Associate EU Government Affairs Director

Are you passionate about European politics and public policy, and motivated by shaping the external environment for a global healthcare company? Can you translate complex EU policy developments into effective advocacy strategies, build trusted relationships with decision-makers and mobilise stakeholders around issues that matter for patients and for Novo Nordisk?

Then you may be our new Associate Director, EU Government Affairs, based in Brussels.

Your new role

As Associate Director, EU Government Affairs, you will play a central role in shaping and executing Novo Nordisk's public affairs advocacy at European level.

As a leader of Novo Nordisk's Brussels office, you will be part of the Global Government Affairs team, which sets the overall direction for Novo Nordisk's public affairs advocacy across Denmark, Brussels and markets globally. You will provide day-to-day leadership for the EU Government Affairs team in Brussels, setting clear priorities, developing colleagues and creating a strong, collaborative team environment. From our Brussels presence, you will help translate enterprise priorities into focused EU engagement strategies and ensure that developments in the European policy environment are understood and acted upon across the organisation.

You will build and maintain trusted relationships with EU institutions, policymakers, industry organisations and other relevant stakeholders, while working closely with colleagues across Novo Nordisk to develop credible positions and coordinated advocacy approaches.

A key part of the role will be to identify where and how Novo Nordisk can have the greatest impact: understanding decision-making pathways, anticipating political and regulatory developments, developing coalitions and ensuring that our engagement is timely, evidence-based and aligned with our broader business and societal priorities.

You will also help lead and coordinate the Brussels-based EU Government Affairs capability and contribute actively to the development of the broader Global Government Affairs team.

Your key responsibilities will include

• Develop and execute EU government affairs and advocacy strategies aligned with Novo Nordisk's enterprise priorities and the overall direction set by Global Government Affairs.
• Lead, develop and inspire the Brussels-based EU Government Affairs team, setting clear priorities, ensuring accountability and supporting the professional growth of team members.
• Monitor the EU political and policy landscape and translate emerging developments into clear assessments of risks, opportunities and recommended actions.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with key stakeholders across the European Commission, European Parliament, Council ecosystem and other relevant EU institutions and agencies.
• Develop clear, credible positions, messaging and engagement materials for priority EU policy issues.
• Map decision-making pathways and ensure Novo Nordisk engages the right stakeholders at the right time with clear objectives and messages.
• Build and participate in coalitions, industry associations and partnerships that strengthen our ability to contribute constructively to EU policy discussions.
• Coordinate Novo Nordisk's EU advocacy across relevant business areas and functions to ensure a consistent and effective approach.
• Provide strategic advice and briefing support to senior leaders engaging with European policymakers and stakeholders.
• Ensure intelligence from Brussels is systematically shared with Global Government Affairs, Corporate Affairs colleagues and relevant business stakeholders.
• Contribute to an effective “issues-to-action” approach by aligning objectives, stakeholders, sequencing and engagement plans on priority topics.
• Support the development of the Brussels Government Affairs team and contribute to strong collaboration, capability building and knowledge sharing across the wider Corporate Affairs network.

Your new department

Global Public Affairs is part of Novo Nordisk's Global Corporate Affairs organisation and brings together expertise across policy, public affairs, government relations and geopolitics.

Within Global Public Affairs, the  G lobal Government Affairs team sets the overall direction for Novo Nordisk's public affairs advocacy in Denmark, Brussels and across markets globally. The team works to secure an enabling business environment by shaping policy debates, building trusted external relationships and anticipating political and regulatory risks and opportunities.

Our Brussels Government Affairs team is a key part of this effort. It connects Novo Nordisk with the European policy environment, brings EU intelligence into enterprise decision-making and coordinates advocacy on issues with implications across our business and the patients we serve.

You will work closely with colleagues across Global Government Affairs, Global Policy, Geopolitical Strategy, IO and U.S. Corporate Affairs, as well as colleagues in Legal, Regulatory, Market Access, R&D, manufacturing, commercial functions and other parts of the organisation.

Your skills & qualifications

To succeed in this role, you bring substantial experience from EU government affairs, public affairs, public policy or a related field and have a strong understanding of how European policymaking works in practice.

You are likely to have:

• 10 years of experience in public Affairs including significant experience working with EU institutions and navigating the Brussels policy environment.
• A strong understanding of EU legislative and political decision-making processes and the ability to identify the pathways through which policy can be shaped.
• Proven experience developing and executing advocacy strategies on complex policy issues.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills and an established ability to build trusted relationships with policymakers, institutions, industry organisations and other external stakeholders.
• Excellent political judgment and an ability to anticipate developments, assess implications and recommend clear courses of action.
• Strong coalition-building and influencing skills, both externally and within a complex global organisation.
• The ability to translate technical or complex policy issues into concise, compelling narratives and messages for different audiences.
• Strong business acumen and an ability to connect policy developments with business priorities and patient needs.
• Excellent communication skills and the confidence to advise and engage senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven leadership experience, including the ability to set direction, develop people and build a high-performing and collaborative team.
• The ability to operate effectively in a highly matrixed international environment and drive alignment across multiple functions and markets.

Experience from pharmaceuticals, healthcare, life sciences or another highly regulated sector would be a strong advantage.

Working at Novo Nordisk

Every day we seek the solutions that defeat serious chronic diseases. To do this, we approach our work with determination, constant curiosity and a commitment to finding better ways forward. For over 100 years, this dedication has driven us to build a company focused on lasting change for long-term health. One where diverse thinking, shared purpose and mutual respect come together to create extraordinary results. When you join us, you're not just starting a job – you're becoming part of a story that spans generations.

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 118,310.00 to 189,300.00 Euro, 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.

Application Deadline: 02 September 2026