Public Affairs & Patient Advocacy Manager

Public Affairs & Patient Advocacy Manager

Department: Market Access and Public Affairs

Location: Bucharest, Romania

Shape the policy landscape that determines how millions of people access life-changing treatment. In this role, you will turn patient voices into policy influence – and policy influence into better outcomes for people living with serious chronic diseases in Romania.

Your new role

As our Public Affairs & Patient Advocacy Manager, you will lead the design and delivery of targeted Public Affairs strategies in Romania, taking an outcomes-led approach to policy engagement that is anchored in patient needs & communities. You will also be in charge of building meaningful partnerships with patient organizations, advocacy groups and policymakers, translating lived experience into strategies that shape health policy and enable sustainable access to treatment.

Your day-to-day responsibilities will include:

• Developing and executing Public Affairs strategies across therapy area, health system and industrial policy, advising business leaders on trends, issues and engagement priorities
• Mapping, engaging and partnering with patient advocacy groups and building coalitions that drive meaningful policy change
• Building and maintaining trusted relationships with senior policymakers, health authorities, NGOs, medical societies, academia and KOLs, positioning Novo Nordisk as a credible policy partner
• Guiding the development of compelling policy narratives, briefs and communication materials that translate evidence into impact
• Acting as an external ambassador and spokesperson for Novo Nordisk in advocacy campaigns and multi-stakeholder collaborations
• Measuring and reporting the impact of policy and advocacy engagement, demonstrating measurable changes in the healthcare landscape to senior leaders
• Collaborating cross-functionally with Medical, Commercial, Marketing and LECQ to ensure alignment between Public Affairs activities and broader business objectives

Your new department

As part of International Operations, you will join our largest operational unit. Covering 194 countries and 95% of the world's population, more than 18,000 of us work passionately to serve 35 million patients each day. With a promise to outperform the competition, we continue to be the growth driver for Novo Nordisk, and to improve health at scale across the globe.

You will join the External Affairs team in Romania, the group of professionals responsible for shaping the external environment in which Novo Nordisk operates. Together, we work to ensure that patients living with serious chronic diseases have timely and sustainable access to the treatments they need, and that Novo Nordisk is recognised as a trusted partner in the Romanian healthcare ecosystem.

Your skills & qualifications

We are looking for an experienced Public Affairs professional who combines strategic thinking with genuine passion for patient advocacy and the ability to build trust with senior stakeholders. To succeed in this role, you will bring:

• A Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Public Affairs, Communications, Political Science, Business or a related field; an advanced degree is preferred
• Minimum 5 years of experience in public affairs, government relations, public relations or a closely related area, ideally within the healthcare or pharmaceutical industry
• A strong understanding of legislative and regulatory processes in Romania, with a proven ability to represent an organisation's position to government representatives, health authorities and regulatory bodies
• Demonstrated experience building strategic partnerships with patient organisations, advocacy groups and multi-stakeholder coalitions
• Excellent strategic communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to translate complex policy issues into clear, compelling narratives
• Strong analytical mindset, with experience measuring policy impact and turning insight into actionable recommendations for senior leaders
• Composure and sound judgement in issues and crisis management, combined with a collaborative, cross-functional working style
• Fluency in Romanian and English, both written and spoken

Working at Novo Nordisk

At Novo Nordisk, we have stayed true to our mission of defeating serious chronic diseases for over a century – and we are reaching more patients today than ever before. Here, every role connects directly to that mission, and you will see the tangible impact of your work on the lives of people living with obesity, diabetes and other serious chronic conditions. You will work alongside driven, talented colleagues who bring ambition, accountability and teamwork to every challenge, in a culture where diverse perspectives strengthen our collective impact. We care about our people as whole persons – investing in your growth, your wellbeing and your sense of belonging at every stage of your career and life.

What we offer

There is, of course, more on offer here than the uniqueness of our culture and the extraordinary results we produce. Being part of a global healthcare company means opportunities to learn and develop are all around us, while our benefits are designed with your career and life stage in mind.

Salary:  For this role, the Annual Base Salary ranges from 247,380.00 to 445,280.00 RON, corresponding to the level of the position.

The placement within the salary range will be assessed during the recruitment process based on the candidate’s skills, competencies, knowledge, and relevant experience.

Incentives and Benefits: The salary package may include short-term and/or long-term incentives as well as other employee benefits based on position level,  location, functional area and relevant market benchmarks.

Learn more about our Reward Philosophy here.

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.

At Novo Nordisk, we're not chasing quick fixes – we're creating lasting change for long-term health. For over 100 years, we've been driven by a single purpose: to defeat serious chronic diseases and help millions of people live healthier lives. This dedication fuels our constant curiosity and inspires us to push the boundaries of what's possible in healthcare. We embrace diverse perspectives, seek out bold ideas, and build partnerships rooted in shared purpose. Together, we're making healthcare more accessible, treating and preventing diseases, and pioneering solutions that create change spanning generations. When you join us, you become part of something bigger – a legacy of impact that reaches far beyond today.