Public Affairs Lead aT1D, North Europe

• Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Work arrangement: hybrid, minimum 3 days/week in the office – incl. Monday or Friday 
• This role requires business travel within Northern Europe ( <20 % )

About the job

As North Europe Public Affairs Lead within our Public Affairs Department, you’ll unlock the Public Affairs potential of our Multi-Country Organisation by driving the strategy-setting, engagement, and activation of external stakeholders who steer or influence the policies to successfully secure patient’s access to medicines.

This role has a dual focus on both the North Europe and the national level. The objective at the North Europe level is to coordinate the public affairs strategy for the aT1D (autoimmune Type 1 Diabetes) franchise across North Europe, with the main objective to facilitate cross-country collaboration and synergies and provide strategic Public Affairs advice to the franchise leadership. At the national level, the objective is to shape and implement the aT1D public affairs strategy in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.

North Europe Public Affairs Lead aT1D is based in Amsterdam and reports into the Head of Public Affairs and North Europe MCO Public Affairs Coordinator and has a dotted line to the North Europe Franchise aT1D franchise head. This role works in a team of four Public Affairs managers and three Patient Engagement managers in the Netherlands and with the North Europe aT1D franchise team. The teams works closely with the teams from the Global Business Units – Specialty Care, Vaccines and General Medicine –, market access, medical colleagues and other relevant departments. The Dutch Public Affairs team works in the North Europe key market and collaborates with colleagues from Belgium and the Scandinavian countries.

This role works at a North Europe and at the local level in the Netherlands to ensure local embedding of North Europe activities. In addition, this role is a first point of contact for global colleagues relating to Public Affairs in aT1D.

Time Investment: Full-time with 50% North Europe and 50% national level focus.

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.

Key Responsibilities: At the North Europe level

Cross-Country Synergy:

• Drive and implement the North Europe public affairs strategy for aT1D, aligned with the franchise’s objectives
• Drive and implement cross country North Europe public affairs projects and activities
• Identify, explore and realise synergies between countries that create added value for national public affairs efforts, fostering cross country collaboration

Strategic Advice:

• Provide strategic public affairs advice to the North Europe franchise team in strategy development and execution, such as brand plans

Policy and Stakeholder Monitoring:

• Track and analyze policy developments, regulatory changes, legislative activities, positions of stakeholders that impact Sanofi and to a larger extent the pharmaceutical industry across North Europe

Internal Stakeholder Engagement & Alignment:

• Inform and update relevant internal stakeholders such as North Europe MCO Public Affairs coordinator, aT1D franchise leadership, local (MA)PA heads, global and Europe (Key Markets) PA teams, medical/commercial teams

Key Responsibilities: At the national level

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) 

2. 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 

3. 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:

• Strong track record in public affairs, advocacy or in a political/governmental environment
• Understanding of the Dutch political and health care system
• 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
• A dynamic and multidisciplinary work environment where your professional background and experience will be highly valued
• An exciting career opportunity in an innovative company focused on the treatment options of the future