Vice President, Pipeline and External Innovation Communications

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas – immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

The Vice President, Pipeline and External Innovation Communications is responsible for all internal and external communications for the R&D organization and the Corporate Business & Strategy Office. The Vice President leads a team that oversees executive communications for AbbVie’s Chief Scientific Officer and the Chief Business & Strategy Officer.

Core Job Responsibilities

• Oversight of strategic planning and execution for external communications, internal leadership and functional communications supporting AbbVie’s Executive Leadership Team members – Executive Vice President and Chief Business Strategy Officer, Chief Scientific Officer, and the broader R&D Leadership Team (RDLT).
• Leads R&D and early-stage pipeline communications across all our therapeutic areas of focus (oncology, immunology, neuroscience, eye care, and specialty) and is responsible for communications about AbbVie’s global research sites.
• Leads strategic planning and execution for all external communications and internal leadership communications supporting the Chief Business & Strategy Officer and AbbVie’s External Innovation team, including Business Development, Search an Evaluation, Global Alliances, Corporate Strategy and AbbVie Ventures.
• Partners with the senior leaders across the R&D and Corporate Business & Strategy Office organizations to understand their priorities; develops and executes strategic, compelling communications programs that deliver on enterprise-wide objectives.
• Standing member of the RDLT working directly with the Senior Vice President and Vice President-level leaders of each function within R&D who report into the Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Medical Officer.
• Ensures all communications efforts align with the enterprise R&D narrative and Corporate Affairs enterprise-aligned goals.
• Leads strategy, working closely with the Global Therapeutics Communications organization, for R&D programming across therapeutic areas of focus and around data-specific communications and press releases/disclosures for pipeline assets and expanded indications for on-market products.
• Interfaces and aligns with leaders in various division and corporate constituencies, including government affairs, investor relations, legal, finance, marketing, regulatory, medical, clinical and senior management.
• Effectively manages various stakeholders cross-functionally on planning and execution of relevant communications initiatives.
• Effectively navigates and manages issues impacting R&D and external innovation, working closely with appropriate crisis teams to ensure business continuity.
• Identifies strategically compelling external engagement opportunities for R&D and Corporate Business & Strategy leaders to further demonstrate AbbVie’s leadership and support corporate reputation building efforts.
• Works with key R&D leaders on message delivery across a variety of audiences, media engagement, and external speaking opportunities.
• Prepares senior leaders for key internal engagements, including all-staff meetings and Board of Directors presentations.
• Lead, motivate and inspire team of strategic communicators to drive and deliver on the strategic priorities for the Corporate Affairs organization and the broader enterprise business priorities.
• Model AbbVie ways of working, building and implementing new capabilities and efficiencies across the team.
• Coach and develop team members in the planning, development and execution of communications strategies.
• Core member of the Corporate Communications Leadership team reporting to the Vice President, Corporate Communications.

• Scientific communications experience preferred. A bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism or life sciences field is required. 
• Experience working with C-suite and senior level executives is required.
• Candidate must have a deep understanding of the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry environment, media landscape, and possess strong business acumen.
• Minimum of 15+ years’ experience developing, presenting, and implementing communications programs in a corporate setting.
• Must have a strong executive presence, excellent writing skills, and ability to work under tight deadlines with great attention to detail.
• Strong influencing and networking skills to build collaborative and effective relationships in a matrix environment.
• Expert understanding of communications, content and channel strategies, social media, employee engagement, change management, and experience in leading the development of strategic communication programs.
• Previous work in the biopharmaceutical R&D or related industry is preferred, but not required.
• Experience and interest in leading and managing large teams and multiple direct reports is also desired.

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

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• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.​

• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.​

• This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs. ​

• This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs​

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Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law. ​

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AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and 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.

US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html 

US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:

https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html