Networking isn’t just about getting that next job. Let Jasmine Muse explain.

RAPS Convergence is where the world’s regulatory affairs community gathers to share expert insights and create meaningful connections. We’re talking to the speakers behind this year’s event to get the inside scoop on the topics everyone will be talking about and their tips for making the most of your week. Next up:Jasmine G. Muse, senior manager, regulatory affairs CMC at UCB Pharma.

What does your role as senior manager, regulatory affairs CMC entail?

I feel that my superpower is bringing stakeholders together. My main responsibilities are winning approvals for my product in various countries around the world, which opens up access to the biologic that I work on to the patients who can benefit from it. 

You talk about “bringing people together.” What does that look like in practice and why is it something you are passionate about?

I work with various scientists, departmental leads, researchers, and subject matter experts spanning quality, analytical, and manufacturing. I have to bring them all together to arrange deadlines, ensure we understand the proper guidances, and communicate their expertise so it is reflected appropriately for the health authority. A lot of this communication involves bringing them together so we can align on exactly what we want to send to the health authority. I also invest time in building one-on-one relationships with key stakeholders to gain a deeper understanding of their roles and responsibilities. By understanding how their work influences my product, I can better assess regulatory expectations and align our strategies with the guidance and requirements issued by the relevant health authorities in their respective countries.

 What drew you to your current role, given your chemistry background and the different positions you held before moving into regulatory affairs?

What sets my background apart is my ability to successfully pivot across multiple scientific disciplines throughout my career. My experience spans quality control, research and development, and science education as an advanced science teacher, providing me with a unique blend of technical expertise, analytical thinking, and communication skills I’ve always been able to keep science at the core of every role I’ve moved into. My first role in regulatory affairs was with a startup, an experience that proved to be both challenging and incredibly rewarding. One of the unique aspects of working in a startup environment is the opportunity to wear multiple hats and gain exposure to a wide range of responsibilities simultaneously. That breadth of experience accelerated my learning, broadened my skill set, and provided valuable insight into different aspects of the business. It also helped me identify the areas I am most passionate about and where I can make the greatest impact, while clarifying which paths were not the right long-term fit for me. 

The challenge I embraced in my current role is its truly global scope. Unlike my startup experience, where I primarily focused on a smaller number of health authorities, I now support products across multiple regions around the world. This requires me to continuously monitor evolving regulatory expectations, emerging guidance, and lifecycle management considerations across diverse markets. Because health authority requirements are constantly changing, I am challenged to think beyond a single regulatory framework and consider the broader global impact on a product throughout its lifecycle. 

Working across such a large geographic and regulatory landscape has significantly expanded my perspective and deepened my expertise. It has pushed me to anticipate changes, identify opportunities and risks across regions, and develop strategies that account for both current requirements and future regulatory trends. This experience has strengthened my ability to think globally, navigate complexity, and continuously expand my regulatory knowledge network.

 You’re hosting a session at RAPS Convergence called The Invisible Dossier: Networking as a Regulatory Requirement. How did this session come to be? 

The idea for this session grew out of my experiences mentoring college students, graduate students, and early-career professionals. In those conversations, I frequently discuss the importance of networking and stakeholder engagement in regulatory affairs. What I've noticed is that many people entering the profession initially view networking as simply knowing people or expanding their contact list. However, once they begin working in regulatory or quality roles, they quickly realize that success depends on their ability to bring together individuals with diverse expertise, perspectives, priorities, and constraints. 

Through mentoring, I recognized that networking is often undervalued as a critical professional skill, despite its direct impact on regulatory success. Whether you're navigating a complex submission, managing postapproval changes, or developing a global regulatory strategy, your effectiveness often depends on the relationships you've built across functions and regions. 

That's what inspired this session. It explores the idea that networking is much more than attending events or collecting business cards. It's about intentionally building relationships and developing trust. It means taking the time to schedule one-on-one conversations, understanding what motivates your stakeholders, learning about the challenges they face, and appreciating how their priorities and constraints may ultimately influence your project outcomes. 

I also want to challenge the common misconception that communication happens only in formal meetings. Some of the strongest professional relationships are built through simple, authentic interactions. Turning on your camera, engaging in meaningful conversations, showing genuine curiosity about someone's experiences, and maintaining those connections over time can create trust that becomes invaluable when navigating complex regulatory challenges. In many ways, the relationships we build become an invisible dossier of credibility, influence, and collaboration that supports our success throughout our careers.

One thing that stood out in your description was the idea that networking is a core competency of regulatory affairs, but not necessarily in the way many people think about it, which is networking to get the next job. You talk more about having an ecosystem that serves your current role. Where did the idea come from that this version of networking isn’t just about climbing the career ladder?

Right. It’s about being an organic, natural leader. As I said earlier, people often approach networking by asking, “What can I get out of this? What is in it for me?” But networking can help your team and your organization run so much better, which benefits you at the end of the day.  By speaking to professionals in other departments, you can collaborate on ways of working, compare time-management approaches, and compare notes on ways to become more efficient together. It’s not just about yourself or what that person can do for you. It’s also about what you can do for that person and their team.

You attended RAPS Convergence last year for the first time. What was that experience like? What did you enjoy about it, and was there anything that surprised you? 

It felt like a regulatory affairs family reunion, except everyone actually wanted to talk about regulations. It was one of the few environments where I didn't have to start by explaining what regulatory affairs is. As anyone in the profession knows, regulatory affairs is a fairly niche field. If you know, you know. And if you don't, you've probably been on the receiving end of one of our explanations that starts with, "Well, it depends..." 

What made the experience so refreshing was being surrounded by people who spoke the same language. I could casually mention a health authority, reference a submission strategy, or throw out a string of acronyms without having to pause and provide a glossary. There was an immediate sense of connection because everyone understood the challenges, complexities, and nuances of the 

I could simply dive into the conversation. Being in a room filled with professionals who understood the world through the same regulatory lens made it feel less like a conference and more like finding my people. It was a reminder that while regulatory affairs may be a small profession, it's a remarkably connected and supportive community.

What is one thing you are looking forward to at this year’s event?

There’s a lot. I can’t wait to go to the networking event, and there are a lot of sessions I’m interested in. I feel like I grow my knowledge exponentially when I attend a conference like this, but I’m also looking forward to catching up with regulatory affairs leaders. I’m especially interested in hearing what former FDA commissioner Robert Califf has to say, as well as attending the EU Health Authority Forum, because that is one of my territories, and I have some questions I hope to get answered.

I’m also excited to be speaking at the Opening Plenary Session along with my fellow Rising Star Award recipient Nivedha Subramanian, and at the Regulatory Leadership Bootcamp preconference workshop.