Senior Director, Federal Government Relations

Job Description

Job Summary

The Senior Director, Federal Government Relations, leads Walgreens' federal advocacy strategy and execution. This role serves as the company's senior federal advocate before Congress, the Executive Branch, and federal agencies and stakeholders. The Senior Director sets and executes the annual federal government relations agenda; translates federal policy developments into business strategy and action; and builds trusted relationships with policymakers, regulators, coalitions, trade associations, and internal business leaders. This role manages the federal government relations team and related resources and provides strategic leadership for the company's federal PAC and political programs. The position is based in and enhances Walgreens' Washington, D.C., presence.

In Addition:

• Sets and executes a disciplined, enterprise-wide federal government relations strategy aligned to Walgreens' business priorities, patient-access goals, and long-term growth. Develops the annual federal advocacy agenda, establish issue-specific strategies and objectives and assess progress and result.
• Leads direct advocacy before Congress, the Executive Branch, and federal agencies on legislative, regulatory, reimbursement and other issues affecting Walgreens and the retail pharmacy sector.
• Builds and sustains credible, bipartisan relationships with Members of Congress and staff, agency leaders and career officials, relevant committees and caucuses, coalitions, and other Washington, D.C., stakeholders, including think tanks and industry and political groups,
• Leads the federal government relations team, including hiring, performance management, coaching, development, and prioritization of work.
• Manages the federal government relations budget, external consultants, and advocacy partners, setting clear expectations and measuring performance and value.
• Provides strategic oversight of federal PAC and political programs, including alignment of political engagement with advocacy priorities and applicable legal requirements.
• Anticipates federal policy, political, and regulatory developments; assess business, operational, financial, customer, and reputational implications; and provide clear, timely recommendations to senior leadership and business partners.
• Prepares and oversees development of high-quality advocacy materials, including executive briefings, policy papers, testimony, comment letters, coalition materials, and external presentations.
• Represents Walgreens at relevant policy forums, trade associations, coalition meetings, and external events.
• Works cross-functionally and collaboratively with the Government Relations team and business to coordinate advocacy activities across states and between federal, state, and municipal governments.
• Based in Walgreens' Washington, D.C., office to maintain the in-person presence, relationships, and responsiveness this role requires with Congress, the Executive Branch, and other federal stakeholders.

Job Responsibilities

• Develops and executes, in collaboration with the Division VP, a comprehensive federal engagement strategy that represents the entirety of Walgreens' business. Plays a significant role in developing and executing Federal legislative strategies, monitors legislation and oversees corporate initiatives and community investment activities to achieve the Company goals and business objectives. Develops short and long-range strategies to manage critical federal issues.
• Builds effective working relationships with key members of Congress and staff. Collaborate on cross-functional leadership teams to develop company business policies and strategies for growing the business while maneuvering in a rapidly evolving competitive environment. Provides leadership and direction for diverse and complex functions.
• Contributes to the development of the organization's business strategy. Interprets business strategy and develops organizational objectives to align with this strategy.
• Builds brand awareness and developing relationships with a broad array of other Washington DC stakeholders, including think tanks and industry and political groups.
• Monitors federal legislation and regulation and independently analyze the impact on all of Walgreens' business including the identification of opportunities and risks; and effectively communicate those items to internal and external stakeholders timely.
• Develops and execute federal legislative and regulatory response strategies
• Provides input into and play a significant role in executing Walgreens' federal government affairs strategies and initiatives to achieve the company's policy goals and business objectives.
• Prepares collateral and support materials such as comment letters, policy papers, testimony, presentations, and advocacy memos.
• Maintains community affairs budget(s). Organizes and directs staff to assure prioritization and success with all market expansion projects and ensures the timely delivery of competitive intelligence information while also facilitating company responses to such information. May manage and train lobbyists.
• Works collaboratively with internal business units to advance business development and operational efficiency goals leveraging Government Affairs tools.
• Works with business units to mitigate competitive, contractual, brand and other risks as needed.
• Works with State/Federal Government Affairs teams to coordinate activities across states and between state and federal governments

About Walgreens
Founded in 1901, Walgreens ( has a storied heritage of caring for communities for generations, and proudly serves nearly 9 million customers and patients each day across its approximately 8,500 stores throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and leading omni-channel platforms. Walgreens has approximately 220,000 team members, including nearly 90,000 healthcare service providers, and is committed to being the first choice for retail pharmacy and health services, building trusted relationships that create healthier futures for customers, patients, team members and communities.

External Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and at least 8 years of experience working in Federal Government Affairs OR a High School Diploma and at least 11 years of experience working in Federal Government Affairs.
• Experience executing a successful Federal Government affairs program with a high degree of political sophistication.
• Experience working with the political process.
• Experience dealing with federal funding agency issues.
• Experience working in a political environment with a high degree of political sophistication, comprehensive understanding of the political process, and knowledge of the intricate relationships among elected officials and their constituents.
• Experience cultivating/maintaining relationships with federal elected officials, federal funding agency leadership and their staffs.
• At least 5 years of experience contributing to financial decisions in the workplace.
• At least 5 years of direct leadership, indirect leadership and/or cross-functional team leadership.
• Willing to travel up to/at least 20% of the time for business purposes (within state and out of state).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in healthcare, pharmacy, reimbursement, retail, consumer health, or another highly regulated industry.
• Experience in both a public-sector role and a corporate, trade association, or consulting government relations environment.
• Experience leading or supporting PAC, political, grassroots, or coalition programs in compliance with applicable law.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing federal legislative and regulatory advocacy strategies for a complex organization or sector.
• Established understanding of Congress, the federal policymaking and appropriates processes, executive-branch and agency engagement.
• Experience working in a political environment with a high degree of political sophistication; knowledge of the intricate relationships among elected officials and their constituents; and building and maintaining productive relationships with federal policymakers, congressional staff, agency officials, and external stakeholders.
• Advanced degree, including a J.D., M.P.P., M.P.H., M.B.A., PharmD, or related degree.
• Bachelor's degree and at least 8 years of experience federal government relations, public policy, a federal government role, a trade association, or a related advocacy environment;
• Willing to travel up to 20% of the time for business purposes (including within and outside the Washington, D.C. area).

We will consider employment of qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.


The Salary below is being provided to promote pay transparency and equal employment opportunities at Walgreens. The actual hourly salary within this range that you will be offered will depend on a variety of factors including geography, skills and abilities, education, experience and other relevant factors. This role will remain open until filled. To review benefits, please click here jobs.walgreens.com/benefits. If you are applying on a job board or unable to click on the link, please copy and paste this URL into your browser jobs.walgreens.com/benefits