Director - Government Affairs and Public Policy

Director – Government Affairs and Public Policy, One India Hub

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world.

Position Summary

The Director – Government Affairs and Public Policy leads the Corporate Affairs strategy for the One India Hub, integrating government affairs, public policy advocacy, and reputation management.  Accountable for translating policy, regulatory, and political developments into decision‑ready insights, and for executing high‑impact new initiatives, campaigns, and events with partners. This is a people manager role accountable for strategy, delivery excellence, and enterprise impact in a matrixed environment.

Core Responsibilities

1. Corporate Affairs & Public Policy Leadership

• Lead Corporate Affairs for the One India Hub across government affairs, policy/advocacy, and reputation/trust building.

• Represent the organization in priority healthcare and pharma policy forums (national and state).
• Monitor and interpret policy/regulatory developments; anticipate risks and advise leaders on engagement and mitigation.
• Build senior relationships across PMO; MoHFW; DoP; DBT; regulators; NITI Aayog; NPPA; ICMR; NIPER; and key states (Telangana, Sikkim, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan), plus patient groups and opinion leaders.
• Manage senior global leadership visits to India to deliver strategic outcomes and partnerships.

2. Policy Intelligence, Strategic Advisory & Decision Enablement

• Track and synthesize policy, regulatory, and parliamentary developments across innovation, access, pricing, IP, and trade.

• Prepare leaders for high‑stakes engagements (Ministers, senior officials, regulators, and global executives) with crisp briefs, issue notes, and presentations.
• Build team capability in research and executive writing; translate complex issues into clear notes, conclusions, and concise decks under tight timelines.
• Operate with agility in dynamic environments, bringing a solution‑oriented, collaborative mindset

3. High‑Impact Initiatives, Campaigns & External Platforms

• Lead flagship initiatives, events, awards and platforms aligned to enterprise priorities.

• Design and execute integrated policy, advocacy, thought‑leadership, and reputation campaigns.
• Partner with think tanks, research institutions, agencies, and industry/trade associations to deliver credible, outcome‑oriented impact.
• Engage multilaterals/international platforms as needed to support India policy narratives and partnerships.
• Manage complex, large‑scale projects end‑to‑end in time‑critical, high‑pressure environments.

4. People Leadership, Governance & Compliance

• Lead, coach, and develop a high‑performing Corporate Affairs team, setting clear expectations and role‑modelling Lilly values and compliance standards.
• Ensure strict adherence to all applicable laws, regulations, and company policies.
• Make informed resource and budget decisions aligned to business and operating plans.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and delivery discipline in a matrixed environment.

Qualifications & Experience

• Master’s degree required; advanced degree in public/health policy, economics, or related field preferred.

• Prior work experience in industry bodies and top‑tier professional services firms (e.g., Big Four) preferred, particularly in policy, regulatory, or strategic advisory contexts.
• 15+ years in Corporate/Government Affairs, including 4+ years people leadership.
• Experience in multinational, matrixed landscapes.
• Strong knowledge of the Indian healthcare and pharmaceutical ecosystem.

Critical Skills & Capabilities

• Enterprise and strategic mindset with strong decision‑support capability
• Exceptional written and verbal articulation skills, with strong executive presence and the ability to engage credibly with senior leadership.
• Proven capability to deliver high‑impact initiatives and campaigns through partner and agency collaboration
• Strong influencing skills across senior internal and external stakeholders
• High integrity, compliance orientation, and comfort with ambiguity and change

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form (https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Lilly does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.

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Experience Level

Executive Level