Director, State Government Affairs

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at  Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

The Director, State Government Affairs is a strategic leader and central partner to AbbVie’s Government Affairs team, responsible for developing and executing comprehensive lobbying and advocacy strategies that actively shape state legislative and regulatory environments in support of AbbVie’s business and policy objectives. With AbbVie’s global headquarters located in Illinois, this role will serve as the lead representative for AbbVie across the state, engaging state and local policymakers in the state capital of Springfield, Chicago, and communities throughout Illinois, including Lake County. The position will also be responsible for states across the Midwest region as assigned.

This role anticipates and responds to state policy trends, collaborates with internal business partners and Government Affairs colleagues and works in collaboration with the Strategic Alliances leader and Policy teams to engage external national and state alliances to create a robust political and policy environment that fosters continued medical innovation, patient access, and AbbVie’s long-term success. Rigorous compliance with all state lobbying and campaign finance laws and regulations.

Responsibilities

• Represent AbbVie’s Illinois headquarters and lead strategic business relationships and advancing enterprise priorities across key state and local government, economic development and community stakeholders. This role will help shape and execute AbbVie’s state and local engagement strategy to support business objectives, strengthen AbbVie’s presence in Illinois, and foster an operating environment that enables long-term growth, innovation, and impact.
• Set the lobbying and advocacy strategy to shape state legislative and regulatory activity, including direct engagement with policymakers, regulators, third-party groups, and coalitions. Assess the state political and public policy environment to determine where action is advisable, make recommendations on AbbVie’s approach, and manage internal expectations regarding legislative and regulatory impacts. Represent AbbVie in matters impacting the company, proactively evaluate legislation and regulations, and assess opportunities and threats to AbbVie’s interests.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with state policymakers and regulators, including Governors, Lieutenant Governors, Attorneys Generals, State Legislatures and Local officials in the selected region and with external stakeholders to advance AbbVie’s state policy goals.
• Engage and partner with internal and external stakeholders to support AbbVie’s U.S. site selection initiatives. This includes evaluating site opportunities, coordinating regional engagement, and positioning AbbVie effectively with state and local economic development officials to enable future investment and expansion.
• Collaborate with the U.S. Strategic Alliances Director to provide state legislative and political expertise, supporting the development and execution of comprehensive policy advocacy strategies in partnership with state and local stakeholders to advance AbbVie’s goals across state capitals.
• Be a strategic business partner with cross-functional internal business stakeholders – including Federal Government Affairs, U.S. Policy & Analytics, Commercial, Legal, Market Access, Corporate Affairs and Regional and District managers – within position’s assigned region - to leverage state advocacy strategies. Engage with these key business stakeholders and partner with the Government Affairs Therapeutic Area Strategies team to understand commercial objectives in order to develop creative legislative, regulatory, policy, and political solutions tailored to the position’s region to drive business objectives.
• Represent AbbVie at state legislative and political events, including leading state trade association task forces and coalitions and drive trade association action on key issues of importance to AbbVie. Develop engagement plans for key national groups affecting state policy and political initiatives. Work closely with Federal Government Affairs to manage the intersection of state and national politics, policy, lawmakers, and associations.
• Hire and manage outside consultants within region, including setting objectives, defining missions and ensuring execution in support of state legislative strategies.
• Develop and oversee the regional state government affairs budget to strategically allocate resources for state activities and initiatives, ensuring AbbVie’s goals are met.
• Ensure rigorous lobbying and political giving compliance of all legally required registrations for the corporation, staff and outside counsel within the position’s region.

• Strong executive presence necessary to engage effectively with high-profile stakeholders such as elected officials, executives and a variety of external constituencies; including ability to influence and navigate political landscape.
• Eight to ten years’ experience in lobbying, public administration, political party activity, legislative staff work, or related experience. Experience in health care industry or other highly regulated industry is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to master complex policy and legislative issues, think creatively, and develop innovative strategies and solutions. Possesses thorough knowledge of major state health programs—including Medicaid—and state finance and appropriations processes, as well as a deep understanding of private healthcare marketplace dynamics such as insurance, drug benefit plans, and key payer strategies (e.g., PBMs, pharmacies, employers, consumers).
• Ability to act independently and demonstrate sound business judgment within the scope of broad guidelines. Demonstrated ability to create and implement comprehensive GA strategies that include lobbying, association engagement, third party advocacy, media, and other Government Affairs tools that result in successful engagement of external groups and individuals.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking and interpersonal skills, the ability to speak and write persuasively and with clarity, strong organizational skills, flexibility and adaptability to changing requirements, resourcefulness and creativity, strong attention to detail, a proven track record of being able to work under deadlines and an ability to work collaboratively in a fluid organizational environment.
• Expertise in developing PowerPoint presentations for internal audiences, with a proven ability to translate complex policy issues into clear and engaging content for internal stakeholders, while ensuring meticulous attention to detail and consistency in messaging.
• Works well in a team environment and enjoys a collegial, yet highly demanding culture while effectively collaborating with business leaders and other internal stakeholders.
• Bachelor’s degree in related fields such as health care administration, political science, public administration or policy. Advance degree preferred.
• Candidates must also have comprehensive knowledge of all Microsoft Office applications.
• Domestic travel (40 percent) required.

Key Stakeholders 

Internally with US Area senior management, other members of the GA team across AbbVie and other relevant cross-function support functions. Externally with state officials including governors, legislators, staff and third-party groups.

Added: Has strong relationship across Illinois’ state and local policymakers.

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future. ​
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.​
• This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs. 

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.​

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community.  Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. 

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