Sr. Director - State Government Affairs

Company: Eli Lilly and Company
Location: Richmond
Posted on: January 15, 2026

Job Description:

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world. Job Description The Senior Director is responsible for the development and implementation of Lilly’s state government affairs strategy with tight coordination with our Business Units. The role requires a combination of technical expertise and cross-functional leadership ability as a member of a team with varied strengths. You must be capable of making technical (business and legislative) decisions within the enterprise and with external entities. The Senior Director must have the experience to lead large-scale projects or campaigns with awareness of legislative and business risks. Your responsibilities include the relationship with public payer customers, and you function as a principal government affairs representative on behalf of Lilly with Governors, their cabinet and executive staff, state Legislatures, state regulatory agencies, and local elected officials. Responsible for Lilly’s state and local lobbying and regulatory work; support Lilly’s Federal office (in Washington, D.C.) by bringing to bear relationships with prominent members of the congressional delegation from states within your geography. Capable of providing and influencing decisions within the State Government Affairs (SGA) team and external partners on legislative issues that mesh with business objectives. Serve as the primary company representative regarding all company issues with the executive branch, the Legislature, regulatory agencies and local elected officials. Engage and influence biopharma industry trade associations on behalf of Lilly. Lead the activities of contract lobbying firms and/or public relations firms within the region. Develop and maintain relationships with key advocacy and business organizations that align with Lilly’s business and legislative objectives. Engage with civic and community organizations within the area. Analyze and anticipate changes to public and private business environment in areas of direct responsibility for multiple geographies. Identify trends and stay abreast of the external environment for issues and actions that could affect present and prospective business opportunities. Educate and develop voluntary Lilly PAC participation. Handle Lilly’s PAC and corporate political contributions (where legally allowed) in the region. Coordinate the in-state legislative activity by crafting tightly functioning state-specific alignment with Lilly’s business unit corporate affairs. Get results across multiple functions within Lilly and with external entities. Run a budget for the region. Basic Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in political science or related fields 10 years of experience in government affairs or related lobbying experience Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Lilly will not provide support for or sponsor work authorization and/or visas for this role. Additional Skills/Preferences Specialized knowledge of the legislative and regulatory process in multiple geographies Excellent communication and interpersonal skills Eye for business Ability to work across boundaries and networks Ability to lead in a sophisticated environment and to solve complex problems with broad impact on public policy and Lilly’s business Ability to lead through sensitive issues impacting the business Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form ( https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation ) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response. Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia Network, Black Employees at Lilly, Chinese Culture Network, Japanese International Leadership Network (JILN), Lilly India Network, Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), PRIDE (LGBTQ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN), Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL), enAble (for people with disabilities). Learn more about all of our groups. Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is $169,500 - $275,000 Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees. WeAreLilly

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