About this Senior Director, Federal Government Affairs role at Compass Pathways
Company introduction:
Compass Pathways plc (Nasdaq: CMPS) is a biotechnology company dedicated to accelerating patient access to evidence-based innovation in mental health. The Company is headquartered in London, UK, with offices in New York City in the US. We focus on developing novel treatments that have the potential to improve the lives of those who are suffering with mental health conditions and who are not helped by current treatments.
We are pioneering a new paradigm for treating mental health conditions focused on rapid and durable responses through the development of our investigational COMP360 synthetic psilocybin treatment, potentially a first in class treatment. COMP360 has Breakthrough Therapy designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and has received Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (ILAP) designation in the UK for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) due to the pressing unmet need in this area.
We are currently in phase 3 for TRD, have completed phase 2 studies for both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anorexia nervosa and are planning a further late-stage study in PTSD. We envision a world where mental health means not just the absence of illness but the ability to thrive. - Compass Pathways.
Job overview:
The Senior Director, Federal Government Affairs will lead the company's federal Government Affairs strategy to advance policies that improve access to innovative therapies for individuals living with serious mental illness. As the company prepares to commercialize a first-in-class psychedelic medicine, this role will help shape the evolving federal policy landscape surrounding innovative mental health treatments, reimbursement, regulatory policy, and patient access. Reporting to the Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy, the Senior Director will serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and represent the company before Congress, the Administration, federal agencies, and external stakeholders.
Location: Washington DC area (work from home flexibility).
Reports to: VP, Government Affairs and Public Policy.
Roles and responsibilities
(Include but are not limited to):
Federal Policy Strategy
- Develop and execute a comprehensive federal government affairs strategy aligned with corporate, policy, and commercial objectives
- Monitor and assess legislative, regulatory, and political developments affecting the company's business, pipeline, and growth strategy
- Identify emerging policy opportunities and risks and provide strategic recommendations to senior leadership
Federal Advocacy and External Engagement
- Build and maintain trusted relationships with Members of Congress, congressional staff, federal agency leadership, and key policymakers
- Represent Compass Pathways before federal government stakeholders and effectively communicate company priorities and perspectives
- Serve as a strategic advisor to internal leadership on federal healthcare policy developments
Mental Health and Healthcare Policy Leadership
- Lead the company's federal policy efforts on issues affecting access to innovative treatments for serious mental illness, including:
- Medicare and Medicaid coverage and reimbursement
- CMS coding, payment, and coverage policy
- Medicare Part B and Part D reimbursement
- Mental and behavioral health policy
- Drug pricing and healthcare payment policy
- Controlled substances regulation and DEA scheduling
- Develop policy positions and advocacy strategies that support patient access and commercial success
Commercial Launch Readiness
- Partner closely with Market Access, Commercial, Medical Affairs, Regulatory, Clinical Development, Legal, and Health Economics & Outcomes Research (HEOR) teams to ensure federal policy and reimbursement strategies support product development, approval, launch, and commercialization
- Help shape policy environments that facilitate adoption and access for future therapies
Coalition Building and Stakeholder Engagement
- In collaboration with Advocacy and External Affairs colleagues, cultivate strategic relationships with patient advocacy organizations, provider societies, veterans' groups, health policy coalitions, and trade associations
- Identify opportunities to build external support for policy priorities and advance shared objectives across the healthcare ecosystem
External Resource Management and Compliance
- Manage external lobbying firms, policy consultants, and trade association engagements as appropriate
- Ensure all lobbying activities, political engagement, and interactions with government officials comply with applicable laws, regulations, company policies, and industry ethical standards
Candidate Profile:
Required
- 12+ years of progressively responsible experience in federal government affairs, healthcare policy, congressional affairs, or related fields
- Significant experience within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, or life sciences sectors
- Deep understanding of:
- Congressional legislative processes
- Federal budget and appropriations processes
- Medicare and Medicaid policy
- CMS reimbursement, coding, and coverage frameworks
- Mental and behavioral health policy
- Drug pricing and healthcare payment policy
- Demonstrated success influencing complex healthcare legislation, federal policy, or regulatory initiatives
- Strong relationships across Congress, HHS, CMS, and other key healthcare policy stakeholders
- Exceptional communication, presentation, and stakeholder engagement skills
Preferred
- Experience with controlled substances policy and DEA scheduling
- Experience developing reimbursement and market access strategies for novel or specialty therapies
- Experience managing external lobbying firms, consultants, and trade association relationships
- Experience in mental health, neuroscience, behavioral health, or other innovative therapeutic areas
Leadership Competencies
The ideal candidate will demonstrate:
- Strategic foresight and the ability to anticipate emerging policy trends
- Excellent political judgment and bipartisan relationship-building skills
- The ability to translate complex policy developments into actionable business strategy
- Strong collaboration and leadership within highly matrixed organizations
- Executive presence and credibility with senior government officials and internal stakeholders
- The ability to influence and drive alignment without formal authority
- A commitment to advancing patient access to innovative mental health treatments
【For NYC】Compensation Description (annually):
Please note that the base salary range is a guideline, and individual total compensation will vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies, and work location.
Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognise employees for their work and any role at Compass, regardless of the location, is eligible for additional discretionary bonuses and equity.
Benefits & Compensation:
For an overview of our benefits package and compensation information, please visit "Working at Compass".
Equal opportunities:
Reasonable accommodation
We are committed to building a workplace where everyone’s wellbeing matters. If you need reasonable accommodation during the interview process to be at your best, please let our recruiting team know.
UK applicants
We are proud of our commitment to diversity and equality (pursuant to the Equality Act 2010). We do not discriminate based upon race, religion or belief, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, gender, pregnancy or maternity, marital or civil partner status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age or disability.
US applicants
Compass Pathways is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military service, genetic information, familial or marital status, or any other status, category, or characteristic protected by applicable law.
Sponsorship:
Unfortunately, we cannot sponsor employment visas and can only accept applications if you have employment rights in the country to which you are applying.
Data Privacy:
All data is confidential and protected by all legal and data privacy requirements, please see our recruitment Privacy Notice to learn more about how we process personal data.