Director, Portfolio Communications & Advocacy Relations
At a glance
Director-level Communications role at Ipsen. Cambridge · full-time · $177,000–$245,000 base.
growthroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Set communications and advocacy direction for brands, therapeutic areas and upcoming launches, tying plans to business priorities
- Advise executives and brand teams, using stakeholder insight to shape business decisions and communications
- Build launch communications, commercialization and stakeholder plans, then track business and reputation outcomes
- Coordinate Corporate Affairs with commercial, medical, access, regulatory and legal teams on consistent stakeholder engagement
- Lead response planning for sensitive issues and reputational risks, while overseeing vendors and communications spending
What you bring
- At least twelve years in biopharmaceutical, healthcare or healthcare communications, including product, advocacy and launch communications leadership
- A bachelor's degree is required for this role
- You bring a record of advising senior executives and influencing business decisions through communications
- You understand North American healthcare, patient advocacy and media, and have led launches and complex cross-functional work
Who this fits
This director-level role suits an experienced communications leader who has led product and launch work in complex, cross-functional settings. You’ll work onsite in Cambridge, Massachusetts, three days each week. English is required.
From the employer
Title:
Director, Portfolio Communications & Advocacy RelationsCompany:
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals Inc.
About Ipsen:
Ipsen is a mid-sized global biopharmaceutical company with a focus on transformative medicines in three therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Disease and Neuroscience. Supported by nearly 100 years of development experience, with global hubs in the U.S., France and the U.K, we tackle areas of high unmet medical need through research and innovation.
Our passionate teams in more than 40 countries are focused on what matters and endeavor every day to bring medicines to patients in 88 countries. We build a workplace that champions human-centric leadership and fosters a culture of collaboration, excellence and impact. At Ipsen, every individual is empowered to be their true selves, grow and thrive alongside the company’s success. Join us on our journey towards sustainable growth, creating real impact on patients and society!
For more information, visit us at https://www.ipsen.com/ and follow our latest news on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Job Description:
The Director, Portfolio Communications and Advocacy Relations is a strategic leader responsible for shaping and driving integrated communications and advocacy strategies across Ipsen's portfolio, including key growth brands and future launches.
Serving as a trusted advisor to senior business leaders, this role translates business priorities into impactful corporate affairs initiatives that enhance Ipsen's reputation, strengthen stakeholder trust, support commercial objectives, and advance patient-centered outcomes. The Director will lead high-profile communications initiatives, influence cross-functional decision-making, and foster strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to maximize business and reputational impact.
WHAT - Main Responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership for Corporate Affairs across multiple therapeutic areas, in-market brands and future launches, ensuring communications strategies directly support business objectives, growth priorities and corporate reputation goals
- Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership, brand teams and cross-functional stakeholders, influencing key business decisions through strategic communications counsel and stakeholder insights
- Lead the development and execution of integrated communications and advocacy strategies that drive awareness, engagement and differentiation across Ipsen's portfolio with clear measurement of business and reputational outcomes
- Shape launch readiness and commercialization strategies by embedding Corporate Affairs into launch planning, market preparation, stakeholder engagement and reputation management activities
- Identify emerging opportunities, risks and marketplace dynamics, proactively developing strategies that protect and strengthen Ipsen's reputation while supporting organizational priorities
- Drive enterprise-wide alignment across Corporate Affairs, Commercial, Medical Affairs, Market Access, Regulatory, Legal and other relevant teams to ensure a unified stakeholder engagement approach
- Create and implement innovative, multichannel communications programs that leverage multiple channels and platforms to maximize reach, engagement and impact
- Cultivate and maintain strategic relationships with external stakeholders to advance disease education, patient support and Ipsen's corporate reputation
- Partner closely with global Corporate Affairs to ensure alignment of global priorities while tailoring execution to the North American market
- Anticipate and lead responses to complex issues, sensitive stakeholder situations, and reputational challenges, providing strategic guidance to senior leadership and ensuring preparedness through scenario planning.
- Direct vendor partnerships, setting strategic expectations, evaluating performance, and optimizing investments to deliver measurable results and operational excellence
- Manage communications budgets and resource allocation decisions, ensuring effective prioritization of investments against business objectives and organizational goals
- Act as a visible Corporate Affairs leader and ambassador for Ipsen, representing the organization internally and externally while fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation and high performance
HOW - Knowledge & Experience
Knowledge & Experience (essential):
- 12-15+ years of progressive experience in biopharmaceutical, healthcare, or healthcare communications environments, including significant experience leading product communications, advocacy relations and launch communications
- Demonstrated success partnering with senior executives and influencing strategic business decisions through communications leadership
- Proven track record developing and leading integrated communications strategies that deliver measurable business, reputational and stakeholder engagement outcomes
- Deep understanding of the North American healthcare landscape, patient advocacy environment, media ecosystem and pharmaceutical company dynamics
- Experience leading complex cross-functional initiatives, major product launches, issues management and reputation-building programs in a highly matrixed organization
Education / Certifications (essential):
- Bachelor's degree required
Education / Certifications (preferred):
- Advanced degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Business, Public Health, or related field preferred
Language(s) (essential):
- English
This role offers a hybrid work schedule in accordance with the Ipsen Hybrid Working Policy, requiring employee to work onsite in Cambridge, MA, 3 days per week.
Compensation
The annual base salary range for this position is $177,000 - $245,000
This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentives program. At Ipsen we are proud to offer a comprehensive employee benefits package, including 401(k) with company contributions, group medical, dental and vision coverage, life and disability insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance, as well as flexible spending accounts. Ipsen also provides parental leave, paid time off, a discretionary winter shutdown, well-being allowance, commuter benefits, and much more.
The pay range displayed above is the range of base pay compensation within which Ipsen expects to pay for this role at the time of this posting. Individual compensation within this range depends on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, prior education and experience, job-related knowledge and demonstrated skills.