Director, Oncology, International Public Affairs

PowerToFly; Illinois; On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Insurance (medical/dental/vision)

401(k)

Long-term incentives

Job summary

AbbVie is seeking a Director of Oncology Public Affairs to lead the development and execution of public affairs priorities across the oncology portfolio. You will work with government affairs, market access, and medical teams to elevate standards of care and improve patient access.

The role requires coordinating with Europe and Intercontinental regions and affiliates, guiding a high-performing team, and serving as a strategic advisor to senior leaders across commercial, medical, and access

Qualifications

• 10+ years in public affairs, patient advocacy, external affairs, or related field.
• Experience leading therapy-area public affairs, including milestone communications.
• Experience working across international markets.
• Proven ability to work with senior leadership in a matrix environment.
• Excellent writing and executive communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and execution of public affairs priorities across AbbVie’s oncology portfolio.
• Collaborate with government affairs, market access, and medical to elevate care standards and access.
• Set priorities across franchises to maximize impact of public affairs.
• Coordinate with Europe/Intercontinental regions and affiliates for international strategy pull-through.
• Lead, manage, and develop a high-performing public affairs team.
• Align with U.S. communications to support One AbbVie pipeline leadership.
• Participate in International Public Affairs Leadership Team decisions.
• Advise senior leaders across commercial, medical, and access functions.
• Represent AbbVie externally with patient groups and media.
• Build new capabilities and efficiencies in International Public Affairs.

Skills

Executive presence

Writing skills

Advocacy strategy

Public affairs leadership

Therapeutic area experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in communications, public affairs, journalism, or a life sciences field

Job description

Company Description

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us atwww.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie onLinkedIn,Facebook,Instagram,XandYouTube.

Job Description

Purpose:

The Director, Oncology is responsible for leading public affairs across this therapeutic areas within AbbVie's international business. This leader and their team will deliver impactful therapeutic communications, market-shaping strategies to accelerate access to treatment, patient advocacy engagement, and targeted disease profiling initiatives aligned to AbbVie’s priorities. The role will work closely with Europe and Intercontinental Area and Affiliate colleagues to ensure strong country-level execution that supports patient access to innovative medicines and advances standards of care. In addition, it serves as a trusted advisor to senior business leaders across the therapeutic areas of responsibility, ensuring alignment on priorities, strategy, and impact. The role is a member of the International Public Affairs Leadership Team.

This position reports to the Head of International Public Affairs.

Core Job Responsibilities:

• Lead the development and execution of public affairs priorities across AbbVie’s oncology portfolio.


• Partner with cross‑functional colleagues, including government affairs, market access, and medical, to develop communication and advocacy strategies that elevate standards of care and improve patient access.


• Set clear priorities across franchises, focusing resources and effort where public affairs strategies can deliver differentiated impact.


• Work closely with colleagues in Europe / Intercontinental regions and Affiliates to ensure strong pull‑through of international strategies and effective measurement of execution.


• Lead, manage, and develop a high‑performing team, fostering individual growth and sustained impact.


• Collaborate with U.S. therapeutic communications and R&D communications teams to support a "One AbbVie" approach to pipeline development and leadership in oncology.


• Contribute as a member of the International Public Affairs Leadership Team, supporting the culture, development, and strategic priorities of the broader function.


• Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leaders across commercial, market access, medical, and other functions, providing counsel that strengthens alignment, decision‑making, and impact.


• Represent AbbVie externally, including building and maintaining relationships with priority patient organizations’ and media.


• Model AbbVie’s ways of working by anticipating communication trends and building new capabilities and efficiencies across International Public Affairs.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in public affairs, patient advocacy, external affairs, or a related field.


• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public affairs, journalism, or a life sciences field preferred.


• Demonstrated experience leading therapeutic area public affairs, including milestone communications and targeted disease awareness initiatives.


• Experience working across international markets strongly preferred.


• Proven ability to operate effectively within senior leadership teams and to articulate the value of public affairs within a matrix environment.


• Strong executive presence, excellent writing skills, and the ability to communicate with impact.


• Track record of developing and executing measurable advocacy and communications strategies.


• Ability to provide sound judgement and counsel across a wide range of communication scenarios, often under tight timelines and with incomplete information.


• Experience and interest in leading, developing, and motivating teams.


• Oncology experience preferred.

Additional Information

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.


• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.


• This job is eligible to participate in our long‑term incentive programs.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employer remains in the Company’s sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.

US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html

US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:

https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html

What AbbVie Has to Offer

Our work can-and does-have a tangible, lasting impact on millions of people. But it's not just the results that matter. How we achieve them matters, too. Leading with purpose, we work to build a more sustainable future for generations to come. We do that by putting our expertise, resources and talent to work to make a real difference for patients, communities and our world.