Director, State Policy, US Policy & Government Affairs

Working with Us
Challenging. Meaningful. Life-changing. Those aren’t words that are usually associated with a job. But working at Bristol Myers Squibb is anything but usual. Here, uniquely interesting work happens every day, in every department. From optimizing a production line to the latest breakthroughs in cell therapy, this is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it. You’ll get the chance to grow and thrive through opportunities uncommon in scale and scope, alongside high-achieving teams. Take your career farther than you thought possible.

Bristol Myers Squibb recognizes the importance of balance and flexibility in our work environment. We offer a wide variety of competitive benefits, services and programs that provide our employees with the resources to pursue their goals, both at work and in their personal lives. Read more: careers.bms.com/working-with-us.

The Director, State Policy is a key contributor within the U.S. Policy & Research team, responsible for helping to develop and execute Bristol Myers Squibb’s state policy strategy across Medicaid, drug pricing, coverage and reimbursement, affordability initiatives, and CMMI demonstrations.

This role supports a proactive, coordinated approach to state policy development and implementation, working closely with internal and external partners to advance policies that improve patient access while supporting innovation. The Director will regularly engage with internal stakeholders across USPGA and partner closely with State and Local Government Affairs and Alliance Development teams on priority state issues.

The Director reports to the Senior Director, U.S. Policy & Research, State Policy and plays a critical role in translating complex state policy developments into clear, actionable insights for internal teams and leadership.

Key Responsibilities

State Policy Development & Execution

• Support the development and execution of BMS’s state policy agenda, including Medicaid reimbursement, state affordability proposals, prescription drug pricing initiatives, and other legislative and regulatory activity.

• Track and analyze state legislative sessions, Medicaid waiver activity, regulatory actions, and state implementation of federal health policy reforms.

• Identify emerging risks and opportunities in state policy and provide timely, policy-informed recommendations to internal stakeholders.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Policy, Legal, Market Access (MaX), Communications, and business partners to ensure alignment on state policy priorities and responses.

• Provide state policy insights that inform brand planning, access strategy, contracting, and enterprise risk mitigation.

• Contribute to development of briefing materials, impact assessments, and executive-ready summaries on priority state issues.

• Support State and Local Government Affairs and Alliance teams with policy analysis and content for advocacy and coalition-building activities.

External Engagement

• Support engagement with state Medicaid agencies, governors’ offices, legislators, and regulatory bodies, in coordination with State and Local Government Affairs.

• Build relationships with key national organizations and state-focused groups (e.g., NAMD, NCSL, NGA, state policy associations).

• Contribute to state-focused policy discussions within trade associations such as PhRMA and BIO, helping ensure BMS perspectives are reflected.

Communication & Policy Enablement

• Assist in developing policy briefs, talking points, and external-facing materials for engagement with state policymakers and partners.

• Deliver clear, concise updates to internal stakeholders on evolving state policy developments and potential impacts.

• Effectively articulate BMS’s state policy positions in a clear, accessible manner for a bipartisan audience.

Team & Organizational Contribution

• Collaborate with other members of the State Policy team to support shared goals and coverage across regions and policy issue areas.

• Contribute to a collaborative, high-performing team culture grounded in analytical rigor, enterprise thinking, and patient-focused values.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in public policy, public health, law, economics, political science, or related discipline.

• 8–12 years of experience in state healthcare policy, government affairs, Medicaid policy, reimbursement, or related fields.

• Strong understanding of state Medicaid programs, drug pricing legislation, reimbursement mechanisms, and affordability initiatives.

• Experience supporting policy development and advocacy across cross-functional teams.

• Demonstrated ability to analyze state policy developments and communicate implications clearly.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing materials for senior leaders.

• Demonstrated commitment to a patient-first mindset and adherence to BMS values.

Preferred

• Advanced degree (MPH, JD, MPP, MBA, or related).

• Experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, healthcare consulting, or a trade association.

• Prior experience working with or supporting state government engagement efforts.

#LI-Hybrid

If you come across a role that intrigues you but doesn’t perfectly line up with your resume, we encourage you to apply anyway. You could be one step away from work that will transform your life and career.

Washington DC - US: $206,210 - $249,878


The starting compensation range(s) for this role are listed above for a full-time employee (FTE) basis. Additional incentive cash and stock opportunities (based on eligibility) may be available. The starting pay rate takes into account characteristics of the job, such as required skills, where the job is performed, the employee’s work schedule, job-related knowledge, and experience. Final, individual compensation will be decided based on demonstrated experience. 

