Director, Federal Government Affairs

Washington, DC, United States

Organization Overview

Founded in 1881, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) is the national trade association representing the leading manufacturers and marketers in the consumer healthcare industry with its core capabilities, including scientific and regulatory affairs, government affairs, and communications. CHPA is the leading voice fighting to ensure that Americans have access to beneficial over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, dietary supplements, and consumer medical devices they can count on to be reliable, save money and time, and deliver new and better ways to get and stay healthy. CHPA partners with its member companies to promote a more inclusive industry and to support a broader diversity, equity, and inclusion effort to ensure equity for CHPA’s staff and consumers in the United States.

CHPA fosters employee engagement and reward staff through challenging work, competitive compensation and benefits, flexible scheduling and time-off options, and opportunities to grow and develop professionally.

Position Summary

The Director, Federal Government Affairs, supports federal government affairs efforts by implementing congressional communications and legislative strategies. He/she identifies and analyzes federal and state legislation important to member companies and outside clients; drafts position papers, legislative summaries, and correspondence; tracks and maintains information on bills, congressional members and staff, lobbying campaigns, and Association members’ grassroots information; and develops and maintains relationships with Members of Congress, their staff, coalitions, and allied organizations. The Director position is also responsible for the operational management of the CHPA Political Action Committee.

Essential Functions

Collaborate with Vice President, Federal Government Affairs and others within the department in developing federal legislative strategy on key issues

Coordinate key federal legislation efforts, including materials development, meetings coordination, and outreach to member company representatives, Members of Congress, and congressional staff

Educate and inform Members of Congress and congressional staff on CHPA priorities through meetings, briefings, correspondence, and lobbying materials. Establish and promote relationships with Members of Congress and congressional staff

Support federal legislative dietary supplement issues, including staffing meetings with the dietary supplement trade association group

Assist and support member companies’ efforts to advance issues of importance to the consumer healthcare products industry.

Maintain comprehensive list of member company facility locations and employment footprint in congressional districts. Maintain relationships and communications with the Federal Government Affairs Committee

Manage CHPA Political Action Committee by overseeing day-to-day operations, maintaining the PAC account, ensuring FEC compliance (including preparing all filings), creating and administering solicitations, and preparing PAC materials as needed, such as current balances, contributions, receipts, and newsletters. Serve as staff lead for the Political Involvement Committee

Create and maintain all federal lobbying disclosure reports for the Association, including quarterly lobbying filings and semiannual contribution filings, and assist other Association employees with filing their reports.

Create and maintain library of Federal Government Affairs files, advocacy documents, analyses, news articles, and Hill materials necessary to advance the Association’s legislative priorities

Identify, analyze, and monitor pertinent and relevant legislation of importance to CHPA using resources such as CQ Roll Call, Politico, Congress Daily, and the National Journal. Draft summaries and side-by-side comparisons of key legislation and prepare articles on legislation for various Association newsletters.

Attend and report on committee hearings and markups related to CHPA key issues

Required Education and Work Experience

Bachelor’s degree and 6-8 years of related legislative and/or lobbying experience, with focus on healthcare issue

Solid understanding of federal and state legislative processes, ability to interpret legislation, and strong relationship and coalition building skills

Strong written and verbal communication skills to prepare policy documents

Excellent project management and organizational skills, preferably with experience filing lobbying and PAC reports

Skilled in MS Office and FECfile reporting software

Ability to work collaboratively with others and contribute to supportive working environment

Preferred Work Experience

Effective oral and written communications skills; capable of communicating scientific information clearly to a variety of audiences internally and externally.

Industry-specific experience related to development of products. A broad understanding across a wide range of medicines, medical devices and dietary supplements, including regulation, formulation and manufacturing.

Strong project management capabilities; strategy development, goal setting, consensus building; ability to understand individual member or organizational issues

Meetings management, including agenda development, meeting conduct and summarizing outcomes, up to 10 per week

Advocacy – effectively representing member views in various forums to influence positive outcomes

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands handle, type, or feel; and reach with hands and arms. This is largely a sedentary role however some filing is required. This would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets, and bend or stand on a stool, as necessary. This position requires the ability to occasionally lift office products and supplies up to 10 lbs.

Position Type/Exected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position. CHPA anticipates continuing its hybrid work environment (working remotely and in the office) indefinitely, however, the employee is required to be readily available to work several times a week in Washington, DC, based on the needs of this position. Some flexibility in hours is allowed, but the employee must be available during the “core” work hours of 10:00 am to 3:00 pm (EST) and must work at least 37.5 hours each week to maintain full-time status. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

Superviosry Duties

N/A

Travel (Estimated Time)

10%

EEO Statement

CHPA is stronger by working with people with a diverse set of backgrounds and perspectives. Consumer Healthcare Products Association is committed to equal employment opportunity and makes all employment-related decisions without regard to race, religion, color, national origin or ancestry, age, sex, disability, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, family responsibilities, personal appearance, political affiliation, matriculation, veteran or military status, union affiliation or any other categories protected by federal, state, or local law (the “Protected Categories”).