Field Director - Public Citizen, Washington, DC

[Sherry Joseph]

Field Director - Public Citizen’s Access to Medicines Group

 

Public Citizen is a non-partisan public interest organization with more than 400,000 members and activists. Key areas of organizational focus include pharmaceutical drug affordability and safety, consumer health and trade policy, among others.

 

Public Citizen’s Access to Medicines group works with partners worldwide to make medicines affordable and available to all by challenging pharmaceutical industry monopoly power. We provide technical and strategic assistance to overcome patent exclusivities and other policy barriers to access. (See: http://www.citizen.org/access.) This is a grant contingent position.

DESCRIPTION: People everywhere suffer from high medicine prices imposed by pharmaceutical monopolists. From cancer ($100,000+ for most new treatments) to hepatitis ($1,000 a pill for the new generation of medicines), treatment providers are rationing access to care, and we are all at risk. Medicare lacks the power to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical firms, and the U.S. government is failing to exercise its power to introduce competition when monopolists abuse theirs – even when taxpayer money helped develop the drugs. 

Global advocacy has produced a revolution in HIV/AIDS treatment, reducing key medicine prices by 99% in developing countries and helping more than sixteen million people so far access lifesaving drugs. A global movement supports access to affordable medicines, but the pharmaceutical industry lobbies for powers written into trade agreements that threaten to undermine progress.

We help public agencies and civil society groups around the world use rights under law to increase access, introduce competition and reduce prices. We campaign for changes in U.S. government rules. We analyze new developments in pharmaceutical policy with a particular focus on patents and other exclusivities, public negotiating power, trade agreements, test data and publicly-funded biomedical research. We promote transformative ideas that advance pharmaceutical access and innovation simultaneously.

The field director will organize civic groups to press for changes in U.S. government policy in order to end treatment rationing. The field director will have a major role helping select, design and implement successful campaigns. The field director may also support the access campaigns of our partner groups around the world. 

Responsibilities: The field director’s responsibilities may include:

• Conceiving, developing and overseeing strategic campaigns to expand access to affordable medicines,

• Organizing civil society coalitions, including organizing coalition meetings, communications and actions, speaking frequently with our partners, and developing national grassroots support for campaign priorities,

• Lobbying in congress and U.S. government agencies, and speaking publicly on behalf of the program,

• Analyzing current and proposed government policies that affect medicine access and pricing, and suggesting organizational positions regarding such policies,

• Determining program research priorities, and conducting such research,

• Drafting and editing campaign materials,

• Working with communications department to develop media strategies,

• Supervising staff, interns and fellows,

• Traveling to support coalition development,

• Other duties as assigned.

 

Qualifications: Ideally candidates will demonstrate highly relevant:

 

Work Experience: Five or more years of public interest advocacy or other campaigning experience preferred.

 

Skills: Strong analytical, writing, strategic thinking, communications and civic/grassroots organizing and campaign coordinating skills. 

 

Knowledge: Familiarity with U.S. state and federal healthcare programs, drug pricing, global development, intellectual property or other access to medicines issues preferred.

 

Capabilities: Ability to work alone and in collaboration; attention to detail and technical accuracy; ability to envision project development and complete work on deadline; discretion and good judgment; commitment to standing up to corporate power; flexibility and ability to respond quickly to new developments.

Conditions: Passion for justice and the work; commitment to advancing the public interest.

The Field Director will report to the Access to Medicines Director.

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 note of interest, resume or C.V., two reference contacts and two writing samples unedited by anyone other than the applicant to medsa...@citizen.org. Women, people of color, and multilingual speakers are encouraged to apply. This is a grant-contingent position.

  

Public Citizen is an equal opportunity employer and maintains a non-smoking workplace.  Visit our website at www.citizen.org/.