Director, Corporate Communications

Xenon Pharmaceuticals; Needham (MA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Retirement savings programs with company matching

Tuition assistance for advanced degrees

Employee Assistance Programs

Vacation and personal days

Job summary

Xenon Pharmaceuticals is seeking a Director, Corporate Communications who will lead communications strategies to enhance the company’s reputation. This high-impact role involves managing relationships with investors and developing messaging for strategic milestones. The ideal candidate will thrive in a dynamic biotech environment and possess strong experience in corporate and investor communications.

Located in Needham, MA, this role requires a Bachelor's degree with a specialization in relevant fields and 10 years of investor relations experience in the healthcare sector. Responsibilities include preparing press releases, managing corporate communications, and increasing executive visibility.

Qualifications

• 10 years of investor relations experience in the healthcare sector required.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven track record of corporate messaging development.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute corporate communications strategies.
• Manage relationships with investors and analysts.
• Drive preparation of earnings calls and press releases.

Skills

Communication expertise

Investor relations experience

Strong interpersonal skills

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Life Sciences, or Communications

Master’s or advanced degree

Job description

Who We Are:

Xenon Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:XENE) is a neuroscience-focused biopharmaceutical company dedicated to drug discovery, clinical development, and commercialization of life‑changing therapeutics for patients in need. We are looking for great people who thrive in a respectful, collaborative, inclusive, and productive culture to join the Xenon team.

What We Do:

We are advancing an exciting product pipeline to address indications with high unmet medical need, including epilepsy, depression and pain. Our Phase 3 azetukalner program represents the most advanced, clinically validated potassium channel modulator in late‑stage clinical development for multiple indications. In March 2026, we announced positive topline data from our Phase 3 X‑TOLE2 study of azetukalner in focal onset seizures (FOS), and we anticipate submitting a New Drug Application to the Food and Drug Administration in the third quarter of 2026. Our Phase 3 epilepsy program also includes a second FOS study, X‑TOLE3, which would support regulatory submissions outside the U.S., and the X‑ACKT study in primary generalized tonic‑clonic seizures, which would support regulatory submissions for an additional epilepsy indication. We also have multiple Phase 3 azetukalner clinical trials underway in major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar depression (BPD), based on topline data from our Phase 2 X‑NOVA clinical trial. In addition, we are proud of our strong heritage in human genetics, deep understanding of ion channel biology, and expertise in novel chemistries to enable potent, selective ion channel targeting. We continue to advance an early‑stage pipeline of novel therapeutic candidates, including Phase 1 studies for XEN1701 (targeting Nav1.7) and XEN1120 (targeting Kv7), which are important pain targets. Backed by a strong balance sheet to support our growth plans, we continue to build a fully integrated, premier neuroscience company with strong discovery, clinical development, corporate, and commercial operations.

We are seeking a Director, Corporate Communications to join our team. The Director will be responsible for developing and executing communications strategies to promote and protect the Company’s reputation, with a specific focus on Corporate, Investor, Executive and R&D communications. This leader will provide strategic execution of tactical implementation associated with corporate newsflow, including business updates, clinical trial milestones, data readouts and future product launches. The Director will also work to ensure external and internal communications are closely aligned to ensure teams are upholding our culture and shared values: Xenon CARES about patients, employees and those who put their trust in us.

Under the leadership of the Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs, this role will also work with the CEO, CFO, CMO, CCO and other senior leaders to execute the Corporate and Investor Relations strategy, manage relationships with investors and analysts, and effectively develop messaging and communications for our scientific, clinical, and financial progress to various stakeholder groups including investors, media and investigators. This role will work closely with the Corporate Affairs team, Executive Leadership Team, as well as the discovery, clinical development, finance, legal and commercial departments to maintain an in-depth understanding of the company’s operations, financial performance, and strategies.

