Executive Director, State Government Affairs

Career Category

Job Description

Join Amgen’s Mission of Serving Patients

At Amgen, if you feel like you are a part of something bigger, it’s because you are. Our shared mission—to serve patients living with serious illnesses—drives all that we do. Since 1980, we’ve helped pioneer the world of biotech in our fight against the world’s toughest diseases. With our focus on four therapeutic areas –Oncology, Inflammation, General Medicine, and Rare Disease– we reach millions of patients each year. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline of medicines to treat cancer, heart disease, inflammatory conditions, rare diseases, and obesity and obesity-related conditions. As a member of the Amgen team, you’ll help make a lasting impact on the lives of patients as we research, manufacture, and deliver innovative medicines to help people live longer, fuller happier lives. Our award-winning culture is collaborative, innovative, and science based. If you have a passion for challenges and the opportunities that lay within them, you’ll thrive as part of the Amgen team. Join us and transform the lives of patients while transforming your career.

What you will do

Let’s do this. Let’s change the world. In this vital role you will lead the State Government Affairs function across a 25-state Eastern region, while driving execution and shaping enterprise-wide state strategy in partnership with the AVP, overseeing a team of four regionally based state lobbyists and setting legislative and policy strategy aligned with Amgen’s enterprise priorities. The Executive Director directs complex, multistate advocacy strategies across diverse political and regulatory environments.The Executive Director, Government Affairs partners closely with the Associate Vice President to shape state lobbying and policy direction, including execution strategy, amendment development, and mitigation planning. They lead the execution of the State Government Affairs policy portfolio nationwide, managing dedicated state policy headcount and supporting enterprise state policy priorities impacting Amgen across all 50 states and Puerto Rico. The ED oversees the state policy budget and serves as a primary representative of Amgen in external policy forums, including trade association policy workgroups and the PhRMA State Policy Section.

Responsibilities include:

• Provides senior level leadership and strategic guidance for government affairs engagement supporting six Amgen manufacturing and operational sites, partnering with local and state officials to resolve complex site-specific legislative, regulatory, and political challenges

• Oversees Amgen’s state-level corporate political contributions budget, ensuring compliance, strategic balance, and alignment with enterprise objectives and reputational considerations

• Collaborates extensively with Federal Affairs, Law, Corporate Affairs, Alliance Development, and cross-functional partners to develop, align, and advance Amgen’s policy positions across diverse state markets. Embeds a culture of collaboration, accountability, and enterprise mindset within the team

• Prioritizes and allocates resources across states based on business impact and policy risk, ensuring effective support for Amgen’s RAE team and Medicaid access objectives

• Advises senior leadership, including the AVP of SGA, SVP of GGA&P, and CEO staff, and prepares executive-level briefings

• Serves as one of Amgen’s senior representatives to the PhRMA State Section, contributing to Section meetings and development of PhRMA’s strategy across 50 states

What we expect of you

We are all different, yet we all use our unique contributions to serve patients. The professional we seek is a leader with these qualifications.

Basic Qualifications:

• Doctorate degree & 6 years of government affairs, public policy, or multi-state advocacy experience OR

• Master’s degree & 10 years of government affairs, public policy, or multi-state advocacy experience OR

• Bachelor’s degree & 12 years of government affairs, public policy, or multi-state advocacy experience AND

• 6 years of managerial experience directly managing people and/or leadership experience leading teams, projects, programs or directing the allocation of resources

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience managing budgets, resources, and cross-functional initiatives

• Experience leading complex, multi-state legislative and policy strategies across diverse political environments

• Ability to operate as a subject matter expert and advisor to senior leadership

• Experience managing political contribution strategies and ensuring compliance

• External presence in trade associations and policy forums

• Experience supporting government affairs strategies tied to manufacturing or operational site priorities

• Ability to influence enterprise decision-making and drive cross-functional alignment

What you can expect of us

As we work to develop treatments that take care of others, we also work to care for your professional and personal growth and well-being. From our competitive benefits to our collaborative culture, we’ll support your journey every step of the way.The expected annual salary range for this role in the U.S. (excluding Puerto Rico) is $271,506 to $367,332. Actual salary will vary based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant skills, experience, and qualifications. In addition to the base salary, Amgen offers a Total Rewards Plan, based on eligibility, comprising of health and welfare plans for staff and eligible dependents, financial plans with opportunities to save towards retirement or other goals, work/life balance, and career development opportunities that may include:

• Comprehensive employee benefits package, including a Retirement and Savings Plan with generous company contributions, group medical, dental and vision coverage, life and disability insurance, and flexible spending accounts

• A discretionary annual bonus program, or for field sales representatives, a sales-based incentive plan

• Stock-based long-term incentives

• Award-winning time-off plans and bi-annual company-wide shutdowns

• Flexible work models where possible. Refer to the Work Location Type in the job posting to see if this applies

As an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for people around the world, Amgen fosters an inclusive environment of diverse, ethical, committed and highly accomplished people who respect each other and live the Amgen values to continue advancing science to serve patients. Together, we compete in the fight against serious disease. Amgen is an Equal Opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other basis protected by applicable law.We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information. Amgen does not have an application deadline for this position; we will continue accepting applications until we receive a sufficient number or select a candidate for the position. Sponsorship for this role is not guaranteed.

Salary Range