The Company:

AbbVie’s (NYSE:ABBV) mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines 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, eye care, virology and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com.au. Follow @abbvie_AU on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our LinkedIn page. 

Summary of Job Description:

The Communications and Patient Relations Manager role is integral to ensuring that AbbVie continues to have a remarkable impact on the patients we serve in Australia and New Zealand. Reporting to the Senior Communication and Patient Relations Manager, this broad role supports AbbVie brand teams to create, collaborate on and execute impactful, patient focused communications programs, internally and externally. The role aims to bring the ‘voice of the patient’ to life by putting patient needs at the center of all we do.

The scope of management includes strategic leadership, agency management, budget responsibility and leadership of compliance in patient and stakeholder engagements as per the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct and New Zealand Medicines Code.

Major Responsibilities:

• Deliver patient focused strategies (internal /external) with specific timelines, budgets and stakeholder responsibilities.
• Take a ‘hands-on’ approach to supporting brand teams with communications and patient relations and executing on key initiatives.
• Act as the conduit between internal teams and our communication agencies, overseeing and executing upon plans to deliver agreed outcomes. 
• Define and monitor key performance indicators, results and feedback and propose strategic  adjustments as required, in conjunction with the brand teams.
• Contribute to and ensure that all brand communications align to the country and global patient relations strategies.
• Build strategic relationships with key stakeholders in order to advance patient-focused outcomes.
• Assess current practices and identify ways to innovate in order to improve outcomes for AbbVie and our patients
• Other projects as directed by the Director of Corporate Communications & Patient Relations and Senior Communications and Patient Relations Manager.

Education/Experience Required:

• Tertiary qualifications in communications or demonstrated equivalent.
• Several years’ experience in communications and patient advocacy roles, preferably within the pharmaceutical industry or related health sector.

Essential Skills & Abilities:

• Ability to develop and execute multi-channel communication and patient advocacy strategies.
• Strong skills in social and traditional media essential (proactive and reactive).
• Demonstrated experience in strategic stakeholder relations.
• Demonstrated experience in working as part of a cross-functional team and servicing the needs of a diverse group of stakeholders.
• Ability to tailor communications to meet the requirements of different stakeholder groups, sensitive of diverse views and needs.
• Ability to project manage activities and act decisively to ensure efficient use of resources, including agency resources and budget management.
• Ability to establish clear expectations, provide timely, accurate feedback and take appropriate follow-up actions to build capability and ensure effectiveness.
• Ability to translate strategy into flawless execution.
• Knowledge of the Medicines Australia Code and New Zealand Medicines Code.
• Understanding of the Australian medicines eco-system preferred.

Leadership Attributes:

All for One AbbVie

Clear and Courageous

Decide Smart and Sure

Agile and Accountable

Make Possibilities Real

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer including disability/vets. 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 disabled veteran, recently separated veteran, Armed Forces service medal veteran or active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran or a person’s relationship or association with a protected veteran, including spouses and other family members, or any other protected group status. We will take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified minorities, women, individuals with a disability, disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, Armed Forces service medal veterans or active-duty wartime or campaign badge veterans. The Affirmative Action Plan is available for viewing in the Human Resources office during regular business hours.