Director, Immunology Public Affairs- Dermatology

Job Description

Overview:

The Director, Immunology Public Affairs leads the development and execution of integrated public affairs strategies across AbbVie’s most expansive immunology portfolio - dermatology. This role serves as a strategic counselor to senior business and cross-functional leaders, translating business priorities, stakeholder insights and the external environment into creative communications that strengthen competitive differentiation, corporate reputation and stakeholder trust. The Director brings strong business acumen, sound judgment, creative thinking and deep expertise in earned media and influencer relations while managing a broad range of internal and external stakeholders. This role reports to the Head, Immunology Public Affairs and will have one direct report.

Responsibilities include:

• Drive high-impact public affairs programs to advance the growing dermatology portfolio’s business objectives with emphasis on competitive differentiation and corporate reputation.
• Analyze the communications environment, identify trends, opportunities and risks, while translating those insights into strategic objectives, creative content and informed business decisions.
• Provide strategic counsel to influence critical decisions through informed perspective on the external environment. Anticipate and mitigate external issues to protect reputation and business performance.
• Participate in relevant dermatology integrated business teams, providing public affairs communications perspective, strategic counsel and influence.
• Create intentional connections across the immunology dermatology and aesthetics dermatology businesses to find synergies, key learnings and optimizations to strengthen communications output with an enterprise mindset.
• Partner closely with R&D communications and relevant pipeline commercialization strategy team to ensure sound, consistent and strategic messaging across on-market and pipeline dermatology assets that support a broader, enterprise narrative
• Interface with media proactively and reactively as AbbVie corporate spokesperson on dermatology portfolio milestones, data and other relevant news.
• Build and manage relationships with internal and third-party spokespeople and prepare them for compelling external speaking opportunities.
• Develop and sustain trusted relationships on behalf of AbbVie with patient advocates, influencers and other external stakeholders.
• Champion new ideas, emerging channels and best practices that elevate Corporate Affairs, strengthen audience engagement and improve the impact of public affairs programs.
• Establish clear objectives and measures of success for public affairs strategies, use performance insights to optimize programs and communicate results and business impact to senior leaders.
• Lead work with sound judgment and a strong commitment to AbbVie standards, ensuring communications are accurate, compliant and aligned across relevant business, medical, legal, regulatory and corporate stakeholders.
• Support broader, pan-immunology leadership communications and programming that expands beyond the dermatology portfolio.
• Manage agencies and associated program budgets that support communications programming.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree is required – emphasis on communications, public relations, marketing, business, journalism or equivalent is preferred.
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in public relations. Preferred experience at a public relations agency and/or pharmaceutical in-house communications position with increasing responsibility, or similar roles in regulated industries.
• Expertise in developing and executing strategic communications programs that are creative, insight-driven and deliver measurable business impact.
• Proven track record of working with traditional and emerging news media on a variety of topics from data and milestones to high-profile patient profile stories
• Strong communication planning, execution and process management skills and strong interpersonal skills to quickly build rapport and credibility with AbbVie leaders as well as key internal and external stakeholders, including academic experts, patients and patient advocates, with confidence, empathy and ease.
• Business acumen to appropriately frame the why and contextualize communications priorities that strategically align with business priorities
• Scientific acumen to understand complex concepts and translate for target audiences and channels
• Ability to work effectively in a cross-functional team and navigate a highly matrixed organization using influence/negotiation and relationship management skills
• Proven experience in issues/crisis management, preferred.
• Experience leading high-performing teams, preferred

Additional Information

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​

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