Director/Senior Director, Patient Advocacy & Engagement

Who We AreCogent Biosciences is a publicly traded biotechnology company focused on developing precision therapies for genetically defined diseases. The most advanced clinical program, bezuclastinib, is a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is designed to potently inhibit the KIT D816V mutation as well as other mutations in KIT exon 17. KIT D816V is responsible for driving systemic mastocytosis (SM), a serious disease caused by unchecked proliferation of mast cells. Exon 17 mutations are also found in patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), a type of cancer with strong dependence on oncogenic KIT signaling. Top-line results from registration-directed trials in NonAdvanced SM, Advanced SM and GIST are expected in 2025. The company also has an ongoing Phase 1 study of its novel internally discovered FGFR2 inhibitor. In addition, the Cogent Research Team is developing a portfolio of novel targeted therapies to help patients fighting serious, genetically driven diseases targeting mutations in ErbB2, PI3Kα and KRAS.
Our Teamhttps://cogent.culturehq.com

We are seeking a Senior Director/Director, Patient Advocacy & Engagement. The successful candidate is someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is passionate about making an impact on the lives of patients with unmet medical needs. Reporting to the Vice President of Patient Advocacy, Engagement, & Innovation, this role will develop and execute strategic advocacy engagement initiatives for our Systemic Mastocytosis programs, ensuring alignment throughout the product development lifecycle, with a special focus on launch readiness and patient-centered outcomes. The Senior Director/Director will work collaboratively with cross functional team members to increase awareness of our programs in the patient community, bring the patient voice into the everyday operations of Cogent, and highlight critical patient insights to help inform strategic decision making. 

Responsibilities

• Develop, lead, and execute annual strategic plan for Patient Advocacy & Engagement to support our Systemic Mastocytosis programs, including commercial launch planning
• Lead our external patient and community engagement strategy through the identification, negotiation, and execution of mutually beneficial opportunities for strategic partnerships with relevant Patient Advocacy Groups and medical associations in alignment with company’s objectives
• Develop and execute innovative patient-facing educational resources and initiatives aimed at increasing awareness of Cogent’s programs, disease education, and optimizing access to care
• Support the development of global, national, and local patient advocacy organizations through relationship building, networking, connecting appropriate groups, and sharing best practices
• Gather and champion patient insights by conducting virtual and in-person patient advisory boards to inform key cross-functional initiatives and proactively share ongoing insights from patient advocacy group engagements
• Collaborate with cross-functional team members from Marketing, Market Access, Patient Services, Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, Patient Recruitment, Regulatory, and Research to deliver on workstreams and initiatives that support program goals including clinical trial awareness, trial recruitment, and commercial launch efforts
• Oversee vendors for patient advocacy and engagement initiatives (e.g., patient webinars, patient videos, educational resources, digital initiatives, etc.) including management of budget, timelines, and deliverables
• Coordinate and plan Cogent’s presence at key patient meetings and participation in awareness days/months (e.g., sponsorships, materials, booth presence, employee engagement activities, etc.)
• Represent Cogent at patient advocacy meetings and events as well as key scientific congresses
• Develop metrics to measure the success of advocacy initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational goals
• Continually innovate and elevate Cogent’s approach to patient advocacy and engagement
• Maintain a high level of cross-functional coordination, strategic planning, budget adherence, compliance, customer service and creativity in managing and executing all aspects of the patient advocacy and engagement function

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree is required
• 7-10+ years in patient advocacy, patient engagement, patient marketing, patient services or related experience in the pharmaceutical industry required; level commensurate with experience
• Deep understanding of commercialization and R&D, including experience with successful commercial product launches
• Demonstrated success in navigating regulatory and legal compliance related to advocacy efforts
• Proven leadership and effective collabora