Therapeutic Area Policy Director (South San Francisco)

Policy Director

The Therapeutic Area Policy team is seeking a strategic, forward-thinking Policy Director to shape the product-level healthcare policy landscape and optimize patient access across a diverse portfolio. Working at the intersection of business and policy strategy for key Genentech therapeutic areas, you will catalyze and collaborate seamlessly across Commercial, Medical, and Government Affairs teams to navigate and influence evolving Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial payer coverage and access policiesensuring that life-changing innovation successfully reaches the patients who need it most.

In this role, your core focus will span:

• In-Line Excellence: Leading policy and reimbursement strategy for our world-class Oncology portfolio
• Pipeline Readiness: In partnership with External Affairs, proactively shaping the policy environment for innovative new therapies in emerging areas such as, but not limited to, Alzheimer's Disease and obesity
• IRA Strategic Leadership: Spearheading cross-functional business impact assessments and driving strategic readiness in response to key drug pricing policies under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)

Key Responsibilities/Accountabilities

• Strategic Policy Leadership: Proactively monitor and evaluate the business impact of evolving federal and state policy trends and reimbursement changes across assigned therapeutic areas. Translate complex policy developments and market barriers into actionable policy strategies and clear, high-impact recommendations for internal stakeholders and senior leaders.
• Business Thought Partnership & Influence: Maintain a deep understanding of therapeutic area-specific market dynamics and brand priorities across the lifecycle. Partner with brand leadership to clearly articulate policy risks, opportunities, and trade-offs to inform critical business decision-making.
• External Engagement & Advocacy: In close alignment with External Affairs partners, lead strategic engagements with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), other government agencies, and third-party policy stakeholders to shape policy environments that optimize patient access to Genentech products.
• Cross-Functional Execution: Champion and lead seamless cross-functional collaboration with internal partners (e.g, External Affairs, Access Business Partners, Marketing, Evidence for Access) to align, pull through, and execute therapeutic area policy objectives, including, but not limited to, advancing evidence generation strategies and patient partnerships to amplify policy advocacy.
• IRA Business Strategy Leadership: Steer the cross-functional Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Work Product Team (WPT); lead enterprise-wide readiness, business impact assessments in partnership with Digital, Data, and Analytics (DDA), and drive the continued strategic integration of IRA drug pricing policy considerations into commercial, pipeline, and product lifecycle decision-making.
• Peer Coaching & Mentorship: Serve as a trusted mentor and coach across the Therapeutic Area Policy (TAP) and wider Policy, Evidence, and Access Strategy (PEAS) teams; actively support the professional development of other team members, foster a culture of continuous learning, and elevate the team's collective strategic capabilities.

Key Competencies

• Technical Expertise: Extensive knowledge of federal and state regulatory processes, including Medicare and Medicaid coverage, coding, and payment policies. Demonstrated ability to navigate the intersection of public policy and commercial markets, including how commercial healthcare payment and delivery trends impact public payers and vice versa.
• Therapeutic Area Expertise: Experience in Alzheimer's Disease, Obesity, and/or Oncology is highly preferred, though not required.
• Strategic Agility: Proven ability to navigate ambiguity and develop creative policy levers that clear complex market barriers, while clearly outlining strategic trade-offs and mitigation plans for senior leadership.
• Effective Communication: Advanced ability to synthesize complex policy developments and market access insights into clear, actionable narratives. Proven expertise in tailoring communication styles across diverse stakeholder groups and delivering persuasive, data-driven presentations to senior management.
• Influencing and Inspiring: Ability to lead large cross-functional teams, manage internal stakeholders, and influence at very senior levels. A track record of building trust and driving alignment across diverse internal teams and external partners.

Who You Are

• You have a Bachelor's degree
• You have at least 10 years of relevant post-college healthcare policy experience. Examples include government agencies such as HHS, CMS, State Medicaid Agencies, CBO, OMB, GAO, or FDA; Congress; healthcare consulting firms; pharmaceutical, biotechnology, managed care or other healthcare industries; or patient, provider or trade associations.
• Ability to travel up to 20% of the time (more if remote or not near SSF or DC offices)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in biological sciences, health policy, or related field
• Experience working at CMS, directly with HHS on healthcare policy, or as Congressional health policy staff

The preferred location for this role is at our Genentech offices in South San Francisco, CA, or Washington, DC. However, remote flexibility may be considered for qualified candidates outside these areas.

Relocation assistance is not offered on this posting.

The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of South San Francisco, CA is $184,100/yr to $341,900/yr. Actual pay will be determined based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job-related factors permitted by law. A discretionary annual bonus may be available based on individual and Company performance. This position also qualifies for the benefits detailed at the link provided below.

Genentech is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy and practice to employ, promote, and otherwise treat any and all employees and applicants on the basis of merit, qualifications, and competence. The company's policy prohibits unlawful discrimination, including but not limited to, discrimination on the basis of Protected Veteran status, individuals with disabilities status, and consistent with all federal, state, or local laws.