Director, Patient Advocacy

BlueRock Therapeutics LP; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

BlueRock Therapeutics LP is seeking a Director of Patient Advocacy to shape and execute a global strategy across neurology and ophthalmology programs, focusing on Parkinson’s disease and rare inherited retinal diseases. You will build patient alliances, influence program design, and champion patient voices across R&D, Medical Affairs and Regulatory teams.

You will lead advisory boards, education initiatives, and advocacy partnerships, while ensuring ethical engagement and health equity.

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of experience in patient advocacy or related functions.
• Experience engaging with Parkinson’s disease communities.
• Strong understanding of regulatory and compliance frameworks.
• Exceptional relationship-building and cross-functional influence.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own a multi-year global patient advocacy strategy for BlueRock’s PD and photoreceptor programs.
• Map, engage PAGs and disease foundations across US, EU, and other geographies.
• Build authentic partnerships with patient organizations and advocates.
• Serve as BlueRock’s senior external ambassador at advocacy conferences and events.
• Design and lead patient advisory boards and forums to capture insights.
• Advance health equity and reduce barriers to participation.
• Develop education initiatives for patients and caregivers.
• Collaborate with R&D, Clinical Operations, Medical Affairs, Regulatory and Programs.
• Coordinate with Corporate Communications on external messaging.
• Partner with Bayer counterparts on late-stage planning and transitions.
• Proactively engage patient communities in early programs with global travel.

Skills

Patient advocacy

Public affairs

Stakeholder engagement

Cross-functional leadership

Communication

Education

Advanced degree (MPH/MS/PhD/MBA)

Job description

BlueRock Therapeutics, a wholly-owned and independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG, is a leading engineered cell therapy company pioneering a new generation of cellular medicines. Utilizing our proprietary CELL+GENE™ platform, we direct cellular differentiation and genetically engineer cells to create transformative therapies for patients suffering from neurological and ophthalmological diseases. Founded in 2016, BlueRock is at the forefront of the convergence of cell biology and genetic engineering. Our mission is to harness pluripotent stem cell technology and gene editing to deliver authentic, functional cell therapies that address the root causes of disease and offer hope to millions of patients worldwide.

What Are We Doing? Our foundational science enables the generation and directed differentiation of universal pluripotent stem cells into authentic, functional cells for allogeneic cellular therapies. We are passionate about realizing the promise of cell and gene therapy, shaping the future of regenerative medicine, and delivering new therapies to patients with limited or no treatment options.

Who is BlueRock? BlueRock Therapeutics LP is a clinical stage company harnessing the power of cell therapy to create a pipeline of new medicines for people suffering from neurological and ophthalmic diseases. Two of our novel investigational cell therapies, bemdaneprocel (BRT-DA01) for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and lemiretprocel for the treatment of primary photoreceptor diseases are clinical stage programs. BlueRock was founded in 2016 as a joint venture of Versant Ventures and Leaps by Bayer. Our culture is defined by the courage to persist regardless of the challenge, the urgency to transform medicine and deliver hope to patients, integrity guided by mission, and community-mindedness with the understanding that we are all part of something bigger than ourselves.

What Are We Doing? Our foundational science harnesses the ability to create and then direct the differentiation of universal pluripotent stem cells into authentic, functional cells that can be used as allogeneic cellular therapies to treat a broad array of diseases. We can also further engineer these cells, enabling them to produce enzymes, antibodies, and other proteins for additional therapeutic benefits. We are passionate about delivering on the promise of cellular and gene therapy, shaping the future of cellular medicine, and delivering new therapies to millions of patients without treatment options.

We are seeking individuals who are collaborative, thrive in a fun and dynamic culture, and are steadfast in the commitment to advance cutting‑edge cellular therapies to impact patients’ lives.

