Director, Internal Communications

AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) is a global, research-based biopharmaceutical company formed in 2013 following separation from Abbott Laboratories. The company's mission is to use its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to innovation to develop and market advanced therapies that address some of the world's most complex and serious diseases. AbbVie employs approximately 29,000 people worldwide and markets medicines in more than 170 countries.

Description

Director , Internal Communicationsis responsible for ideating, developing and executing internal communications strategies and tactics that will inform, engage and inspire U.S. Area employees, and ultimately advance their performance. The position is also responsible for seamlessly integrating AbbVie's broader enterprise communication strategy into the U.S. employee engagement plan, messaging and tactics, and for coordinating with internal communications staff responsible for therapeutic area-specific internal communications efforts. This person is expected to interact directly on an ongoing basis with the Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations in the U.S. Area, and to become his go-to person for all things internal and executive communications.

A high degree of creativity and drive to find new and innovative ways to engage employees is required for this position, as well as detail-orientation and ability to work with external agencies and internal stakeholders to ensure proper alignment and flawless execution. The Director must also be a strategic thinker able to build relationships across mid-to-high levels of management.

The Director reports to the Head, U.S. Public Affairs.

Core Job Responsibilities

• Ideates, develops and executes an integrated internal communications plan, including strategy, tactics and measurement, to ensure U.S. Area employees are engaged and motivated to deliver against business priorities and roadmap.
• P rovides strategic counsel and develops content for the Senior Vice President, U.S. Commercial Operations, and works closely with his Area Management Team (AMT) to ensure alignment on priorities, messaging and key tactics.
• Works with internal and external agencies, other internal business communicators and corporate functions to ensure alignment on messaging, timing, and proper execution to drive the U.S. Area narrative across all internal audiences.
• Leads the content strategy, dissemination and execution supporting the employee engagement plan across all channels, defines measurement goals and metrics, and ensures ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of the tactical programs.
• Ensures programs fall within budget parameters and all administrative paperwork is completed in appropriate manner (invoice logging, purchase orders, statements of work, etc.), including internal and external agencies, and executes tactical program elements and ensures deliverables are on time/on budget.
• Partners across Area Management Team (AMT) leaders and across U.S. Area functions to elevate best practices and work that helps drive the narrative forward and increases employee engagement.
• Demonstrates strong understanding of U.S. Area business priorities and operations and how those ladder up with the overall corporate roadmap, and stays attuned to industry and environmental issues to provide effective counsel to management.
• Explores and evaluates best practices and new ways of engaging with employees, including formats, channels, messaging, etc. and drives the implementation of new tactics to elevate employees engagement's work.
• Tracks and measures post-event/tactics in order to inform future efforts and monitor progress.
• Coordinates with HR communications and other functions communications teams, as needed, to ensure all employee communications are effectively coordinated and delivered .

Minimum Experience/Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism or equivalent.
• 10+ years of public affairs experience, mostly in employee engagement/internal communications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills along with knowledge of emerging communications trends and technologies.
• Strong project management skills alongside strategic thinking and a detail-oriented approach.
• General understanding of the healthcare system, environmental issues and the biopharmaceutical industry and business.
• Action-oriented and successful in ideating and executing strategic and tactical plans that deliver results.
• Established track record interacting and collaborating with internal and external agencies.
• Builds strong relationships with peers and cross-functional partners within and outside of team to enable higher performance; is clear and courageous and can manage difficult conversations though direct and constructive dialogue
• Learns fast, grasps the 'essence' and can change course quickly where indicated; raises the bar and is never satisfied with the status quo; creates a learning environment, open to suggestions and experimentation for improvement
• A track record of innovation, challenging the status quo and taking action to identify and implement improvement opportunities.
• Detail-oriented, proactive, efficient, creative, well-organized, enthusiastic, able to make decisions with less-than-perfect information, able to stick to processes, results-oriented, outgoing and able to establish positive relationships, enjoys complex challenges, flexible, takes initiative and spurs others.

Key Stakeholders

• Senior Vice President U.S. Area Commercial Operations, U.S. Area Management Team, Enterprise Communications, Creative Agencies, PR Agencies, Business Human Resources, Therapeutic Area Internal Communications.