Head of Communication and Government Affairs

Job description

We are looking for a Head of Communication and Government Affairs to join our team. As the successful candidate you will lead Communications and Government Affairs for GSK in Ireland. You will shape how we engage with government, media, industry partners and communities. You will protect and build our reputation and influence health policy that supports better patient outcomes. We value clear communicators who work across functions, act with integrity and deliver measurable results. This role offers visible impact, career growth, and the chance to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. We create a place where people can grow, be their best, be safe, and feel welcome, valued and included. We offer a competitive salary, an annual bonus based on company performance, healthcare and wellbeing programmes, pension plan membership, and shares and savings programme. We embrace modern work practises; our Performance with Choice programme offers a hybrid working model, empowering you to find the optimal balance between remote and in-office work. Discover more about our company wide benefits and life at GSK on our webpage Life at GSK | GSK In this role you will... Develop and deliver integrated communications and government affairs plans that support business goals and public health outcomes. Build and maintain trusted relationships with government, health agencies, media, industry groups and community partners. Translate policy and stakeholder insight into clear recommendations for commercial, medical and leadership teams. Lead proactive reputation building and prepare for issues and crisis communications with calm, accurate public messaging. Design and run evidence-based advocacy, public-private partnerships and stakeholder engagement initiatives. Coach leaders and spokespeople to communicate with confidence and ensure consistent internal and external messaging. Why you? Basic Qualifications & Skills: We are looking for professionals with these required skills to achieve our goals: Bachelor’s degree in communications, public policy, public health, law, political science or a related field. Extensive experience in communications, government affairs, public affairs or external affairs. Proven experience engaging with government agencies, policymakers or health system stakeholders in Ireland. Strong media relations experience and experience managing reputation or crisis communications. Track record working cross-functionally with commercial, medical, regulatory, legal or market access teams. Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Preferred Qualifications & Skills: Please note the following skills are not necessary, just preferred, if you do not have them, please still apply: Advanced degree in communications, public policy, public health, law or business administration. Experience in the pharmaceutical, healthcare or life sciences sector. Experience developing public-private partnerships or coalition advocacy campaigns. Track record of shaping national policy or access decisions. Experience leading or developing small teams and building capability across a matrix. Familiarity with Irish and EU policy, regulatory and political environments. What we value You communicate clearly and directly. You act with integrity and build trust through follow-through. You are pragmatic, delivery-focused and patient-centred. You welcome different perspectives and help create an inclusive workplace where colleagues can do their best work. You are curious, resilient and willing to learn. Working pattern: This role is based in Dublin, Ireland. The position is hybrid, with regular on-site office presence required (2-3 days/week) to work with colleagues and stakeholders. Some travel within Ireland and occasional international travel may be needed. Apply Now If you want to shape communications and government engagement that improves health outcomes, we would like to hear from you. Please submit your CV and a short note explaining how your experience fits this role. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds. Closing Date for Applications – Thursday 20th August 2026 Please take a copy of the Job Description, as this will not be available post closure of the advert. When applying for this role, please use the ‘cover letter’ of the online application or your CV to describe how you meet the competencies for this role, as outlined in the job requirements above. The information that you have provided in your cover letter and CV will be used to assess your application. GSK remains committed to achieving bold commercial ambitions for the future. By 2031, we aim to deliver £40 billion in annual sales, leveraging our existing strong performance momentum to significantly increase our positive impact on the health of billions of patients globally. Our Ahead Together strategy is centred on early intervention to prevent and alter the course of disease, thereby protecting people and supporting healthcare systems. Our diverse portfolio consists of vaccines, specialty medicines, and general medicines. Through continuous innovation and a dedicated focus on scientific and technical excellence, we strive to develop and launch new, groundbreaking treatments that address critical health challenges. Skills Campaign Development, Corporate Copywriting, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Data Analytics, Digital Fluency, Government Affairs, Market Shaping, Public Affairs, Public Policies, Regulatory Awareness, Reputation Management, Risk Management, Stakeholder Management, Storytelling, Strategic Planning Irish Salary Range: EUR 75,000 to EUR 125,000The annual gross base salary range for new hires in this position is listed above for each applicable location. These ranges take into account a number of factors including the candidate’s skills, experience, education level and the market rate for the role. In addition, this position may offer an annual bonus and eligibility to participate in our share based long term incentive program which is dependent on the level of the role. More detailed information on the total benefits package will be supplied during the recruitment process. This role is available for applicants from multiple locations, and therefore salary ranges for certain locations are also shown. Salary ranges for other locations are shown because some markets have pay transparency laws that require salary information on job postings, and those locations are potential job sites for this role. If salary ranges are not displayed in the job posting for a specific location or country, the relevant compensation will be discussed during the recruitment process. Please note salaries vary by country based on the candidate’s skills, experience, education level and the market rate for the role. Offers are typically made within the advertised range based on the candidate’s skills, experience and qualifications, with the upper end generally reserved for highly experienced candidates or other exceptional circumstances aligned with these criteria. Why GSK? Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. We aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade, as a successful, growing company where people can thrive. We get ahead of disease by preventing and treating it with innovation in specialty medicines and vaccines. We focus on four therapeutic areas: respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases – to impact health at scale. People and patients around the world count on the medicines and vaccines we make, so we’re committed to creating an environment where our people can thrive and focus on what matters most. Our culture of being ambitious for pati