Director, Internal & External Communications

Kyowa Kirin is a fast-growing global specialty pharmaceutical company that applies state-of-the-art biotechnologies to discover and deliver novel medicines in four disease areas: bone and mineral; intractable hematologic; hematology oncology; and rare disease.  A Japan-based company, our goal is to translate science into smiles by delivering therapies where no adequate treatments currently exist, working from drug discovery to product development and commercialization. In North America, we are headquartered in Princeton, NJ, with offices in California, North Carolina, and Mississauga, Ontario.

Summary of Job:

The Director, Corporate Communications serves as a key player within the Communications Department as this position will work closely and collaboratively with U.S., Canadian and global communications colleagues and leadership teams on internal and external communications programs and initiatives specific to corporate public relations, employee engagement, operational initiatives and corporate brand management. This position requires strategic communications experience in the areas of reputation management, and employee, executive leadership, and site communications. The ideal candidate is a strong, succinct writer, has the ability to simplify complex information and is process minded. This professional needs to be a collaborative and an adaptable team player experienced in working across internal teams, and with agencies and vendors partners to drive business results.

Essential Functions:

• Develops and executes compelling and effective external communication and public relations programs to enhance KKNA’s corporate reputation among the key external stakeholder groups, including physicians, managed market decision-makers, the scientific community and existing and potential business partners.
• Leads the company’s North American media relations efforts, corporate advertising, and reputation management strategy.
• Build and execute initiatives to enhance KKNA’s visibility and build positive reputation for the company in the North America through media, thought leadership, and social media.
• Executes comprehensive, multi-channel internal and external communications plans aimed at elevating employee connections, company strategy and priorities, and KKNA culture.
• Leads large-scale employee engagement initiatives, such as Town Halls and leadership communication programs planning, including event logistics, meeting content and collaboration with presenters.
• Designs internal and external communications materials to support key events, conferences, company news and milestones, and change management activities.
• Manages editorial calendar and creates content across a variety of channels, including digital platforms (email, newsletters, video, SharePoint, etc.), in collaboration with the Senior Manager, Digital Communications.
• Executes corporate philanthropy activities and associated employee volunteer activities.
• Oversees issues and crisis communication events affecting the US and Canadian markets, ensuring a coordinated and effective response.
• Liaises across the Communications department to ensure close collaboration on communications activities and to effectively pull through global strategy, messaging, and tactics to the U.S and Canada.
• Collaborates with corporate functions such as HR, Finance, Legal, IT to plan and execute strategic communications plans based on corporate priorities.
• Act as a project manager on assigned projects; coordinate with vendors; manages corporate communications budget.

Job Requirements:

Education

Bachelor’s Degree required. Communications, Business, English, Journalism or related field preferred.

Experience

At least 10 successful years of experience in corporate communications or public relations; Video script writing and editing.

Skills and Competencies

Media savvy with relationships with influential media and a keen understanding of today’s dynamic media ecosystem; Ability to distill complex language from a variety of sources into effective, easy-to-understand, concise messages for a variety of internal and external audiences; Excellence in internal communications best practices, standards and tools; Proven writing capabilities in a variety of formats, including C-suite communications, plans, organizational communications, related FAQs and other collateral materials, and PowerPoint presentations; Demonstrated ability to work under pressure, to meet tight deadlines and to handle multiple projects simultaneously and autonomously; Advanced editing and proofreading skills, along with extraordinary attention to detail while delivering against deadlines; Must be an independent and strategic thinker who is a strong team player with the ability to clearly ex