Director, Corporate Communications

This role reports directly to the Vice President, Corporate Communications and is responsible for proactive and reactive enterprise media relations strategies and initiatives that build relationships and connect with media and key external stakeholders to drive a greater understanding and appreciation of AbbVie leadership, business strategy and innovation capability. This role will drive media coverage and social media activity that supports, promotes and protects corporate reputation and highlights strategic business objectives, reputation and enhances competitive position and stakeholder perception.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary enterprise media spokesperson for the company, as well as point person and coordinator for key proactive and reactive media strategies and interactions for the enterprise.
• Work collaboratively across the Corporate Communications team and the Corporate Responsibility, Brand and Communications organization on building enterprise communications strategies that support corporate reputation.
• Serve as a key liaison to cross-functional partners, building strong relationships and serving as a partner and advisor to key business functions, including Investor Relations, Government Affairs and Legal.
• Deliver best-in-class multi-channel external and media relations practices that advance AbbVie’s ability to build and sustain its corporate story and competitive positioning. 
• Engage and influence target media and industry commentators through compelling communications outreach, programs and initiatives. 
• Plan and execute robust strategies and initiatives to drive a step change improvement in relationships with journalists, and traditional and social media coverage and commentary.
• Support key enterprise milestones and events.
• Create and execute, as an integral component of the corporate strategic communications plan, an ongoing proactive media plan with initiatives and programs that each contribute to advancing the strategy and drive clearly defined messages across all external media channels, reaching and engaging key stakeholders such as investors, financial community, business partners, patients, policy makers, civic leaders, local communities and employees
• Consistently engage with external networks to track issues and provide effective reactive media- response capability to efficiently manage external and media issues, with consideration of related division and corporate policies and positions.
• Provide credible backup to VP Corporate Communications, in the execution of communications strategies and plans in support of high-profile business initiatives.
• Serve as a corporate spokesperson with traditional and social media. Create a global framework for media relations and social media interactions relevant for Area and local affiliate customized use and provide advice on same.
• Prioritize, establish and maintain media relationships and manage appropriate access to executives to build understanding and confidence in AbbVie’s business plan and its leadership capability through accessibility, visibility and consistent messaging. Position AbbVie leaders as sources of authority and experts externally on key topics that will advance business and reputation goals, use their participation as key components and drivers of communications strategies and initiatives.
• Prioritize influential beat, financial, key local and trade reporters, social media etc., to build targeted media visibility with detailed objectives and plans leveraging a pipeline of created content.
• Work collaboratively to anticipate issues and trends that generate media interest, develop media messaging contingency plans in partnership with company leadership and functional peers to ensure a strong global process to identify, prioritize, manage, leverage or minimize issues through cross-functional planning, preparedness and rapid response protocol.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in public relations, integrated marketing, communications, journalism or equivalent preferred.
• 10+ years of relevant experience and proven track record of success in managing corporate reputation, crisis planning and enterprise communications.
• Previous experience in media relations, either in-house or at an agency, preferred.
• Experience in the healthcare/bio-pharma industry preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills along with knowledge of emerging communications trends and technologies.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to anticipate company and team needs.

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer including disability/vets. It is AbbVie’s policy to employ qualified persons of the greatest ability without discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy), physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a disabled veteran, recently separated veteran, Armed Forces service medal veteran or active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran or a person’s relationship or association with a protected veteran, including spouses and other family members, or any other protected group status. We will take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified minorities, women, individuals with a disability, disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, Armed Forces service medal veterans or active-duty wartime or campaign badge veterans. The Affirmative Action Plan is available for viewing in the Human Resources office during regular business hours.