Head of Communications, R&D

The Position

Head of Communications, R&D
 

The Roche Diagnostics Solutions (RDS) business area, with 6,000 employees, is responsible for all diagnostics solutions and has end-to-end accountability for the development and delivery of these solutions. 

RDS includes four customer areas (Core Lab, Molecular Lab, Pathology Lab, Points of Care) and functions such as R&D, Clinical Development & Medical Affairs, Portfolio & Project Management, Marketing & Customer Insights, Global Access & Policy and Global Customer Support.
 

Position:

As the Head of Communications, R&D you will be responsible for driving communications to help deliver on business objectives, and for helping to engage and inspire key stakeholders. As an expert in both external and internal communications you will act as key coach and advisor for internal stakeholders across the enterprise. 

To deliver on this, you rely on effective teamwork and collaboration with the broader Diagnostics Communications community, and work in partnership with the Head of Communications, RDS and Heads of Communications for Customer Areas to define objectives, approach and areas of focus. You work across the network to pull in expertise to achieve business objectives. You seize the unique opportunity to transform the way we work in Diagnostics Communications and contribute to the shared leadership responsibility of creating excellence in communications at Roche.

You are a trusted counselor and sparring partner. To the R&D leadership team you are a trusted strategic partner and an integral member of the business. You embrace an agile mindset and are energized by change. You act as a coach and advise on relevant communication approaches. You want to be a key player in transforming Diagnostics and develop new leadership skills in a fast-paced, rapidly changing industry/environment.

You role model the Roche Operating Principles and foster these in the rest of the organization. You are willing to let go of command and control and deliberately push decisions to the lowest level, empowering teams to come up with innovative solutions.

You are convinced that skills and capabilities are as important as mindsets, behaviors and culture, and you work to deliberately create an environment of curiosity and psychological safety for people to engage in that journey together with you.
 

Responsibilities:

• In alignment with the Head of Communications, RDS, Heads of Communication for Customer Areas, and the Head of R&D, plan and deliver integrated communications strategies, narratives and campaigns that engage and align stakeholders at both a cross function and R&D level.

• Translate the RDS and Group Communications vision and strategy into relevant function-related projects and initiatives supported by careful planning and concrete measurements.

• Align Communications strategy, goals, and objectives to overall business priorities; provide counsel on high-value, impactful external and employee communications, and crisis and issues communications.

• Support relevant cross function narrative: in partnership with the Heads of Communications for Customer Areas, build a strategic communications plan that helps deliver on priorities and maximizes impact.

• Support the R&D portfolio narrative: in partnership with the R&D leadership team, build a strategic communications plan that helps deliver on priorities and maximizes impact.

• Drive and develop communications tools and strategies to engage and inspire a diverse workforce.

• Establish and maintain end-to-end integrated communication planning including measurement against objectives.

• Maintain broad-based knowledge of the R&D function and areas of focus; use knowledge of business and communications insights, metrics, expertise, and decision principles to effectively diagnose topics with a wide range of complexity.

• Stay abreast of internal and external developments, industry trends, as these pertain to strategic communication and ‘new ways of working’ priorities.
   

Leadership:

• Drive change with proven ability to influence business leaders and Communications professionals to achieve desired outcomes.

• Leadership responsibility to deliver an integrated cross function and R&D communications strategy that supports the broader RDS Communications strategy and aligns with divisional and Group Communications goals.
   

Who You Are:

• Demonstrated passion and drive to shape Communications across large and diverse parts of our business areas and/or business areas in previous companies.

• Demonstrated passion for and role-modeling leading in ambiguity, with proven ability to support with a creative mindset,