Vice President Government Affairs

For 75 years, Charles River employees have worked together to assist in the discovery, development and safe manufacture of new drug therapies. When you join our family, you will have a significant impact on the health and well-being of people across the globe. Whether your background is in life sciences, finance, IT, sales or another area, your skills will play an important role in the work we perform. In return, we’ll help you build a career that you can feel passionate about.Job OverviewBASIC SUMMARY:The VP of Federal Government Affairs will serve as a key advocate for the Charles River’s interests before federal policymakers, with a primary focus on drug development issues. This individual will develop and execute education and advocacy strategies, engage with congressional offices and federal agencies, manage third-party lobbyists, and help shape policy outcomes that support the Charles River's strategic objectives. The role requires strong policy acumen, exceptional relationship‑building abilities, and the capacity to translate complex business issues into clear and compelling public‑policy positions. The ideal candidate is a self-starter who thrives in a fast‑paced, highly collaborative environment and brings deep experience working within the federal legislative and regulatory landscape. The ideal candidate will blend visionary leadership with a hands-on approach to advance the organization's mission and shape critical legislative outcomes.Job DescriptionESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:Duty% of Time Spent (no less than 10%)Strategic Policy Development & Vision: Design and execute comprehensive federal government strategies that align with the organization's purpose and goals. Assess the impact of legislative or regulatory proposals, and establish short- and long-term policy priorities. Lead direct advocacy efforts with congressional staff, elected officials, and federal regulators on issues impacting Charles River25%Stakeholder Engagement & Coalition Building: Cultivate and maintain strategic relationships with key government officials, lawmakers, industry partners, and advocacy groups. Build and lead high-impact coalitions to amplify the organization's voice and drive consensus on critical policy issues. Monitors the legislative and regulatory environment and communicates developments to Charles RIver stakeholders20%Advocacy & Government Relations: Direct third-party lobbying activities and grassroots advocacy and education efforts to advance or oppose specific legislation and regulations. Prepare compelling testimony, policy briefs, and advocacy campaigns designed to influence policymakers and key regulatory bodies.20%Board Communication & Organizational Leadership: Serve as the primary subject matter expert on all federal issues and support the Chief Legal Officer and Chief Communications Officer in thier support of, and education to, the Board of Directors on these matters. Translate complex political, economic, and social issues into actionable updates, ensuring the board is informed of emerging risks and opportunities.15%Research Analysis & Impact: Oversee the data collection, research, and rigorous evaluation of public policy outcomes. Ensure all policy positions are backed by evidence and measure the effectiveness of advocacy initiatives to demonstrate value to stakeholders10%Budget & Resource Management: Develop and manage the annual budget for the public policy department. Allocate necessary resources for policy research, lobbying efforts, and public awareness campaigns while ensuring strict compliance with lobbying and financial disclosure regulations5%Stakeholders include Chief Communications Officer, Chief Scientific Officer, CEO.Compensation DataThe hiring range for this position in the US is $250,000/yr - $280,000/yr. Please note that salaries vary within the range based on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, certifications, location and any collective agreements, if applicable.Job RequirementsMINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:Education:Master’s degree in public policy, Political Science, Public Administration, Law or related field, or advanced scientific degrees in the field Experience: 10+ years of progressive experience in public policy, government relations, or legislative advocacy. Preferably in a publicly-traded company.An equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted as a satisfactory substitute for the specific education and experience listed above.Other:5+years in a senior leadership position or a position that interacts with Board of Directors and Executive Leadership roles.Deep understanding of local, state and federal legislative and regulatory processesProven track record of successfully building coalitions and influencing public policy outcomes.Exceptional written communications skills for drafting briefs, testimonies and board reportsStrong media literacy and experience serving as an official organizational spokespersonWORKPLACE REQUIREMENTS:Lives and located in Washington D.CAs a remote worker, has sufficient internet and technical infrastructure and a home-based location suitable for creating a professional environment for video conference calls. About Corporate Functions The Corporate Functions provide operational support across Charles River in areas such as Human Resources, Finance, IT, Legal, Sales, Quality Assurance, Marketing, and Corporate Development. They partner with their colleagues across the company to develop and drive strategies and to set global standards. The functions are essential to providing a bridge between strategic vision and operational readiness, to ensure ongoing functional innovation and capability improvement.About Charles RiverCharles River is an early-stage contract research organization (CRO). We have built upon our foundation of laboratory animal medicine and science to develop a diverse portfolio of discovery and safety assessment services, both Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and non-GLP, to support clients from target identification through preclinical development. Charles River also provides a suite of products and services to support our clients’ clinical laboratory testing needs and manufacturing activities. Utilizing this broad portfolio of products and services enables our clients to create a more flexible drug development model, which reduces their costs, enhances their productivity and effectiveness to increase speed to market.With over 20,000 employees within 110 facilities in over 20 countries around the globe, we are strategically positioned to coordinate worldwide resources and apply multidisciplinary perspectives in resolving our client’s unique challenges. Our client base includes global pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, government agencies and hospitals and academic institutions around the world. At Charles River, we are passionate about our role in improving the quality of people’s lives. Our mission, our excellent science and our strong sense of purpose guide us in all that we do, and we approach each day with the knowledge that our work helps to improve the health and well-being of many across the globe. We have proudly worked on 80% of the drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the past five years.We’re committed to providing benefits that elevate your quality of life. Based on your position these may include: bonus/incentives based on performance, 401K, paid time off, stock purchase program, Health and wellness coverage, employee and family wellbeing support programs, and work life balance flexibility.Equal Employment OpportunityCharles River is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, family status, pregnancy, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.It is unlawful in some states (including Massachusetts) to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.If you are interested in applying to Charles River Laboratories and need special assistance or an accommodation due to a disability to complete any forms or to otherwise participate in the resume submission process, please contact a member of our Human Resources team by sending an e-mail message to View email address on click.appcast.io. This contact is for accommodation requests for individuals with disabilities only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.For more information, please visit ID: 236418_en_USEmployment Type: ExemptJob Area: OperationsPosted Date: 28/09/2026