Public Affairs Manager & Patient Engagement Lead

In this dual role, you will serve as both Public Affairs Manager and Patient Engagement Lead. As Public Affairs Manager, you will build and execute advocacy strategies that influence the policies and processes determining patient access to life-changing medicines. As Patient Engagement Lead, you will lead a team of three Patient Engagement Managers, championing the voice of patient organisations and embedding their perspectives into our in- and external environment.
 
You'll report to the Head of Public Affairs and work alongside a broader team of seven managers across Public Affairs and Patient Engagement in the Netherlands. The role involves close collaboration with our Global Business Units (Specialty Care, Vaccines, and General Medicine), as well as Market Access and Medical colleagues. As part of Sanofi's North Europe operations, you'll also partner with teams in Belgium and Scandinavia.
 
About Sanofi:
We’re an R&D-driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people’s lives and delivering compelling growth. Our deep understanding of the immune system – and innovative pipeline – enables us to invent medicines and vaccines that treat and protect millions of people around the world. Together, we chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives.
 
Main responsibilities:
 
Leading

• Lead, manage, and develop a team of Patient Engagement Managers, providing strategic direction, coaching, and performance management
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing team culture aligned with Sanofi's values and Intergrated Patient Engagement mission
• Set clear objectives and KPIs for the Patient Engagement team, ensuring alignment with broader Public Affairs and business unit goals
• Allocate resources effectively across the team to maximize impact and ensure coverage of priority therapeutic areas and stakeholder groups
• Conduct regular team meetings, one-on-ones, and development reviews to support professional growth and capability building
• Oversee various patient support programmes and forms of support towards patient organisations.

Mapping & Insights – healthcare environment 

• Identify policy issues to improve patients access to relevant medicines and that impact the business 
• Understand the external environment and identify the expectations and interests of key external stakeholders 
• Monitor and analyze new government initiatives, potential change in policies and broader developments (including parliamentary activities regarding healthcare), identifying key trends 
• Proactively assess their potential local business consequences in close collaboration with other teams (market access, communication, regulatory, medical, GBUs / franchises) 
• Develop guidance on external environment evolution and inform proactively relevant internal stakeholders (market access, communication, regulatory, medical, GBUs / franchises) 

Strategy Setting  

• Determine the engagement and advocacy strategies that will most effectively address the unmet need of patients, achieve policy changes and business objectives  
• Construct and roll-out a long-term Public Affairs plan for the assigned Global Business Unit, in line with both the Global Business Unit and cross-departmental priorities, and adapt the plan to changing situations and priorities if needed 
• Develop campaigns in collaboration with Global Business Unit, Patient Engagement managers, Market Access and Communication 
• Design and oversee the execution of Integrated Patient Engagement (IPE) strategies across therapeutic areas, ensuring coordinated approaches with Medical, Market Access, and Public Affairs teams

Engaging & Advocating

• Identify and approach stakeholders and decisionmakers to understand common points of interest and/or mutual priorities
• Build strong relations with external stakeholders in line with the identified priorities
• Build opportunities for strategic dialogue on health system with interlocutors and advocate for sustainable evolution of the legislative framework  
• Determine approaches to engage and activate external stakeholders to achieve policy changes and business objectives and execute them by means of coalition-building, proactive campaigns, calls to action, etc.
• Ensure Sanofi’s point of view is heard by establishing and maintaining open dialogue between Sanofi Netherlands and (non-traditional) external key stakeholders 
• Develop partnerships with variety of stakeholders like patient organizations, political parties, healthcare provider associations (physicians, pharmacists, hospital, nurses…), trade associations, patient associations (overarching) and think tanks in order to discuss trends and concerns, and evaluate together how to maintain both a sustainable healthcare system and balanced economic environment 
• Enhance Sanofi’s visibility and reputation both within and outside the pharmaceutical industry, e.g. through implementation of corporate programs, active participation in conferences, symposia, industry association meetings 
• Educate stakeholders on challenges in the patient journey and the value or products bring for patients 
• Maintain and elevate relevant topics on the political agenda 

About you

• Experience:
  • Leading, managing and developing high-performing teams
  • Strong track record in public affairs, advocacy or in a political/governmental environment
  • Understanding of the Dutch political and health care system
  • Preferred: Experience working in or with the pharmaceutical sector
  • Preferred: An existing network of relevant stakeholders in the Netherlands 
• Skills:
  • Strong communicator and networker  
  • Ability to build sustainable relationships within the organisation, with policymakers, patient organizations and other external stakeholders 
  • Analytical and forward thinker, problem solver, results oriented, self-organized and self-starter 
  • Political sensitive and a good understanding of politics and media
  • Excellent influencing skills 
  • Ability to manage multiple tasks, projects, priorities and complex systems simultaneously
  • Entrepreneurial mindset
  • Ability to operate in a cross-cultural and matrix environment 
  • Integrity and self-awareness 
• Education: Master’s degree in an appropriate field (Health Sciences, Political science, Policy) or equivalent experience. Medical degree (pharmacist, doctor) is welcomed
• Languages: Excellent command of Dutch and English, both verbal and written, is a strict requirement

Why choose us?

• Make your work count by supporting a company that brings life-changing treatments to millions — and is committed to doing right by patients, communities, and the planet
• Drive progress from within by helping simplify, scale, and modernize how a global biopharma business delivers smarter, faster, and more sustainably
•  Support teams across science, medicine, and operations by building better systems, shaping bold strategies, and enabling innovation at speed
• Make an impact across borders and functions, collaborating with leaders to turn complex challenges into real-world solutions
• Advance your career through stretch roles, cross-functional moves, and development opportunities designed to match your ambition
• Thrive in inclusive, high-performing teams where every role matters and every voice helps shape what’s next

Apply?
Go to the website of Sanofi!