Assistant Director, Patient Advocacy
Company Name: Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, and with offices in Boston, Massachusetts, and Dublin, Ireland, Ionis has been at work for more than three decades discovering medical breakthroughs that have redefined life for people with serious diseases. We’re pioneers in RNA-targeted medicines, and our platform continues to revolutionize drug discovery and transform lives for patients with unmet needs. With multiple marketed medicines and a leading pipeline in neurology, cardiology and select areas of high patient needs, we continue to drive innovation in RNA therapies in addition to advancing new approaches in gene editing to provide greater value to patients and are well positioned financially to deliver on our strategic goals.
At Ionis, we pride ourselves on cultivating a challenging, motivating and rewarding environment that fosters innovation and scientific excellence. We know that our success is a direct result of the exceptional talents and dedication of our employees.
With an unprecedented opportunity to change the course of human health, we look to add diverse individuals, skill sets and perspectives to our exceptional team. We continue to invest time, money and energy into making our onsite, hybrid and remote work environments a place where solid and lasting relationships are built and where our culture and employees can thrive.
We’re building on our rich history, and we believe our greatest achievements are ahead of us. If you’re passionate about the opportunity to have meaningful impact on patients in need, we invite you to apply and join us. Experience and contribute to our unique culture while you develop and expand your career!
Job Description:
Ionis is seeking an exceptional candidate to support the patient advocacy team in designing, developing, and delivering collaborations and initiatives that advance shared priorities and make a meaningful impact in the lives of people living with challenging illnesses.
The Assistant Director, Patient Advocacy will provide patient advocacy leadership and support to clinical-stage Ionis programs, such as ION269 and ION464. The successful candidate will develop and execute strategic advocacy engagement plans, serve as the key point of contact for key internal and external stakeholders, and be responsible for achieving advocacy engagement objectives.
Responsibilities
- Develop and execute strategic advocacy plans to support the advancement of clinical-stage programs
- Analyze the external stakeholder landscape to identify and prioritize potential partner organizations and individuals
- Identify, initiate, and oversee strategic patient advocacy initiatives and partnerships related to providing the patient perspective into research, informing the design and execution of clinical trials, delivering community education, and supporting access to appropriate care
- Align and collaborate directly with cross-functional internal teams including, but not limited to Clinical Development, Medical Affairs, Corporate Communications, Commercial, and Market Access
- Be the key relationship manager for global patient advocacy groups; lead and facilitate regular communications to advance mutually beneficial priorities
- Represent the company at external advocacy group meetings, make presentations to patient audiences
- Lead initiatives to understand, document, and communicate the patient perspective; including advisory boards, patient perspective research, etc.
- Assist in the creation, enhancement, delivery, and accessibility of community awareness programs for investigational medicines or commercial products
- Ensure high-quality communications materials are produced on time and error free, such as presentations, patient materials, Q&As, etc.
- Ensure adherence to legal and compliance frameworks that enable the company’s relationships with advocacy stakeholders to be respectful and appropriate
- Keep abreast of new developments and ideas in the field of patient advocacy and incorporate such developments, ideas, and strategies into the development and execution of programs in support of company priorities
- Support Advocacy-led internal employee engagement activities that spotlight the communities we serve
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred (e.g., MS, MPH)
- Minimum of 8 years of relevant patient advocacy, communications, commercial, or related experience in the biopharmaceutical and associated industries; 5 years with advanced degree
- Proven understanding of the needs of individuals living with challenging illnesses
- Passion for making a positive impact in people’s lives
- Demonstrated knowledge of the biopharmaceutical industry, including of the Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance environment
- Experience assisting with or leading patient advocacy engagement activities for pre-commercial investigational medicines
- Understanding of guidelines and best practices for patient advocacy engagement in the US and Europe
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, as well as strong interpersonal skills, with impeccable attention to detail
- Strong leadership skills with a proven ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders at all levels
- Highly motivated individual with the flexibility and creativity to excel in a rapidly growing and changing environment; confidence and organizational skills to independently work on multiple tasks
- Must be willing and able to travel (approximately 20-25%) and regularly meet with patient advocacy organizations in the US and internationally (as needed)
Preferred Carlsbad, CA (Boston, MA or Remote acceptable for the right candidate)
Please visit our website, www.ionis.com for more information about Ionis and to apply for this position; reference requisition #IONIS003790
Ionis offers an excellent benefits package! Follow this link for more details: Ionis Benefits
Full Benefits Link: Ionis Benefits
The pay scale for this position is $121,909 to $169,014
NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. PRINCIPALS ONLY.
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and all its subsidiaries are proud to be EEO employers.