Eligibility for specific benefits listed on our careers site may vary based on the job and location. For more on benefits, please visit https://careers.bms.com/life-at-bms/.
 

Benefit offerings are subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans in effect at the time and may require enrollment. Our benefits include:

• Health Coverage: Medical, pharmacy, dental, and vision care.

• Wellbeing Support: Programs such as BMS Well-Being Account, BMS Living Life Better, and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP).

• Financial Well-being and Protection: 401(k) plan, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, accident insurance, supplemental health insurance, business travel protection, personal liability protection, identity theft benefit, legal support, and survivor support.

​Work-life benefits include:

Paid Time Off

• US Exempt Employees: flexible time off (unlimited, with manager approval, 11 paid national holidays (not applicable to employees in Phoenix, AZ, Puerto Rico or Rayzebio employees)

• Phoenix, AZ, Puerto Rico and Rayzebio Exempt, Non-Exempt, Hourly Employees: 160 hours annual paid vacation for new hires with manager approval, 11 national holidays, and 3 optional holidays

Based on eligibility*, additional time off for employees may include unlimited paid sick time, up to 2 paid volunteer days per year, summer hours flexibility, leaves of absence for medical, personal, parental, caregiver, bereavement, and military needs and an annual Global Shutdown between Christmas and New Years Day.

All global employees full and part-time who are actively employed at and paid directly by BMS at the end of the calendar year are eligible to take advantage of the Global Shutdown.

*Eligibility Disclosure: The summer hours program is for United States (U.S.) office-based employees due to the unique nature of their work. Summer hours are generally not available for field sales and manufacturing operations and may also be limited for the capability centers. Employees in remote-by-design or lab-based roles may be eligible for summer hours, depending on the nature of their work, and should discuss eligibility with their manager. Employees covered under a collective bargaining agreement should consult that document to determine if they are eligible. Contractors, leased workers and other service providers are not eligible to participate in the program.

Uniquely Interesting Work, Life-changing Careers
With a single vision as inspiring as “Transforming patients’ lives through science™ ”, every BMS employee plays an integral role in work that goes far beyond ordinary. Each of us is empowered to apply our individual talents and unique perspectives in a supportive culture, promoting global participation in clinical trials, while our shared values of passion, innovation, urgency, accountability, inclusion and integrity bring out the highest potential of each of our colleagues.

On-site Protocol

BMS has an occupancy structure that determines where an employee is required to conduct their work. This structure includes site-essential, site-by-design, field-based and remote-by-design jobs. The occupancy type that you are assigned is determined by the nature and responsibilities of your role:

Site-essential roles require 100% of shifts onsite at your assigned facility. Site-by-design roles may be eligible for a hybrid work model with at least 50% onsite at your assigned facility. For these roles, onsite presence is considered an essential job function and is critical to collaboration, innovation, productivity, and a positive Company culture. For field-based and remote-by-design roles the ability to physically travel to visit customers, patients or business partners and to attend meetings on behalf of BMS as directed is an essential job function.

Supporting People with Disabilities

BMS is dedicated to ensuring that people with disabilities can excel through a transparent recruitment process, reasonable workplace accommodations/adjustments and ongoing support in their roles. Applicants can request a reasonable workplace accommodation/adjustment prior to accepting a job offer. If you require reasonable accommodations/adjustments in completing this application, or in any part of the recruitment process, direct your inquiries to adastaffingsupport@bms.com. Visit careers.bms.com/eeo-accessibility to access our complete Equal Employment Opportunity statement.

Candidate Rights

BMS will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, pursuant to applicable laws in your area.

If you live in or expect to work from Los Angeles County if hired for this position, please visit this page for important additional information: https://careers.bms.com/california-residents/

Data Protection

We will never request payments, financial information, or social security numbers during our application or recruitment process. Learn more about protecting yourself at https://careers.bms.com/fraud-protection.

Any data processed in connection with role applications will be treated in accordance with applicable data privacy policies and regulations.

If you believe that the job posting is missing information required by local law or incorrect in any way, please contact BMS at TAEnablement@bms.com. Please provide the Job Title and Requisition number so we can review. Communications related to your application should not be sent to this email and you will not receive a response. Inquiries related to the status of your application should be directed to Chat with Ripley.

R1603053 : Director, State Policy, US Policy & Government Affairs