Director, Public Affairs, U.S. HIV Prevention Launch Communications

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Job Description
 

We have the following exciting opportunity in our Foster City, CA location.

Director, Public Affairs, U.S. HIV Prevention Launch Communications

Reporting to the Executive Director, U.S. Prevention Public Affairs, the Director, Public Affairs, U.S. HIV Prevention Launch Communications will lead the U.S. public affairs strategy and execution for the planned launch of once-weekly oral PrEP medication. This is a high-impact, director-level position responsible for shaping the external narrative around a potential new HIV prevention option and ensuring communications support awareness, access, and equitable uptake.

The Director will serve as a core member of the cross-functional launch team, partnering across Public Affairs, Medical Affairs, Commercial, Market Access, Government Affairs, Legal and Regulatory to deliver an integrated, compliant and community-informed launch approach. This role will emphasize prevention-focused storytelling, public health impact, and engagement with community and advocacy stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Positioning

• Lead development of a comprehensive U.S. public affairs strategy for the once-weekly oral medication for the PrEP launch, aligned with enterprise priorities and cross-functional launch plans.
• Shape prevention-first messaging and positioning, grounded in science, public health need, and health equity considerations.
• Partner with Medical Affairs and Clinical Development to ensure accurate, credible, and compliant translation of clinical data for external audiences.
• Anticipate and address policy, access, and societal dynamics (e.g., stigma, disparities, prevention uptake) that may impact launch success.
• Establish frameworks, narratives and best practices that can be scaled across future prevention and launch communication efforts.

Launch Planning & Execution

• Own and direct the end-to-end launch communications strategy and execution, leveraging internal and external partners.
• Oversee spokesperson strategy and readiness, including executive and third-party voices.
• Drive integrated channel activation across earned, owned, paid, and social media.
• Partner closely with Market Access and Government Affairs to ensure communications support access, coverage, and prevention uptake.

Community & Advocacy Integration

• Ensure community and advocacy perspectives are embedded throughout launch planning and execution.
• Partner with advocacy and community engagement leads to amplify prevention awareness and education efforts in a credible, non-promotional manner.
• Support development of community-informed narratives that reflect real-world needs, barriers, and opportunities in HIV prevention.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Serve as a strategic connector across functions, ensuring alignment across Public Affairs, Medical Affairs, Commercial, Market Access, Legal, Regulatory, and Government Affairs.
• Provide communications counsel to senior leaders and influence decision-making on high-profile, complex issues.
• Ensure all communications are fully compliant with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Shape and influence enterprise-level narrative and decision making related to HIV prevention, including access, policy and launch strategy considerations.
• Represent Public Affairs in cross-functional leadership forums, ensuring alignment of communications strategy with broader business objectives.

Issues Management & Reputation<