Manager, State Licensing

Job Description

The State License Manager plays a critical role in supporting clients across the life sciences, pharmaceutical distribution, medical device distribution, and healthcare service sectors by managing end‑to‑end state licensing activities. This position ensures clients maintain continuous compliance with state regulatory requirements for operations such as wholesale distribution, third‑party logistics (3PL), pharmacy, manufacturer, and controlled substance licensing.

You will collaborate closely with clients, state agencies, and internal teams to interpret regulatory requirements, prepare and submit applications, monitor renewals, track regulations, and resolve compliance issues. This role requires strong attention to detail, excellent communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple licensing workflows simultaneously in a fast‑paced environment.

• Provide full‑service licensing oversight and consultation to clients, including identifying required state licenses, preparing application packages, and managing submissions through approval.
• Conduct regulatory research to interpret state requirements for pharmaceutical, device, wholesale, 3PL, and controlled substance licensing.
• Own and manage the full lifecycle of client licenses required for product distribution, including applications, renewals, amendments, ownership and personnel changes, periodic reporting, and terminations.
• Stay current on state regulatory changes and emerging compliance trends affecting licensing requirements.
• Serve as a liaison between clients and state regulatory agencies, maintaining professional and productive relationships to facilitate timely resolution of licensing issues.
• Track and monitor licensing timelines, proactively communicating status updates, risks, and required client actions.
• Maintain accurate records of licensing activities, documentation, and correspondence in internal systems.
• Ensure continuous audit readiness through accurate documentation and adherence to regulatory standards.
• Monitor regulatory changes impacting licensing requirements and ensure organizational compliance.
• Partner with compliance, legal, and operational teams to support corporate compliance initiatives.

• Support business development by providing subject‑matter expertise during sales discussions, scoping calls, and proposal development.
• Provide guidance to internal stakeholders regarding licensing requirements and compliance expectations.
• Support internal and external audits and inspections.
• Partner with Corporate Compliance to ensure alignment with internal policies and regulatory obligations.
• Promote a culture of operational excellence, accountability, and compliance discipline.
• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively managing bias.
• All other duties as assigned.

• Partner with clients to understand operational models and recommend appropriate licensing strategies.
• Understand the client’s needs and recommend regulatory strategies and tactics.
• Cross‑functional collaboration to ensure objectives and milestones are met.
• Consultative services and selling to clients, ensuring positive front‑line contact.
• Deliver high‑quality client service through responsiveness, accuracy, and proactive problem‑solving.
• Mentoring and knowledge sharing with other regulatory associates.
• Travel (Up to 10%)
• Hours (Average 40+ hours per week)

• Education bachelor’s degree in business, legal studies, public policy, scientific discipline, or a related field preferred.
• Experience and/or Training Minimum 7 years of experience in state licensing, regulatory compliance, and/or related fields (pharmaceutical, medical device, healthcare, legal services, and/or corporate compliance).
• Experience preparing and submitting state license applications (e.g., wholesale distributor, 3PL, pharmacy, manufacturer, controlled substances).
• Strong research skills and ability to interpret state statutes,…