Head of Global Communications, BioLife

Job Location: Cambridge, MA or Bannockburn, IL. This is a hybrid position requiring consistent weekly onsite attendance totaling a minimum of five business days per month. Fully remote work is not available.

About the role

Provide strategic communications guidance, oversight, and support to the BioLife Global Head and BioLife leadership team. Oversee and drive global strategic communications planning and execution for BioLife in the US, EU, and Indonesia. Lead and develop the BioLife Communications team. Partner closely with Takeda Communications leads in the US on US-wide topics and collaborate with US Public Affairs colleagues on common issues and opportunities. Lead BioLife Rest of World issues and stakeholder management activities in collaboration with Plasma-Derived Therapies (PDT) Public Affairs and Takeda Communications. Closely partner on developing a communications strategy for Takeda’s newest BioLife venture in Indonesia.

Responsibilities

• Develop internal and external communications strategies, act as expert advisor, and support execution to enable BioLife leadership to deliver against business goals.
• Build awareness and understanding of the Plasma-Derived Therapies Business Unit (PDT BU) and specifically BioLife among internal and external stakeholders globally to build and protect BioLife and corporate reputation.
• Develop strategic communication plans that enable meaningful and influential engagements demonstrating how BioLife is transforming the plasma donation experience and is seen as a positive contributor to communities.
• Lead crisis and issues management, as well as media response strategy and messaging for plasma-related issues, consulting with other Takeda stakeholders and partnering closely with global and US corporate media relations.
• Refine escalation protocol and implement training and testing programs to ensure crisis issues management readiness across BioLife.
• Partner with PDT Communications to understand commercial and market needs and build awareness of PDT BU initiatives that may create stakeholder value and business equity locally—identify opportunities to collaborate or augment activities for broader impact.
• Drive executive thought leadership strategy for BioLife to build awareness and understanding of plasma donation, innovation, and sustainability efforts internally and externally.
• Collaborate across Takeda to enhance and align enterprise-wide efforts to build awareness and understanding of plasma-based therapies to drive change.
• Oversee and advise on communication plans, channels, and activities for employees at the Bannockburn, IL site, as well as across the BioLife global network.

Requirements

• 12+ years of healthcare communications experience in an international environment.
• Strong business acumen, robust scientific and therapeutic area knowledge, and understanding of regulatory requirements as they relate to communications programs and initiatives.
• Enterprise-wide leadership experience (global span); ability to engage with internal stakeholders such as the PDT BU Leadership Team, Communications and Governance Leadership Team, Takeda Executive Team (TET), and TET-1 roles in other Business Units (BUs), as well as external stakeholders including top-tier and local media, opinion leaders, advocates, and community leaders.
• Ability to work in a global matrixed environment and build connections across BUs and functions; adept at creating alignment across the organization for communications strategy and recommendations, and coaching leaders responsible for implementation/execution to improve communications capabilities and personal impact.
• Works independently and under pressure with conflicting priorities and tight deadlines while maintaining a positive, helpful attitude.
• Demonstrates quick analysis, good judgment, and rapid response on corporate reputational topics and issues, including the ability to convincingly articulate the company’s position on a range of plasma-related topics internally and externally.
• Can quickly grasp complex issues and topics and articulate them simply to enable broad understanding and engagement.
• Visionary and forward-thinking, with an ability to encourage others to adopt innovative and creative communications solutions, leveraging new platforms and media.

Skills

• Strategic thinker, tactical driver, and implementer.
• Confident, direct counselor with strong listening and verbal skills—an effective ambassador for Takeda internally and externally.
• Exceptional writing skills.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, influencing, and presentation skills.
• Maintains absolute confidentiality.

Pay

U.S. Base Salary Range: $212,000.00 - $333,190.00. The estimated salary range reflects an anticipated range for this position. The actual base salary offered may depend on qualifications, years of relevant experience, specific and unique skills, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job. The actual base salary offered will comply with state or local minimum wage requirements for the job location.

Benefits

• Eligibility for short-term and/or long-term incentives.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) plan with company match.
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage.
• Basic life insurance.
• Tuition reimbursement program.
• Paid volunteer time off.
• Company holidays.
• Well-being benefits.
• Up to 80 hours of sick time per calendar year.
• New hires eligible to accrue up to 120 hours of paid vacation per calendar year.