Associate Director, Communications & Public Affairs

The Associate Director, Communications & Public Affairs plays a key role in engaging external and internal stakeholders, championing the business’s strategic priorities and patient-focused culture. Utilizing a high degree of critical thinking, emotionally intelligent stakeholder management, and strategic insight, The Associate Director, Communications and Public Affairs helps drive both external public affairs strategies for a commercial Business Unit (BU) and supports internal communications and engagement initiatives across AbbVie’s commercial operations organization. Reporting to the Director, Business Unit Public Affairs & Engagement, this high-profile role interacts regularly with BU leadership, Corporate Communications, and other key cross- functional stakeholders to provide counsel and innovative communications expertise in a fast-paced environment. 

This unique and dynamic role requires both internal and external communications expertise: Externally, the Associate Director must be highly skilled in issues management, product communications and media relations; internally, they will have a keen understanding of change management and multi-channel communication strategies to enhance culture and engagement for field-based and home office employees. 

This position is based at AbbVie's global headquarters in Lake County, IL and will have a hybrid schedule (3 days in office).  

Responsibilities:

Business Unit External Communications (50%)

• Provides strategic and timely issues management across a large portfolio of products.
• Drives high-impact public affairs programs to advance business objectives with emphasis on competitive differentiation, analytics and the external environment.
• Secures timely buy-in and input from functional and franchise leaders on Public Affairs programs, including securing budget to effectively execute on programs.
• Oversees and implements tactical program elements, ensuring deliverables are met on time and on budget across paid, earned, shared and owned channels.
• Serves as communications counselor to franchise, ensuring programs are creatively developed and executed with the external environment in mind.
• Develops and maintains relationships on behalf of AbbVie with patient advocates and advocacy organizations, as needed.
• Proactively plans and manages medical, regulatory and legal content reviews as needed for external-facing branded and unbranded content.
• Interfaces with media proactively and reactively.

Cross-BU Public Affairs Strategic Initiatives (25%)

• Supports Director, Business Unit Public Affairs & Engagement in the development of weekly internal newsletter that keeps employees up to speed on the US healthcare and competitive landscape.
• Vets, identifies and provides guidance on external engagements (including adherence to AbbVie corporate policies) for US-based commercial teams.
• Manages budgets for team’s work and liaises with Finance partners to ensure accurate resource management.
• Manage and maintain a message bank of above brand product communications messaging and media statements.
• Coordinates collection of key financial and business highlights across Business Units, ahead of quarterly earnings. 

Cross-BU Employee Engagement & Communications (25%)

• Engages employees and communicates on key initiatives utilizing a multichannel approach including but not limited to executive presentations (slides, talking points), video creation (scripts, talking points, production management), special events or forums (show flow, content creation, logistics planning).
• Coordinates with HR communications and other functional communications teams, as needed, to ensure all employee communications are effectively coordinated and delivered.
• Assists in the orchestration and execution of Town Hall content to support Business Unit Leadership Team, including live and virtual events throughout the year to various employee audiences across therapeutic areas.
• Works with internal and external agencies, other internal business communicators and corporate functions to ensure alignment on messaging, timing, and proper execution to drive the enterprise narrative across all internal audiences.
• Partners with Corporate Enterprise Communications team and Commercial Human Resources to drive culture initiatives and communications, including but not limited to Award and Recognition programs, Employee Giving Campaign and Equity, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EED&I) initiatives.
• Tracks and measures post-event/tactics in order to inform future internal communications efforts and monitor progress.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism, or equivalent.
• Must have 9+ years of communications, public relations or public affairs experience
• Proven expertise in media relations, issues management, product communications, and/or internal communications is preferred
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills along with knowledge of emerging communication trends and technologies
• Strong business acumen with the ability to anticipate company and team needs and make connections to advance business deliverables.
• Ability to lead without direct authority and excel in a matrixed environment and independently drive to deliver on business objectives with senior leaders and teams
• Confident and proactive bringing definition and scope to vague problem statements and prioritizing and problem solving in a fast-paced environment.
• Must have excellent organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks with attention to detail while maintaining focus on the big picture.
• Confidence and strong presentation skills providing communications subject matter expertise to senior leaders.
• Innovative thinker who challenges the status quo to create lasting impact

AbbVie is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives, serving our community, and embracing diversity and inclusion. 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 protected veteran, or any other legally protected group status.