Head of Corporate Affairs, USA

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United As One for Patients, our purpose in Healthcare is to help create, improve and prolong lives. We develop medicines, intelligent devices and innovative technologies in therapeutic areas such as Oncology, Neurology and Fertility. Our teams work together across 6 continents with passion and relentless curiosity in order to help patients at every stage of life. Joining our Healthcare team is becoming part of a diverse, inclusive and flexible working culture, presenting great opportunities for personal development and career advancement across the globe.
This role does not offer sponsorship for work authorization. External applicants must be eligible to work in the US.
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is seeking a strategic, business-minded leader to head Corporate Affairs in the United States. In this role, you will help the company anticipate and shape the political and regulatory environment across Healthcare, Life Science, and Electronics—bringing teams together around a clear, coordinated voice and an agenda grounded in business impact.
You will advise US business leaders, represent the company with key external stakeholders, and focus resources on the policy issues that matter most to our businesses, customers, and operating environment.
This is a senior US leadership role in Corporate Affairs, reporting to the Head of Corporate Affairs. You will be accountable for the performance and results of the US Corporate Affairs sub-function and will lead cross-sector advocacy in close partnership with colleagues across Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
Your Role
Develop and deliver the US Corporate Affairs strategy, aligned with business priorities and the evolving political and regulatory environment.
Coordinate engagement across Healthcare, Life Science, and Electronics so Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany presents a joined-up perspective to US stakeholders.
Serve as a senior Corporate Affairs partner to US business leadership, translating priorities into a focused advocacy agenda and actionable recommendations.
Represent the company with federal and state policymakers, regulators, government agencies, industry associations, and other relevant stakeholders.
Lead engagement on priority issues affecting market access, pricing, operations, research, supply chains, trade, investment, and reputation.
Apply a value-at-stake approach: connect policy developments to business impact, identify opportunities and risks, and direct resources to the issues with the greatest potential impact.
Turn sector priorities and geopolitical analysis into practical US engagement plans, scenarios, and recommendations for leadership.
Monitor political, regulatory, economic, and geopolitical developments and assess their implications for Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany’s businesses and reputation.
Build and sustain effective networks with policymakers, regulators, industry associations, think tanks, research institutions, and coalition partners.
Contribute to annual strategy updates and relevant risk and Group strategy processes.
Lead and develop the US Corporate Affairs team, setting clear objectives and roles, coaching colleagues, supporting performance and capability development, and managing the team budget.
Work closely with Corporate Affairs colleagues across regions and sectors, as well as experts in areas such as market access, R&D, regulatory affairs, supply chain, trade compliance, legal and intellectual property, communications, finance, and security.
How success will be measured
You will help strengthen the quality and relevance of the US value-at-stake strategy, improve coordination across sectors, and provide timely, decision-useful political and regulatory insight. Success also means earning leadership’s confidence in Corporate Affairs recommendations, building effective stakeholder relationships, advancing priority policy outcomes, and developing an engaged, capable team.
Who You Are
Minimum Requirements:
A graduate degree or equivalent in political science, law, economics, international relations, public policy, or a related discipline.
Minimum12 yea