Director, Corporate Communications

Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Needham, Northern (MA, KY); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Xenon Pharmaceuticals, a neuroscience-focused biopharmaceutical company, is seeking a Director/Senior Director, Corporate Communications, to lead strategic communications around its growing product portfolio and clinical milestones.

Based in Needham, MA, you will partner with executives across Corporate Affairs, Medical, Commercial, and Regulatory to shape messaging for investors, patients, and healthcare professionals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Life Sciences, Communications, or Liberal Arts.
• Master’s degree in a related field is preferred.
• 10+ years of communications experience in biotech or healthcare.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute corporate and product communications strategies for investors, media, healthcare professionals, and patients.
• Lead messaging for regulatory milestones, clinical data readouts, and upcoming product launches.
• Collaborate with Corporate Affairs, Medical Affairs, Commercial, Legal, and Regulatory teams to ensure consistent external communications.
• Lead development of executive talking points, Q&As, press materials, and investor presentations.
• Manage relationships with external agencies and oversee review processes for external materials.
• Support investigator communications and participate in cross-functional launch planning for new programs.

Skills

Executive communications

Strategic storytelling

Stakeholder engagement

C-suite collaboration

Crisis/issues management

Biotech communications

Education

Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Communications, or related field

Master's degree preferred

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 and XEN1720 (targeting Nav1.7) and XEN1120 (targeting Kv7), which are being developed for pain. 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/Senior Director, Corporate Communications, to join our team. The Director/Senior Director will be responsible for developing and executing communications strategies to promote and protect the Company's reputation, with a specific focus on initiatives that build awareness of Xenon and the company’s emerging commercial product portfolio. 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. This role will also work to ensure external and internal communications are closely aligned to ensure teams are upholding our culture and shared values: CARES about patients, employees and those who put their trust in us.

In partnership with the Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs and the broader Corporate Affairs team, this role will work with corporate, commercial, medical, and senior leaders to execute the Corporate and Product Communications strategy, and effectively develop messaging and communications around our clinical, regulatory, and commercial progress for various stakeholder groups, including investors and media, healthcare professionals, and the patient community. This role will work closely with the Corporate Communications team, Executive Leadership Team, as well as the Patient Advocacy, Clinical Development, Medical Affairs, Commercial, Legal and Regulatory departments to maintain an in-depth understanding of corporate and brand strategies, commercial performance, and pipeline progress.

This is a high-impact role ideal for a communications professional with corporate and brand communications experience who thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced biotech environment and can bridge science, strategy, and our commitment to patient and HCP communities. The ideal candidate has significant depth of expertise in U.S. brand launches and business strategies 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 and product story. Reporting to the Executive Director of Corporate Communications, this position will be part of the Corporate Affairs team and located in our Greater Boston location, in Needham, MA, USA.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Increase awareness and visibility of Xenon’s emerging leadership in epilepsy, including forthcoming potential launch of azetukalner in focal seizures and our emergence as a leading biopharma company soon to be a fully integrated commercial organization.
• Collaborate with Corporate Affairs, the Executive Leadership team, and leaders in Commercial and Medical Affairs to craft clear, consistent messaging and execute communications strategies related to company strategy, the late-stage/future commercial product portfolio, and milestones, including regulatory, commercial and data milestones for azetukalner.
• Contribute to quarterly earnings announcements through late-stage pipeline-specific content development, including in press releases, scripts, Q&A, 10-K/10-Qs, corporate presentations, etc. in collaboration with the CEO, CFO, CCO, CMO and Corporate Affairs.
• Support investor-focused pipeline, financial, and corporate strategy communications, including messaging preparation for banking conferences and other investor events.
• Lead or support development of corporate and investor presentations.
• Help maintain investor website with current information about the pipeline, events and investor materials.
• Lead development of corporate and late-stage product messaging and materials, including press releases, Q&A, executive talking points, social media content, etc., in collaboration with Corporate Affairs, Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, Commercial, Legal, Regulatory, and other parts of the organization.
• Partner with Commercial and Medical Affairs on cross-functional launch planning for azetukalner in focal seizures.
• In collaboration with website/communications agency partner, develop and execute content strategy for Xenon’s corporate website and social channels that support awareness of azetukalner, unmet needs and gaps in the treatment landscape, and Xenon’s commitment to HCPs and patients.
• Lead communications strategy development and execution around priority medical congresses, such as AAN, AES, and others.
• Work with Competitive Intelligence and other leaders across the company to monitor competitors’ performance and messaging -- along with industry, regulatory, and other relevant trends -- to inform differentiated product messaging.
• Support investigator communications around ongoing late-stage clinical trials by working closely with Clinical Operations and Medical Affairs.
• 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, and managed the review process of external corporate and product communications 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 Xenon 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%.
• Other duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, ideally with a specialization in Life Sciences, Communications, or Liberal Arts; master’s or advanced degree preferred.
• Biotech or pharma industry experience is required; 10+ years of communications 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 HCPs and patient audiences.
• Proven track record of developing corporate, product and brand 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.
• 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 possesses 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, and 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-& 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.