Corporate Communications Director

Kardigan; Princeton (NJ); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Kardigan, a leader in cardiovascular health, is seeking a Corporate Communications Director to develop and implement strategic communication programs. This role involves enhancing media relations, internal communication, and aligning messaging with company goals. Ideal candidates will bring significant experience in communications and leadership within a health care setting.

Qualifications

• 10 years of experience in external communications and media relations.
• Proven ability to lead communication strategies with measurable outcomes.
• Excellent judgment and relationship-building skills with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategy and execution of communications programs and media relations.
• Oversee internal communications to connect employees with the company’s mission.
• Manage communications with regulatory bodies and stakeholders.

Skills

Media Relations

Communication Strategy

Campaign Development

Team Leadership

Stakeholder Engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Journalism, Communications or related field

Tools

MS Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Corporate Communications Director (Princeton, NJ)

About Us

Kardigan is a heart health company working to make cardiovascular disease preventable, curable and no longer the leading cause of death in the world. It is our mission to develop multiple targeted treatments in parallel that bring people with cardiovascular diseases to the cures they deserve.

At Kardigan, we are motivated by our values which guide how we work, interact, and achieve our goals. Driven by patients and their families , we are deeply committed to improving the lives of patients and prioritizing their needs above all else. We believe in being authentic —leading with truth to bring out the best in others by creating an environment where every person knows they will be fully accepted.With an eagerness to learn , we encourage the highest levels of curiosity and are open to changing our minds. We are committed to winning as a team with urgency, excellence, and intention, and support each other no matter what role we play or where we sit. Lastly, we strive to enable the impossible because patients are counting on us. We are not afraid to take risks to unlock innovation and advance scientific discoveries.

These values are the foundation of our work, empowering us to make a real difference, every day.

Position Title: Corporate Communications Director ( Senior Director-level candidates welcome to apply)

Department: Communications

Reports To: Emily Faucette, chief communications officer

Job Overview

The Corporate Communications Director is responsible for the strategy, development and execution of communications programs to raise awareness of Kardigan as a leader in cardiovascular medicine and its emerging pipeline. This includes leading media relations to generate accurate and comprehensive news coverage and internal communications to engage, connect and “re-recruit” employees as our business, company and impact grows.

The Director will deeply understand our science, business strategy and industry dynamics to develop plans for growth, influence cross functional peers and provide input on broad decisions/strategies outside of their function. The position reports to the chief communications officer and will work cross-functionally with our Investor Relations, Development, Medical, BD and HR teams to deliver compelling and consistent messaging across all communications channels and company stakeholders.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Media/Product Communications

As Kardigan prepares to introduce its pipeline, you will set and lead the company’s media strategy, leveraging medical meetings, data publications, research developments and competitor/relevant health news to generate consistent and positive media coverage of clinical and business milestones. Utilize creative angles and innovative strategies to generate non-hard news coverage.

Write, edit and secure approvals for all media and clinical communications materials including press releases, messages, Q&As, backgrounders and video scripts. Develop communications strategies, scenario plans, messages and Q&A to mitigate negative impact of issues internally and externally, as they arise.

Lead regular cross functional interactions with Global Product Teams (GPTs), Commercial, Medical, Patient Advocacy and IR colleagues to maximize synergistic projects and ensure message alignment across communications to respective audiences.

Participate in medical meeting planning teams and preconference programs to lead the development and rollout of the “Kardigan story” at those forums.

Establish/cultivate relationships with physician spokespeople and their PR departments to maximize third party inclusion and credibility of media materials and stories.

Support senior leaders with communication strategy, public speaking, and media interactions.

Serve as Communications point person with BD-partnered companies to develop strategy and execution for disclosing and promoting program developments and milestones, working closely with relevant stakeholders at both companies.

Internal Communications

Establish and lead Kardigan’s internal communications function to connect employees to our mission, business objectives, culture and values in a meaningful way. Oversee the development and distribution of employee communications content, campaigns and events.

Partner with HR to pull through corporate brand and mission in recruitment, on-boarding and retention programs, positioning Kardigan as a leading and sought-after place to work.

Participate in and provide communications support to Kardigan’s culture team.

Collaborate with IT to identify the appropriate resources, platforms and tools to consistently reach and connect employees across company sites.

Serve as a communications liaison with marketing team at Prolaio, an AI clinical intelligence company recently acquired by Kardigan.

Leadership and Collaboration

Trusted to represent Kardigan in media interviews, stories and events and will often have access to confidential information.

Manage and mentor external Communications and Branding agencies to consistently execute and measure the impact of creative and effective communications content, programs and tools. Set stretch goals that translate into actionable plans and tangible results.

Exercise excellent judgment, integrity, and transparency in making decisions that are in the best interest of the Company, our stakeholders and most importantly the patients we serve.

Educate, influence and successfully collaborate with cross functional teams, company management, department colleagues and external partners toward a shared vision and common goal; comfort with reaching compromise and managing conflict.

Consistently model Kardigan leadership, culture and core values.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

~10 years’ relevant working experience in external communications, media relations and campaign development in a corporate, agency, or health care setting at the management level

Proven ability to create, lead, execute and present communications strategies/plans/teams that have dramatically advanced and delivered strong results and high value in timely and agreed upon budget parameters

Bright, hardworking and enthusiastic communications professional who thrives in a fast-paced, high functioning and results-driven working environment

Proven ability to influence, exercise good judgment and successfully develop strong working relationships with the media

A positive, resilient individual with a ‘can do’ attitude, who is willing to challenge the status quo and consistently offer solutions

Ability to work independently and as part of a team, confidentially interact with all levels of the organization and effectively manage external vendors

Openness to varied points of view; comfortable with receiving and providing critical feedback in a professional and timely manner.

Ability to prioritize, work on multiple projects simultaneously, and remain calm, focused and productive when under stress and/or faced with competing deadlines

Bachelor’s degree in public relations, Journalism, Communications or a related field or equivalent experience

Strong organizational skills and impeccable attention to detail

Proficient in MS Word and PowerPoint, SharePoint Online experience desired

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