Director, Medical Affairs + Health Impact Therapeutic Area Communications

Purpose The Director, Medical Affairs + Health Impact (MHI) Therapeutic Area Communications, leads an integrated communications strategy spanning Medical Affairs and Value & Evidence within a designated therapeutic area. The Director amplifies MHI’s contributions and supporting evidence to strengthen pipeline and brand narratives, demonstrating how scientific innovation addresses unmet need and care gaps, improves the standard of care and delivers value across the healthcare system.   As the primary communications advisor to MHI therapeutic area leaders, the Director connects the dots between R&D/pipeline and commercial communications strategies, working with Pipeline & External Innovation Communications, Commercial Communications, Global Patient & Community Partnerships and other cross-functional stakeholders to align and deliver MHI communications with shared priorities. The role reports to the Director of MHI Communications within the Corporate Affairs organization.  Responsibilities • Serve as strategic communications counselor to the MHI therapeutic area vice president and leadership team.  • Lead and execute communications strategies that amplify MHI-generated evidence, medical education and capabilities to strengthen pipeline and brand narratives and demonstrate how scientific innovation addresses unmet needs, closes care gaps, elevates the standard of care and delivers value across the healthcare system.  • Develop and deliver thought leadership for the MHI therapeutic area vice president across LinkedIn, congresses, conferences, external events and leadership forums.  • Represent MHI on the therapeutic area Communications Council, congress planning team and business unit vice president leadership team, ensuring MHI communications are integrated with pipeline and commercial priorities.  • Increase internal visibility and understanding of MHI’s value, work and contributions among AbbVie employees and field teams.  • Use external-environment analysis, stakeholder insights and performance data to refine strategy, establish objectives and KPIs, evaluate impact and recommend adjustments.  • Support cross-R&D initiatives that elevate MHI’s contributions, as well as KOL engagement opportunities to advance MHI leadership visibility and communications objectives.  • Support the building of the MHI therapeutic area communications capability, ensuring it delivers distinct, value-added support aligned with business and stakeholder needs.  • Lead annual planning, prioritization, budget management, agency oversight and continuous improvement across the R&D Communications operating model.  • Ensure content is developed in compliance with applicable corporate, legal, regulatory and medical review requirements.  • Bachelor’s degree required.  • At least 10 years of experience in integrated communications, preferably in the healthcare, biotechnology or pharmaceutical industries.  • Demonstrated success as a trusted strategic communications counselor to senior leaders on narratives, messaging, audiences, channels, leader visibility and reputational risk.  • Deep understanding of the healthcare environment and the drug development lifecycle.  • Demonstrated ability to use complex scientific, medical and business information to strengthen pipeline and brand narratives for internal and external audiences.  • Proven ability to set integrated communications strategy, align senior cross-functional stakeholders, direct execution across teams and adjust course based on insights and outcomes.  • Strong executive presence and communications judgment, with the credibility to challenge constructively, resolve competing priorities and operate effectively in ambiguity.  • Excellent written, verbal and visual storytelling skills, with the