Director, External Communications

Are you looking for an opportunity to lead and deliver comprehensive communication strategies supporting GSK's vaccines business? If so, this is the role for you.

As a Director of External Communications, you will play a leading role in helping set the strategy for brand milestones and unbranded selected projects supporting GSK’s Innovation, Performance and Trust platform helping us get ahead of vaccine-preventable diseases, together.

You will play a leading role in helping set the strategy for brand milestones and unbranded selected projects supporting GSK’s Innovation, Performance and Trust platform.

This role will partner with the (BU) Business Unit Comms Head to help set the communications strategy for new assets within that BU in close collaboration with other teams and business unit comms where opportunity for alignment may exist.

You will manage agency to drive the execution of the overall communications strategy by developing content and managing the processes necessary to deliver an effective external media relations and social media presence while driving internal engagement within relevant teams.

This role will provide YOU the opportunity to lead key activities to progress YOUR career. 

These responsibilities include:

• Help lead and develop the communications strategy for our current portfolio and/or new product launches (as well as late-stage assets) defined in alignment with BU Comms Head – this includes strategy execution (via the agency and our team) and budget accountability (including current assets and pipeline assets)
• Act as a central point of accountability and oversight for integrated internal and external communications activities related to key assets in the BU portfolio, as well as emerging pipeline assets, including working with business leaders on activities to support business priorities for individual assets (like disease state awareness and approval and launch communications plans for assigned assets/products and brands). Disease state awareness work may include RSV, shingles, flu, meningitis, hepatitis or support for other priority brands.
• Oversee the day-to-day work of other team members including agencies supporting the assets, partnering closely with matrix team members including brand leads (HCP and Consumer) and medical as well as external partners
• External Communications Delivery: Provide external communications support across all areas relevant to the BUs including press releases for product milestones, key business updates and issues management. Responsible for generating sustained, positive news flow across traditional and digital/social media on key products milestones.
• Help build trust externally by developing external GSK spokespeople and robust social media presence (e.g., LinkedIn) for select leaders. Work in partnership with BU Comms Head to create external speaking events/appearances with content and message development for the BU.
• Internal Communications Delivery: create and manage content for internal communications for the BU, including key messages, town halls, workplace engagement and communications related to change management (including organizational changes) and performance. Work with business operations leads (Chiefs of Staff) and our agencies and comms manager/s to implement plans.
• Coordinate with audience-focused teams to plan and execute internal and external engagement (internal comms, corporate media and social/digital teams).
• Cultivate and build strong, positive relationships with commercial teams and key liaison colleagues in the various Business Units leadership and key stakeholders and with communications partners
• Ensure effective programming and internal and external pull-through of key reputational (above-brand) campaigns, disease education and branded communications campaigns for the BUs.
• The role is responsible for issues management related to assigned assets within the BU in coordination with the BU Comms Head.
• Oversight of all activities and materials (development, approval, and dissemination) to ensure quality and adherence to GSK policies.
• Maintain an in-depth understanding of external (health care/public health) environment, particularly traditional media and digital and provide guidance for strategies to leverage opportunities or contain/address significant angles developing in the media.
• Coordinate partnerships with advocacy, media and communications partners in support of disease education and unbranded consumer outreach.

Why you?

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Communications, Public Health or liberal arts focus (e.g., English/writing, government/history).
• 8+ years of relevant external and internal communications experience, with specific experience in Vaccines or pharmaceuticals (at least 4 years).

Demonstrated expertise in at least three of the following areas:

• Strategic planning.
• Disease awareness and/or branded product campaign development.
• Leadership experience (leading a team and/or providing strategic counsel to senior level stakeholders).
• Strong interpersonal skills with multiple and diverse stakeholders (including senior stakeholders).
• Proven experience developing content across a range of platforms and media (digital-friendly, visual/storytelling style, such as videos and infographics); versatility in creating both branded and unbranded content and willingness to innovate.
• Crisis/issue management experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

The following characteristics are a plus:

• Specific experience in Vaccines or priority disease state areas (RSV, shingles, flu, meningitis, hepatitis) strongly preferred.
• Master’s Degree.
• Additional training/education in communications, business or healthcare.
• Good project management skills and ability to independently manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Knowledge of social media environment and ability to engage effectively to advance communications strategies.
• Excellent teamwork skills to work effectively with Corporate Communications, multiple business units, and multiple divisions; ability to exert influence in matrix environment without reporting line authority.
• Trained spokesperson with demonstrated ability to manage complex announcements, advise internal communications and work with reporters; experience pitching and communicating confidently with media.
• Understanding of key decision makers, influential publications and key issues related to pharmaceuticals.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills; strong and versatile writing skills with proven experience in developing clear, concise and persuasive materials under time pressure.
• Good judgment with demonstrated ability to conceptualize, develop and execute communications approaches.
• Excellent knowledge of media drivers and practices; ability to use that information to inform judgment on communications strategies and tactics.
• Strong sense of urgency and ability to work efficiently and effectively under pressure.