uniquely interesting and meaningful work, opportunities for growth, and a supportive environment that values inclusion, wellbeing, flexibility, and comprehensive benefits. This is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it.
Duties and responsibilities
The Manager Government Affairs supports the company’s political advocacy within the German healthcare system and contributes actively to shaping a healthcare-policy environment that is conducive to innovation for research-based pharmaceutical companies. This position works closely with the market access, medical and communications teams.
The core responsibilities are in particular:
Monitoring and analysing the healthcare-policy environment. Systematically tracking and interpreting current pharmaceutical-policy developments at federal and EU level (e.g. pharmaceutical market and cost-containment legislation, further development of AMNOG, industrial and location policy, research and innovation funding). Preparing the findings for internal and external stakeholders.
Supporting the development and implementation of policy positions. Contributing to position papers, lines of argument and political briefings on key healthcare-policy questions relevant to the company portfolio and to the research-based pharmaceutical industry.
Building and maintaining networks (strong emphasis). Actively building, maintaining and continuously expanding a robust network of political decision-makers, ministries, parliaments, associations, think tanks and other relevant stakeholders in the healthcare-policy environment. Preparing and supporting meetings, parliamentary evenings, expert events and background briefings.
Collaborating with associations and external partners. Participating in working groups and committees (e.g. industry and professional associations), supporting association positioning and coordinating joint political initiatives.
Acting as an internal interface. Close alignment with the market access, medical affairs, pricing, communications and leadership teams to ensure consistent political positioning and to translate political developments into commercial and strategic implications.
Project and topic ownership. Taking ownership of individual policy topics and sub-projects, including the coordination of external agencies and service providers, and contributing to interdisciplinary and, in part, international projects.
Modern ways of working and digital support. Using digital tools and AI-based applications (e.g. for political research, trend analysis, briefing preparation or stakeholder mapping) to continuously improve the efficiency and quality of government affairs work.
Requirements
Professional qualifications
Completed degree in political science, economics, social sciences, public administration, law, natural sciences or health sciences, or a comparable background
Initial relevant professional experience (minimum 2–5 years) in the healthcare-policy environment, for example:
In ministries or parliaments
At associations, think tanks or political organisations
In consultancies or agencies, or in the pharmaceutical industry
Foundational knowledge of the German healthcare system and of current pharmaceutical-policy issues
Interest in market access, reimbursement and regulatory topics (AMNOG, G-BA, pharmaceutical pricing)
Personal and methodological competencies
Strong communication and networking skills, and genuine enjoyment of active relationship building
A confident presence with political stakeholders and internal counterparts
Analytical thinking, a structured working style and the ability to present complex political matters clearly
Initiative, willingness to…