Associate Director/Director, Public Affairs - UK & Ireland

At Gilead, we’re creating a healthier world for all people. For more than 35 years, we’ve tackled diseases such as HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19 and cancer – working relentlessly to develop therapies that help improve lives and to ensure access to these therapies across the globe. We continue to fight against the world’s biggest health challenges, and our mission requires collaboration, determination and a relentless drive to make a difference.

Every member of Gilead’s team plays a critical role in the discovery and development of life-changing scientific innovations. Our employees are our greatest asset as we work to achieve our bold ambitions, and we’re looking for the next wave of passionate and ambitious people ready to make a direct impact.

We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Gilead and help create possible, together.

The position

We are currently looking for an Associate Director/Director level team member to join our Public Affairs team, based in our Holborn Office (London). Reporting into the Senior Director, Public Affairs, UK and Ireland, this role is mainly responsible for product and pipeline communications, patient communications and advocacy and related internal and corporate communications within the affiliate. This is a highly visible communications role covering several therapy areas.

Responsibilities include:

• Develop and implement strategic programmes to communicate the value that our medicines deliver throughout their lifecycle
• Coordinate with cross-functional colleagues to ensure alignment and collaboration on strategic priorities and messaging across different stakeholders
• Examine complex issues from a broader organization perspective, determine communications opportunities and help determine priorities for Public Affairs
• Develop/strengthen relationships with a wide variety of community advocates, organisations and professionals
• Implement creative, patient-centric disease awareness & communication campaigns to engage with communities we serve
• Prepare press releases, presentations, internal newsletters and other communications materials
• Respond to media requests and arrange interviews with Gilead spokespeople and opinion leader spokespeople as appropriate
• Ensure alignment of local activities with corporate guidance, working closely with regional/global teams
• Effectively manage all aspects of public relations agency relationships, including providing direction and project management
• Manage budgets to target
• Represent Public Affairs within cross-functional brand teams and steering committees
• Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, internal policies/procedures and external codes
• Coordinate with cross-functional colleagues across the organization to ensure consistent messaging
• Be the contact person for related crisis and issues mitigation/management

Knowledge, experience and skills

• Demonstrable experience, in a similar capacity, of public relations in pharmaceutical and healthcare
• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills
• Demonstrated experience in media relations, issues management; knowledge of healthcare and industry media and reporting trends
• Strong experience in patient advocacy and the co-creation of multi-channel campaigns
• Strong knowledge of social media and experience in managing social media campaigns (corporate and/or disease area specific)
• Previous experience in product launches (regulatory and reimbursement)
• Demonstrated knowledge of regulations and principles specific to communications for a publicly-traded biopharmaceutical company
• Experience managing multiple projects (timelines, budgets, priorities) simultaneously; flexibility and results-oriented focus are essential
• Ability to interact with senior management and high-profile experts appropriately, with confidence and ease
• Strong understanding of UK political/health policy and access environment, including processes and key stakeholders
• Knowledge of Irish media and healthcare environment preferred
• Recent or current agency experience is preferred
• Typically requires a BA degree in communications, liberal arts, business or science-oriented field (or International Equivalent) or proven relevant experience, which includes solid healthcare public relations experience

Behaviours

• Ability to engage and manage multiple stakeholders to achieve objectives
• Curious with a strong learning agility (the ability to rapidly study, analyse and understand new situations and business problems)
• Operationally excellent and resilient in the context of a rapidly changing environment
• Organised with systematic approach to prioritisation
• Process orientated to achieve the business objective

Gilead Core Values: Integrity (always doing the right thing), Teamwork (collaborating in good faith), Excellence (working at a high level of commitment and capability), Accountability (taking personal responsibility).