Role Summary
The Director, State Policy & Government Relations, reports to the State Policy Team lead and is responsible for leading a defined portfolio of state policy priorities and government relations responsibilities in Iowa, Minnesota, and any other states identified by SPGR leadership.
The state policy responsibilities include developing and supporting implementation of coordinated national policy positions and strategies that align with business and enterprise-wide objectives; act as a single point of accountability and enterprise-wide subject matter expert (SME) for a portfolio of state policy issues; responsible for developing policy platforms on priority policy issues, including collateral for external facing colleagues such as policy principles, legislative language, backgrounders, talking points, research summaries, comments letters, and testimony; responsible for analyzing, forecasting, and communicating the short- and long-term implications of changes in the state legislative and regulatory landscape to internal stakeholders, including business units, enabling functions, and senior leaders; develop and implement strategies to generate new policy evidence through contracted resources, including consulting firms and academics, to support Pfizer’s priority policy issues; participate in key trade association work groups; and represent Pfizer externally with multi-stakeholder policy coalitions, in forums related to key policy issues, and at legislative hearings.
The government relations responsibilities include developing strategies to favorably influence the policy environment in Iowa, Minnesota, and any other states identified by SPGR leadership; collaborating and coordinating with colleagues in U.S. Policy and Government Relations, including Policy, Alliance Development, Public Affairs, Federal Policy and Government Relations, and BU Policy and Public Affairs, as well as with the broader Corporate Affairs organization; engaging with external collaborators, including, but not limited to, trade and business associations, to drive Pfizer’s policy objectives; developing and implement strategies to impact state policymakers, regulators, and other government officials, opinion leaders, and the public at large about issues related to Pfizer and the pharmaceutical industry.
Primary Responsibilities
State Policy Responsibilities (Approximately 50%)
- Serve as the enterprise-wide subject matter expert and point of accountability for a designated portfolio of state policy issues.
- Develop and support implementation of coordinated state policy positions and strategies that align with business and enterprise objectives.
- Analyze, forecast, and communicate the short- and long-term implications of legislative and regulatory developments impacting Pfizer, patients, providers, and the healthcare policy environment.
- Develop policy principles, legislative language, backgrounders, research summaries, comment letters, testimony drafts, and talking points to support internal decision-making and field government relations needs.
- Coordinate across Business Units, Legal, Public Affairs, Federal Policy, Market Access, and other functions to ensure enterprise alignment on assigned policy priorities.
- Identify opportunities to generate policy evidence and support development of research and analysis that informs enterprise policy objectives.
- Lead or support participation in policy-focused trade association workgroups and policy development initiatives related to assigned issue areas.
State Government Relations Responsibilities (Approximately 50%)
- Responsible for the overall monitoring of state government legislation and regulations that impact Pfizer policy priorities in assigned geography, which includes Iowa and Minnesota and possible other states as determined by USPGR leadership.
- Identify and analyze emerging political and policy issues in assigned geography.
- Develop, implement, and execute lobbying strategies tailored to support Pfizer’s policy priorities.
- Collaborate with all relevant Pfizer colleagues, contract lobbyists, and third-party stakeholders to implement a sustained course of action to achieve legislation and regulatory objectives.
- Supervise all outreach and communication directed at state and local policymakers.
- Supervise Pfizer grassroots and political action programs designed to influence the public policy environment in assigned geography. Maximize impact of Pfizer’s grassroots capabilities and PAC activities in assigned geography.
- Maximize impact of advocacy and public affairs efforts in assigned states by working with Advocacy and Public Affairs colleagues and other internal and external groups.
- Plan and manage a budget while operating within established guidelines.
Basic Qualifications
Candidate demonstrates a breadth of diverse leadership experiences and capabilities including: the ability to influence and collaborate with peers, develop and coach others, oversee and guide the work of other colleagues to achieve meaningful outcomes and create business impact.
- Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
- Minimum of 8 years of experience required in state policy or related function with Bachelor’s degree; 7+ years of experience with masters/MBA; 5+ years of experience with PhD, JD or PharmD
- Significant experience in state healthcare policy and state government relations.
- Demonstrated ability to analyze legislative and regulatory proposals and translate them into practical business and policy recommendations.
- Strong understanding of state governmental processes, healthcare policy, and political environments.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including experience drafting policy materials and executive-level communications.
- Ability to build effective working relationships with internal stakeholders, trade association partners, policymakers, regulators, and legislative staff.
- Ability to manage multiple policy and state issue priorities across numerous jurisdictions simultaneously.
Preferred Qualifications
- Demonstrated experience in both state policy strategy and analysis and state government relations.
- Experience developing policy strategies and translating legislative and regulatory analysis into clear, actionable recommendations for internal and external stakeholders.
- Experience engaging directly with policymakers, regulators, trade associations, and other external stakeholders to advance policy and government relations objectives.
- Ability to operate effectively across both policy development and state-level advocacy, including managing multiple issues and jurisdictions.
Other Job Details:
- Last Date to Apply for Job: October 8th, 2026.
- NOT eligible for Relocation Package
- Locations: Iowa - remote or Minnesota - remote
- Travel expectations: 50% of the time
- Ability to operate a Pfizer company car
#LI-PFE
The annual base salary for this position ranges from $176,600.00 to $294,300.00. In addition, this position is eligible for participation in Pfizer’s Global Performance Plan with a bonus target of 20.0% of the base salary and eligibility to participate in our share based long term incentive program. We offer comprehensive and generous benefits and programs to help our colleagues lead healthy lives and to support each of life’s moments. Benefits offered include a 401(k) plan with Pfizer Matching Contributions and an additional Pfizer Retirement Savings Contribution, paid vacation, holiday and personal days, paid caregiver/parental and medical leave, and health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage. Learn more at Pfizer Candidate Site – U.S. Benefits | (uscandidates.mypfizerbenefits.com). Pfizer compensation structures and benefit packages are aligned based on the location of hire. The United States salary range provided does not apply to Tampa, FL or any location outside of the United States.
This role is posted in multiple locations. If you are applying for the role in an secondary job posting location where pay transparency regulations apply, your Talent Advisor will share the local pay information with you during the first interview.
Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility.
Candidates must be authorized to be employed in the U.S. by any employer.
U.S. work visa sponsorship (such as TN, O-1, H-1B, etc.) is not available for this role now or in the future.
Sunshine Act
Pfizer reports payments and other transfers of value to health care providers as required by federal and state transparency laws and implementing regulations. These laws and regulations require Pfizer to provide government agencies with information such as a health care provider’s name, address and the type of payments or other value received, generally for public disclosure. Subject to further legal review and statutory or regulatory clarification, which Pfizer intends to pursue, reimbursement of recruiting expenses for licensed physicians may constitute a reportable transfer of value under the federal transparency law commonly known as the Sunshine Act. Therefore, if you are a licensed physician who incurs recruiting expenses as a result of interviewing with Pfizer that we pay or reimburse, your name, address and the amount of payments made currently will be reported to the government. If you have questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact your Talent Acquisition representative.
EEO & Employment Eligibility
Pfizer is committed to equal opportunity in the terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability or veteran status. Pfizer also complies with all applicable national, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act and IRCA. Pfizer is an E-Verify employer. This position requires permanent work authorization in the United States.
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Public Affairs & Communication