Homeoffice (Associate) Director, Patient Advocacy and Public Policy EMEA en ArGENX

Join argenx
At argenx, we build our culture from the collective power of the team and the knowledge that together, we are better. If you are entrepreneurial, curious and committed to make a difference for patients and thrive on creating solutions for rare autoimmune diseases, then argenx is for you.
Next to a competitive salary with extensive benefits, we offer you the chance to grow and be a part of a team driven by purpose, creativity, innovation and science.

argenx
argenx is a fast-growing global immunology company committed to improving the lives of people suffering from severe autoimmune diseases. Thanks to colleagues based in Europe, the United States and Japan, we translate immunology breakthroughs into a world-class portfolio of novel antibody-based medicines. 

For the expansion of our EMEA team, argenx is looking for a [Associate] Director, Patient Advocacy and Public Policy EMEA.

PURPOSE OF THE FUNCTION

Reporting to the Head of Patient Advocacy and Public Policy EMEA, the [Associate] Director Patient Advocacy & Public Policy, EMEA will join an integrated external function team within EMEA, composed of Patient Advocacy, Public Policy, Corporate Communication and Digital.

The [Associate] Director Patient Advocacy & Public Policy, EMEA will have three primary roles. At EMEA level, the [Associate] Director Patient Advocacy & Public Policy will be the EMEA Patient Advocacy Lead for CIDP and be in charge of developing and executing the CIDP Patient Advocacy across the EMEA Region. In addition, the [Associate] Director Patient Advocacy & Public Policy, EMEA will also be the Country Lead for all external affairs (patient advocacy, public policy and corporate communication) for Germany, Switzerland and Austria, working very closely with the Country Managers and Local Teams in those geographies.

The [Associate] Director Patient Advocacy & Public Policy, EMEA will develop and execute external affairs strategies in collaboration with the country teams and be responsible for the consistency of those strategies with the EMEA overall strategy and ensure alignment with the EMEA team and functional leads (Corporate Communication, Public Policy).  

Finally, the [Associate] Director Patient Advocacy & Public Policy, EMEA will contribute to driving excellence within the Patient Advocacy Function. The [Associate] Director Patient Advocacy & Public Policy, EMEA will be the point of contact for the Global Head of Patient Advocacy and represent the EMEA team in the Global Patient Advocacy Community (with a focus on CIDP). The [Associate] Director Patient Advocacy & Public Policy, EMEA will also be responsible for “across brand" Patient Programs, together with the gMG Director of Patient Advocacy. Finally, he/she will also be responsible with the execution of CIDP-focused Public Policy project and their roll-out across the region.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and implement the CIDP Patient Advocacy strategy in coordination with the EMEA PA,PP,COM team and with the Indication Strategy Team.

• Be responsible for the development and execution of 1-2 strategic initiative for EMEA, which can be rolled-out across the region and executed by different teams and functions

• Ensure the EMEA CIDP strategy can be easily rolled-out at country level by empowering and equipping Country Teams and EMEA colleagues. 

• Build relations with the CIDP Community across the region

• Develop and implement the SOP / ways of working for Patient Advocacy (Sponsorship & Grants, Patient Empowerment Programs etc.)

• Provide Patient Advocacy Expertise to the broader team (Corporate Communication, Public Policy, Digital) to maximize the impact of Patient Advocacy and Public Policy

• Develop and implement PA strategy and tactics in GER, Switzerland and Austria for gMG and CIDP and above brand, that is fully integrated in country plans

• Build strong relationships with PAO in GER, CH and AT and act as the primary point of contact for those groups. Where appropriate, collaborate with local medical team on key initiatives involving Patient Groups

• In collaboration with the Country Manager, support strategic engagement with priority stakeholders and build relationships

• Develop and implement external affairs strategy in Germany, Switzerland and Austria in collaboration with local teams

• Together with the Country Managers, be a representative of argenx externally with external stakeholders in those countries

• Coordinate very closely with EMEA leads ( EMEA Lead for gMG Patient Advocacy, EMEA Lead for Government Relations and EMEA Lead for Corporate Communication) to ensure alignment between national plans and overall EMEA strategy   

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Demonstrated ability to operate in a fast-paced, high-growth environment

• Experience in implementing Patient Advocacy and Public Policy strategies with clear business impact

• Demonstrated understanding and appreciation of current and future policy landscape, international/ institutions, patient groups and societies, specialized and general media, and international/European trade associations

• Highly analytical; uses data to support decisions; can clearly communicate complex ideas to diverse audiences and understand the market differences across the region

• Ability to influence without authority and develop relationships across disciplines 

• Work effectively in a small team environment and can roll up your sleeves to get things done

• Excellent written and oral communication skills; comfortable delivering presentations to a wide range of stakeholders

• Ability to work collaboratively and effectively together within cross-functional teams and networks

• Demonstrated communication skills, within a multi-cultural and multi-lingual global environment

• Is agile and demonstrates adaptability, comfort with ambiguity, trust-building, and resilience

• Derives energy from operating in a dynamic, complex, fast-moving, and frequently changing business environment

• Demonstrable experience with project management, proactive planning, priority setting, and securing alignment

• Drives toward outcomes

• Ambitious, inquisitive naturally, a quick study, with demonstrated eagerness to continuously learn, self-improve and develop. This includes being comfortable giving and receiving feedback in a diverse environment.

• Passionate and prepared to lead and contribute to our culture, which is driven by our corporate values of co-creation, innovation, empowerment, excellence, and humility.

• Likes to learn and transfer learnings into actions

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE

• 8-10 years’ experience in the development, management and execution of  patient advocacy or public policy program, either in-house or agency-side

• Biotech or pharma experience is required

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in related field

• Experience of the German Healthcare environment  is a must

• Demonstrated experience working at country level, with a focus on Germany, Switzerland and Austria

• Experience working at regional or global level highly-desired

• Experience as members of Brand Teams or similar is highly-desired

• Experience across all external affairs disciplines highly desired (Patient Advocacy, Public Policy, Corporate Communication)

• Experience in other function or expertise (access, medical, regulatory) is welcome

• Experience liaising with external agencies and consultants, and budget management

• Experience working cross-functionally spanning multiple regions

• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communications skills

•  attention to detail

• Strong written and oral communications skills

• Proactive and collaborative

• A self-starter with a sense of ownership of projects and a drive to deliver results

• Flexible and agile in a fast-paced environment and able to stay calm under pressure

OTHER

• 30-40 % TRAVEL REQUIRED

• Language required: German, English

• Lives preferably in Germany, Belgium or Switzerland