This is a high‑impact role ideal for a communications professional with corporate and investor communications experience who thrives in a dynamic, fast‑paced biotech environment and can bridge science, strategy, and finance. The ideal candidate has significant depth of expertise in understanding of business strategies and executive priorities and is a critical thinker with strong problem‑solving skills. The ideal candidate is also a strong communicator who collaborates effectively with key functions to communicate the corporate story. Reporting to the Executive Director of Corporate Communications, this position will be part of the Corporate Affairs team and located in our Boston location, in Needham, MA, USA.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Increase awareness and visibility of Xenon’s emerging leadership in epilepsy and neuropsychiatry, growing pain portfolio, and emergence as a leading biopharma company soon to be a fully integrated commercial organization
• Lead development of corporate messaging and materials, including press releases, Q&As, corporate presentations, executive talking points, social media content, etc., in collaboration with Corporate Affairs, Brand Communications, the CFO, CEO, Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, Commercial, Legal, Regulatory, and other parts of the organization
• Build strategies around and execute programming for corporate stakeholders including investors, media, investigators, partners and policymakers/influencers
• Collaborate with the CFO, CEO, Corporate Affairs and Executive Leadership team to craft clear, consistent messaging around company strategy, pipeline, and milestones
• Lead development of briefing materials for management in preparation for investor meetings
• Manage the company’s participation in banking conferences, non‑deal roadshows, and analyst/investor days through effective project management and relationship management strategies
• Lead the discussions and development of IR/Industry conference presentations, panels/Q&As, PRs, through collaboration with subject matter experts and leaders across the organization, as well as materials reviews
• Drive and support preparation of earnings calls, press releases, and SEC filings (10‑K, 10‑Q, 8‑K) in coordination with Finance and Legal
• Maintain Xenon’s Investor Relations website, including ongoing maintenance and content updates as needed in collaboration with the website vendor
• Work with Competitive Intelligence and other leaders across the company to monitor competitors’ performance – along with industry, regulatory, and other relevant trends – to inform differentiated corporate messaging
• Increase executive visibility and thought leadership via conference participation, thought leadership, panels and industry awards for the Executive Leadership Team and develop supporting external executive communications strategies and materials
• Work closely with the discovery and clinical teams on the emerging R&D portfolio and work, including developing external communications strategies and plans related to key milestones, how we will communicate to investors and other external stakeholders
• Support internal and external investigator communications by working closely with the R&D teams
• Partner with Corporate Affairs and Legal teams to ensure all external communications are accurate and consistent with corporate messaging including presentation decks, news releases, and all other content
• Manage the review process of external corporate materials
• Plan and manage budget proposals and approved budgets in accordance with the Company’s strategic and operating plans and Finance policies
• Act in accordance with Company policies, including, for example, the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and ensure policies are understood and followed by direct reports, if any
• Travel will be required up to 15% both domestically and internationally
• Other duties as required

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, ideally with a specialization in Finance, Business, Life Sciences, or Communications; master’s or advanced degree preferred
• Biotech or pharma industry experience is required; 10 years of investor relations experience, ideally in the healthcare sector
• Strong communications expertise, including written, verbal, presentation, interpersonal skills, with the ability to translate and simplify complex scientific information and clinical data for research analysts and investors
• Proven track record of developing corporate and investor communication messaging and materials
• Experience developing executive level communications and engaging directly with senior management
• Superior interpersonal and external and internal customer relationship management skills
• Comprehensive understanding of the biotech industry, drug development and commercialization
• Issues management experience with a track record of successfully planning for and publicly addressing high‑profile business topics with key external stakeholders
• Experience developing analysis of sell‑side research and sell‑side and buy‑side relationships encouraged
• Highly organized, with attention to detail, adherence to deadlines, and ability to work under pressure with multiple, shifting priorities
• Comfortable operating in an agile environment but also possess solid experience successfully navigating the complexities of a growing organization
• Ability to build and retain in-depth knowledge of a company, business strategies & objectives to be able to develop innovative concepts that will work in the organization, and then effectively communicate and promote new ideas to ensure organizational buy‑in
• Can consistently work with abstract ideas or situations across functional areas of the business, then through assessment of variables and assumptions, can identify strategies and solutions
• Can build effective, trusted relationships and influence without authority - has the confidence and ability to interact with executive level management and various functions (regardless of level of responsibility) and can navigate extremely critical matters
• Can effectively interact with all functions, teams, independent contributors, contractors, agency partners and vendors in gaining consensus, developing strategies, or executing a program

Our Total Rewards program includes base salary, target bonus, and stock options, as well as a full range of benefits including medical, dental, vision, short‑and-long‑term disability, accidental death & dismemberment, and life insurance programs, Employee Assistance Program, travel insurance, and retirement savings programs with company matching contributions.

Xenon encourages time to rest and re‑charge through vacation, personal days, sick days, and an end‑of‑year company shutdown. Xenon highly values employee development and has an expanding Training, Learning & Development program, including a Tuition Assistance program for advanced degrees.