Lobbyist - Public Citizen's Global Access to Medicines Program
Public Citizen is a non-partisan public interest group with more than 300,000 members and activists. Key areas of organizational focus include pharmaceutical drug safety and consumer health, among others.
Public Citizen's Global Access to Medicines Program works with partners worldwide to help improve access to medicines through use of cost-lowering measures including generic competition. See www.citizen.org/access.
DESCRIPTION:
Generic competition plays a key role in improving global access to medicines and saving lives. Competition reduces costs over time to levels where governments and donors can scale up treatment coverage. For example, over the last ten years, global competition and generic medicines have produced a revolution in HIV/AIDS treatment, reducing first-line treatment prices by 99% from over $10,000 to $100 per person per year in developing countries, and enabling more than eight million people in low and middle-income countries to access lifesaving antiretroviral therapy. Competition remains every bit as vital today to expand access to new medicines, including those for cancer, heart disease, and expensive second and third-line HIV/AIDS treatments, among many others.
Public Citizen helps civil society groups and public agencies around the world use flexibilities in trade rules to overcome patent-based and other pharmaceutical monopolies and promote access to medicines. We assess new developments in policy and law, with a particular focus on patents, test data, and trade agreements, and work with coalition partners to promote game-changing ideas that advance pharmaceutical access and innovation simultaneously. Our work challenges Big Pharma's economic and political power. The access to medicines lobbyist will represent Public Citizen before Congress, executive agencies, national organizations and the media. She or he will help lead a campaign to protect access to medicines in U.S.-negotiated free trade agreements.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The lobbyist's responsibilities will include:
- Conduct in person meetings with members of Congress, congressional staff and executive branch officials, maintain frequent telephone communications with staff, providing written materials as requested, and prepare and give testimony before congressional committees.
- Conceptualize and manage campaigns in consultation with the Program Director.
- Provide quality written products such as formal correspondence, fact sheets, news releases and op-eds.
- Build coalitions with other organizations.
- Track and analyze legislation.
- Other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Ideally candidates will demonstrate highly relevant:
Knowledge: Familiarity with Capitol Hill required; familiarity with access to medicines, intellectual property and/or development issues helpful but not required.
Work Experience: Several years lobbying and/or public policy advocacy experience preferred.
Skills: Strong analytic, writing, research, communications and political organizing skills.
Capabilities: Ability to work alone and in collaboration; attention to detail and technical accuracy; ability to envision project development and complete work on deadline; commitment to standing up to corporate power; flexibility and ability to respond quickly to new developments.
Conditions: Passion for justice; commitment to advancing the public interest.
The Lobbyist will report to the Global Access to Medicines Program Director and to Public Citizen's President.
This position is based in Washington, D.C.
SALARY AND BENEFITS:
Competitive non-profit salary commensurate with experience. Good medical and dental coverage. Three weeks paid vacation for new employees.
TO APPLY:
Submit a cover note, resume, writing sample and two or three references to medsaccess@citizen.org. This is a grantcontingent position.
Posted Jan 25, 2013
Public Citizen is an equal opportunity employer and maintains a non-smoking workplace.