Sr Government Affairs Manager- Saudi

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine seeks a Senior Government Affairs & Public Policy leader in Saudi Arabia. You will shape country-level strategy for patient access to medical technologies and advocate with policymakers to support healthcare system resilience.

You will serve as a senior interface with national officials, build long-term relationships, and align regional priorities with local policy priorities. Strong Arabic/English communication is essential.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in government affairs or related field with Saudi exposure.
• Experience shaping national healthcare policy and procurement environments.
• Strong relationships with policymakers and regulatory authorities.
• Proven ability to translate policy into strategic business outcomes.
• Bilingual in Arabic and English with strong communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the country public policy and government affairs strategy aligned with healthcare priorities.
• Monitor legislation and political developments affecting medical technologies and procurement.
• Represent the company in high-impact policy debates and negotiations.
• Engage with national/regional policymakers and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Regulatory Affairs, Market Access, Medical Affairs, Legal, and Commercial teams.

Skills

Government affairs

Policy leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Executive presence

AI-enabled tools

Job description

At Johnson & Johnson,we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build aworld where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured,where treatments are smarter and less invasive, andsolutions are personal.Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity.Learn more at jnj.com.

As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world. We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual. At Johnson & Johnson, we respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit.

Job Function

Market Access

Job Sub Function

Health Economics Market Access

Job Category

Professional

All Job Posting Locations

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Job Description

Key responsibilities

The Sr Government Affairs & Public Policy leads the development and execution of the country‑level public policy and government affairs strategy for the medical technology sector. The role is accountable for shaping a favorable policy, and healthcare environment that supports patient access to medical technologies, innovation, sustainability, and system resilience. The successful candidate will act as a company spokesperson, representing …. in the political and policy arena in ….

Acting as the senior public policy lead at country level, she or he serves as a trusted advisor to internal leadership and a credible counterpart to policymakers, authorities, and external stakeholders, while ensuring full alignment with regional and European policy priorities.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Public Policy Leadership

• Define and lead the country public policy and government affairs strategy in alignment with sector priorities and long‑term healthcare system objectives.
• Monitor and analyze legislative, political developments relevant to the environment in which the company operates, anticipating and shaping national healthcare, industrial, and procurement policies impacting medical technologies.
• Translate complex policy developments into strategic insights, risks, and opportunities for senior leadership.
• Provide thought leadership on key topics such as healthcare system reform, value‑based healthcare, sustainability, digital health, data governance, and healthcare modernization.

Senior Government & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the primary senior interface with national and regional policymakers, government officials, and public institutions.
• Build and maintain long‑term, trusted relationships with policy makers and other relevant external stakeholders.
• Represent the sector in high‑impact policy debates and negotiations.

Trade Associations & External Leadership

• Lead country engagement with national and regional trade associations, coalitions, and multi‑stakeholder platforms.
• Influence the development of industry positions, advocacy strategies, and policy narratives.
• Where relevant, hold leadership or governance roles within associations or external forums.

Internal Strategic Advisory & Cross‑Functional Leadership

• Act as a strategic advisor to country and regional leadership on public policy and institutional matters.
• Drive strong cross‑functional collaboration with Regulatory Affairs, Market Access, Medical Affairs, Communications, Legal, and Commercial teams.
• Ensure alignment between public policy priorities and broader business, access, and innovation strategies.

Qualifications

This is a role where the appointed candidate will be able to bring together and utilize a broad array of their skills and experiences. They will be afforded autonomy to establish and build their network of key contacts and liaise with senior stakeholders internally and externally.

• Government Affairs Experience: +10 years of government affairs or relevant experience and a minimum of 15 years of work experience. An in-depth knowledge of legislative and regulatory processes and political environment across Saudi. Ability to engage and develop relationships with government stakeholders. Good understating of Saudi policy making, international policy and Saudi trade relationships are desirable.
• Relevant Industry Experience: Experience understanding and influencing policy matters within MedTech and/or pharmaceutical/healthcare industries are required.Solid and in-depth knowledge of Saudi trade requirements such as RHQ, Economic participations, SFDA, National procurement, Regulatory bodies..etc
• Business Orientation and Impact: A demonstrated ability to understand business goals and work collaboratively with business leaders to support and advance those goals. A track record of effectively engaging with business executives, policy-makers, multi-lateral organizations, and other internal and external constituencies to deliver meaningful and results -driven policy outcomes.
• Drive, Agility and Collaboration: Self-motivated leader who enjoys a challenging, fast-paced environment; who can drive complex projects and provide strategic direction; who has the desire and willingness to always continue evolving best practices; who is highly organized and adaptable, and can independently prioritize and deliver under tight deadlines; who can think creatively when the situation is fluid, and the solution unclear; and who brings a collaborative, team-oriented approach to their work.
• Executive Presence & Communication: Strong presentation style with excellent written and verbal communication skills in both Arabic and English. Ability to quickly earn the trust and engender confidence with key internal and external stakeholders.

• Generative and agentic AI‑savvy: Proactive and compliant use of AI‑enabled tools to strengthen policy intelligence, stakeholder engagement, and strategic foresight.

• Alignment to DePuy Synthes Values & Credo: An individual who is engaged and inspired by DePuy Synthes values and Credo, and the important work we do every day for the patients and others who use our products and services.

The following characteristics are desirable

• Saudi National is Mandatory
• An exceptional leader, who is known for first-class collaboration, partnership, humility and delivering on his/her leadership commitments.
• Talented at strategic thinking, but willing to execute on tactical tasks.
• Be organizationally savvy - know how to navigate a large organization to produce results yet is also a hands-on self-starter who can work in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
• Excellent organizational skills to manage multiple projects, deal with ambiguity and manage relationships at senior levels, both externally and internally.
• Self-motivated and passionate about building relationships and delivering quality results across the organization.
• A creative problem solver, with the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances and priorities.

Education

• A creative problem solver, with the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances and priorities.

Preferred Skills

Agility Jumps, Commercial Awareness, Competitive Landscape Analysis, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Customer Intelligence, Global Market, Go-to-Market Strategies, Health Economics, Health Intelligence, Market Knowledge, Market Opportunity Assessment, Mentorship, Organizing, Pricing Strategies, Regulatory Compliance, Strategic Change, Tactical Planning, Technical Credibility