Title:  Vice President, Head of Government Affairs, Princeton, NJ (Washington, DC)

Sun is a leading specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving patient outcomes through innovative and high-quality products. Our commitment to excellence and our focus on patient care drive our mission to transform healthcare and deliver value to our stakeholders.

At Sun Pharma we believe our people are an invaluable asset. Our culturally diverse workforce is one of our biggest strengths, along with the rich experience they bring across varied skill-sets. We are proud that our global workforce is bound by our common values:
 
Humility. Integrity. Passion. Innovation.

Job Summary:

The Vice President, Government Sales & Government Affairs will lead the strategic direction, growth, and execution of the company’s government sales and contracting efforts, with a dedicated focus on the generic pharmaceutical industry. This individual will be responsible for establishing and expanding the company’s footprint in federal, state, and local government markets, including key agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Defense (DoD), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and other public health and procurement bodies.

A critical aspect of this role is the integration of government affairs, lobbying, and advocacy strategy to support favorable policy environments that facilitate market access and procurement. Experience working with DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) and strong existing contacts within DARPA will be essential for success in this position, particularly to support research collaboration, innovation funding opportunities, and procurement strategy for novel and generic therapies.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute the government sales and contracting strategy for generic pharmaceuticals, aligned with public sector purchasing trends and procurement vehicles (e.g., FSS, GSA Schedules).
• Identify and secure large-scale government contracts, including proposal development, pricing negotiations, and ongoing contract management with agencies such as the VA, DoD, CMS, and state Medicaid programs.
• Build and maintain high-impact relationships with government buyers, contracting officers, and healthcare procurement executives.
• Collaborate closely with regulatory, compliance, and legal teams to navigate the complexities of federal and state pharmaceutical contracting rules and regulations.
• Serve as the company's senior executive liaison for all lobbying and advocacy initiatives—develop and implement strategies to advance the company’s government policy priorities.
• Lead proactive policy engagement efforts with legislators, regulatory bodies, and industry coalitions to shape legislation and rules affecting the government purchase and reimbursement of generics.
• Monitor and influence relevant legislation, regulations, and agency initiatives impacting pricing, access, and procurement of generic pharmaceuticals.
• Represent the company in public forums including Congressional hearings, industry coalitions, and policy roundtables.
• Work cross-functionally with commercial, medical, and market access teams to develop value propositions tailored for the government sector.
• Partner with external lobbyists and policy consultants to execute advocacy strategies as needed.
• Administer the company’s Political Action Committee (PAC), coordinating fundraising and internal engagement.
• Lead, mentor, and scale a high-performance team focused on government sales and policy execution.
• Provide senior leadership with regular updates and insights on trends in government healthcare purchasing, legislative developments, and contracting opportunities.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Public Policy, Health Economics, or a related field; MBA, MPA, or JD preferred
• 15+ years of experience in government sales, business development, or policy in the pharmaceutical industry, ideally with a strong background in generic drug contracting
• Proven success in securing and managing federal and state pharmaceutical contracts, including pricing, compliance, and lifecycle management
• In-depth understanding of government procurement processes, drug pricing policy, public payer dynamics, and reimbursement mechanisms
• Minimum 5 years' experience in government affairs, including direct experience with lobbying, coalition-building, advocacy strategy, and legislative analysis
• Experience working with DARPA and established relationships with DARPA program managers or contacts in related defense innovation programs
• Strong relationships with key government stakeholders, including legislative staff, executive agencies, and policy influencers
• Deep knowledge of CMS, VA, DoD, and Medicaid policies relevant to generic pharmaceuticals
• Ability to register as a federal and/or state lobbyist (if applicable)
• Experience managing or advising PACs, advocacy efforts, and third-party lobbying firms
• High emotional intelligence, with the ability to build trust across commercial, legal, and policy teams
• Strong leadership, communication, and negotiation skills with a track record of successful team building

Actual base compensation may vary based on a number of factors, including but not limited to geographical location and experience. In addition, this position is part of the Annual Performance Bonus Plan, and may be eligible for the Long Term Incentive Plan. Employees are eligible to participate in Company employee benefit programs which include medical, dental and vision coverage; life insurance; disability insurance; 401(k) savings plan; flexible spending accounts; and the employee assistance program. Employees also receive various paid time off benefits, including vacation time and sick time.

The compensation and benefits described above are subject to the terms and conditions of any governing plans, policies, practices, agreements, or other materials or documents as in effect from time to time, including but not limited to terms and conditions regarding eligibility. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company, or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

Notice to Agency and Search Firm Representatives:

Sun Pharmaceuticals (Sun) is not accepting unsolicited resumes from agencies and/or search firms for this job posting. Resumes submitted to any Sun employee by a third party agency and/or search firm without a valid written & signed search agreement, will become the sole property of Sun. No fee will be paid if a candidate is hired for this position as a result of an unsolicited agency or search firm referral.