Senior Public Affairs Opinion Writer (PART TIME)

About USP U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) is an independent scientific organization that collaborates with the world’s leading health and science experts to develop rigorous quality standards for medicines, dietary supplements, and food ingredients. USP is committed to fairness, integrity, and global collaboration, driven by a core value of Passion for Quality and supported by more than 1,300 professionals across twenty global locations. Brief Job Overview Position: Senior Public Affairs Opinion Writer (part‑time, 20 hours per week). Schedule: Monday‑Thursday, 5 hrs/day with two onsite days in Rockville, MD and two remote days. Why You Can Make an Impact As part of our mission to advance scientific rigor and public health standards, you will play a vital role in increasing global access to high‑quality medicines through public standards and related programs. USP prioritizes scientific integrity, regulatory excellence, and evidence‑based decision making. As a Senior Public Affairs Opinion Writer, You Will Proactively scan the policy, regulatory, and public‑health landscape to identify emerging issues that align with USP focus areas. Establish a steady, reliable cadence of high‑quality editorial content that advances USP’s point of view. Bring greater consistency and clarity to how USP tells its story across issues, initiatives, and channels. Support proactive editorial planning and reactive writing needs during fast‑moving policy or issue moments. Persuade and help influential audiences understand, engage with, and support USP’s perspectives on relevant priorities. Develop content that is credible, insight‑rich, and compelling enough to be referenced by policymakers, regulatory bodies, trade associations, think tanks, and influencers. Key Responsibilities Editorial Content Development Propose and shape thought leadership themes and content based on what influential policymakers, regulators, and global health leaders need to understand. Write and edit a wide range of public affairs and thought leadership content, including bylines, op‑eds, blogs, LinkedIn posts, talking points, presentations, and executive remarks. Develop supporting public affairs materials such as backgrounders, FAQs, and issue briefs, as needed. Strategy & Editorial Planning Partner closely with External Communications and Global External Affairs leaders to drive editorial strategy for key policy issues. Build and maintain an editorial calendar, proactively pitching topics and story ideas aligned with advocacy and thought leadership priorities. Balance proactive content planning with the ability to respond quickly to emerging issues or short‑turn requests. Stakeholder & SME Engagement Regularly interview internal subject matter experts and review source materials to extract clear, compelling narratives. Navigate review and approval processes involving legal, regulatory, policy, scientific, and executive stakeholders. Incorporate appropriate feedback while maintaining clarity, neutrality, and narrative coherence. Quality, Consistency & Governance Ensure content aligns with USP’s brand narrative, voice, and tone. Apply sound judgment in communications, avoiding overstatement and maintaining accuracy and balance. Manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast‑paced environment with competing priorities. Who is USP Looking For? Experience & Background 7+ years of experience as a writer in public affairs, corporate issues, government, or reputable news service, with a focus on highly scrutinized industries such as healthcare, life sciences, policy, or energy. Experience writing about policy, regulatory, or scientific issues related to public health, pharmaceuticals, medicine quality, or supply chain resiliency is strongly preferred. Core Skills Exceptional writing and editing skills; able to write under ambiguity and shift tone, issue framing, and point of view as needed. Mastery of executive-level voice and intent; strong interviewing and synthesis skills. Excellent judgment in navigating nuance and accuracy for policy‑sensitive content. Strong stakeholder management skills and comfort navigating complex review processes. Ability to manage multiple topics and deadlines in a fast‑paced environment. Working Style & Collaboration Strategist mindset: anticipating narrative needs and identifying opportunities to shape external conversations before they arise. Works closely with colleagues across policy, regulatory, scientific, and executive functions. Strong sense of urgency and editorial judgment, paired with a deep understanding of broader communications strategy. Curiosity, flexibility, and the ability to operate in both planned and reactive environments. Additional Desired Preferences Self‑directed thinker who thrives on ambiguity and proactively finds clarity. Builder of ideas who connects dots, not just words. Experience supporting advocacy, public affairs, or thought leadership campaigns. Comfort working across multiple issue areas simultaneously. Ability to balance strategic understanding with hands‑on execution. Supervisory Responsibilities None, this is an individual contributor role. Benefits USP provides comprehensive benefits, including company‑paid time off, healthcare options, and retirement savings plans, to protect the personal and financial well‑being of employees and their families. Compensation Base Salary Range: USD $127,102.00 – $156,550.00 annually. Target Annual Bonus: % varies based on level of role. Individual compensation packages are based on factors unique to each candidate’s skill set, experience, qualifications, equity, and other job‑related reasons. Note: This base salary range is reflective of full‑time hours and will be calculated accordingly for part‑time. Equal Opportunity Employer Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities. This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor. Job Category Ext. Affairs, Regulatory, & Communications Job Type Part‑Time #J-18808-Ljbffr BioSpace