Job Description

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at jnj.com

As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world. We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual. At Johnson & Johnson, we respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit.

Job Function:

Communications & Corporate/External Affairs

Job Sub Function:

Government Affairs & Policy

Job Category:

Professional

All Job Posting Locations:

Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan

Associate Director/Manager, Japan Regulatory Policy (with Development Regulatory Affairs Responsibilities)

• This position is a hybrid Regulatory Affairs role with primary responsibility for Regulatory Policy & Intelligence in Japan and formal responsibility for Development Regulatory Affairs activities for selected development programs.
• The role reports directly into the Japan Regulatory Policy & Intelligence function, leading regulatory policy strategy, intelligence generation, and strategic engagement with regulatory authorities and industry stakeholders in Japan.
• In parallel, the role serves as a Japan Development Regulatory Affairs representative on Japanese Clinical Development Teams (J‑CDTs), providing regulatory strategy, authority interaction, and submission support for development compounds.
• The position integrates policy‑level regulatory insight with product‑level development execution, ensuring alignment between evolving regulatory frameworks, development strategies, and business objectives, while contributing to public health outcomes in Japan.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Regulatory Policy & Intelligence (Primary Accountability)

• Serve as a Japan Regulatory Policy & Intelligence lead, providing strategic regulatory and legislative insight relevant to drug development and commercialization in Japan.
• Monitor, analyze, and interpret Japanese regulatory, legislative, and policy trends, assessing their impact on R&D portfolios and development strategies.
• Lead and support regulatory policy advocacy activities with PMDA, MHLW, and other relevant authorities in collaboration with Global Regulatory Policy & Intelligence.
• Actively represent the company in industry associations, committees, and working groups (e.g., JPMA, PhRMA), contributing to policy development and regulatory discussions.
• Establish and maintain strategic networks with regulatory authorities, key opinion leaders (KOLs), and industry stakeholders.
• Provide timely regulatory intelligence and policy insights to Japan R&D, Japan RA, GRPI, and global stakeholders.
• Support internal capability building through training and knowledge sharing on regulatory policy and intelligence topics.

2. Development Regulatory Affairs Responsibilities (Formal Secondary Accountability)

• Serve as a core member of Japanese Clinical Development Teams (J‑CDTs), providing Japan‑specific regulatory strategy input.
• Define, refine, and communicate Japanese regulatory strategies and target labeling to Global Regulatory Teams (GRTs), ensuring alignment with global strategies.
• Provide regulatory input on clinical development plans, including study design, Japanese requirements, and the need for local or additional studies.
• Lead or support interactions with Japanese Health Authorities (PMDA/MHLW), including consultations, preliminary meetings, and development‑related discussions.
• Contribute to the planning, preparation, and execution of Japanese regulatory submissions, including CTN and NDA activities.
• Participate in CTD preparation teams and cross‑functional teams to ensure submission quality and alignment with Japanese regulatory expectations.
• Support responses to Health Authority questions in collaboration with cross‑functional teams, ensuring scientific rigor, timeliness, and consistency with approved strategies.
• Support development and maintenance of Japanese target labels in alignment with regulatory, clinical, and commercial strategies.

3. Cross‑Functional and Global Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with Japan Regulatory Affairs, R&D, Medical, Commercial, and other internal functions to integrate regulatory policy and development perspectives.
• Partner with Global Regulatory Policy Leaders to facilitate regional and global regulatory alignment.
• Act as a bridge between policy‑level regulatory strategy and product‑level execution in Japan.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & SKILL REQUIREMENTS:

• Extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry R&D environment and/or regulatory authorities, including regulatory affairs responsibilities.
• Strong working knowledge of the Japanese regulatory framework and practical experience with PMDA/MHLW interactions.
• Experience in both regulatory policy/strategy discussions and development regulatory execution preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in both Japanese and English.
• Proven ability to operate effectively in a matrix organization and manage multiple stakeholders.
• Strategic thinker with strong execution capability, capable of balancing policy leadership and development support responsibilities.

＜For Internal Applicants＞

• Based on your experience and interview evaluation, the position title and level may vary.
• If you are Japan employee, please read “Internal Application Guideline” in Ask GS. Especially if you are less than 18 months in your current role, you are required to obtain application approval from your current manager as well as your respective BUHR. If you are Japan’s employee, you are not able to apply for multiple positions at once.
• For Employee Referral Program (ERP), please read and understand the details of the “Internal Referral Overview” on the Ask GS and you have made a compliant referral.

Required Skills:

Preferred Skills:

Advocacy Communications, Budget Management, Community Outreach, Compliance Management, Corporate Communications Strategy, Corporate Management, Government Relations, Leverages Information, Mentorship, Negotiation, Organizing, Public Affairs, Public Policies, Regulatory Development, Relationship Building, Representing, Stakeholder Engagement, Technical Credibility