Description of Position:

Reporting to the SVP, Early Commercial, Development Strategy & Operations the Director of Patient Advocacy will play a pivotal role in shaping and executing BlueRock’s patient advocacy strategy across its neurology and ophthalmology programs with a focus on Parkinson’s disease (PD) and rare inherited retinal diseases including retinitis pigmentosa (RP), Usher syndrome, and cone‑rod dystrophy (CRD). This leader will champion the patient voice from pre‑clinical through clinical‑stage programs to ensure that the lived experiences of patients and caregivers inform every critical decision. This leader will build trusted relationships with patient communities and advocacy organizations while orchestrating cross‑functional alignment that embeds patient insights into decision making across the company.

Responsibilities:

• Advocacy Strategy & Stakeholder Engagement Develop and own a comprehensive, multi‑year global patient advocacy strategy for BlueRock’s PD and primary photoreceptor disease programs, aligned to corporate milestones and regulatory timelines.
• Identify, map, and prioritize key patient advocacy groups (PAGs), disease foundations, and coalitions across the US, EU, and other strategic geographies; develop tiered engagement frameworks tailored to each partner’s priorities.
• Build and sustain authentic, trust‑based partnerships with patient organizations, community leaders, and key opinion advocates — earning credibility through transparency, consistent follow‑through, and demonstrated patient‑first intent.
• Serve as BlueRock’s senior external ambassador at patient advocacy conferences, community events, and scientific symposia as a patient‑centered innovator.
• Design and facilitate patient advisory boards, patient councils, and forums to continuously capture patient and caregiver insights, converting these into actionable intelligence for internal stakeholders.
• Lead initiatives that advance health equity, reduce barriers to participation, and amplify underrepresented voices.
• Develop education and community awareness initiatives that equip patients, caregivers, and advocacy organizations to understand BlueRock’s clinical programs and the therapeutic landscape.
• Cross‑Functional Leadership & Internal Stakeholder Management Serve as the authoritative internal voice of the patient community, providing strategic counsel to R&D, Clinical Operations, Medical Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, and Program Teams.
• Communicate activities and insights gained via engagement opportunities to educate broader BlueRock organization.
• Partner with Clinical Development to translate patient insights into protocol design improvements — including inclusion/exclusion criteria, visit burden reduction, patient‑reported outcomes (PROs), site selection, and decentralized study approaches.
• Collaborate with Medical Affairs to co‑develop patient‑informed evidence strategies that address burden of disease, quality of life, and caregiver impact.
• Partner with Corporate Communications on external messaging and awareness campaigns.
• Collaborate with Bayer global advocacy counterparts on planning and execution for late stage clinical programs and transition relationships as programs achieve development milestones.
• Proactively engage patient communities in early pipeline programs across ophthalmology and neurology, building advocacy infrastructure ahead of pivotal trials and preparing communities for emerging data.
• Policy & Compliance Ensure all advocacy engagements adhere to global compliance, ethical guidelines, and regulatory expectations (e.g., fair market value, transparency, non‑promotional interactions).
• Maintain up-to‑date understanding of evolving regulations governing engagement with patient groups and proactively update internal standard operating procedures accordingly.

Qualifications Required

• 8-12 years of progressive experience in patient advocacy, public affairs, medical affairs, or closely related functions within pharmaceutical or biotech companies
• Demonstrated expertise engaging with Parkinson’s disease communities and/or rare disease patient advocacy communities.
• Strong understanding of regulatory and compliance frameworks (e.g., interactions with patient groups, data privacy, FMV, transparency).
• Exceptional relationship‑building skills with the ability to earn trust across diverse communities including patients, caregivers, advocacy leaders, and internal stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to influence cross‑functional stakeholders and align teams around patient‑centric priorities without direct line authority.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills; ability to craft compelling narratives for both internal leadership and external patient audiences.

Preferred

• Global advocacy experience spanning US and EU markets, with comfort navigating cultural and regulatory nuances across geographies.
• Experience supporting regulatory submissions, advisory committee preparation, or labeling negotiations with patient‑focused content.
• Advanced degree (MPH, MS, PhD, MBA, or equivalent) in a health, science, or communications‑related field.
• Familiarity with cell therapy, gene therapy, or other advanced therapy modalities.
• Experience at a clinical‑stage company navigating the unique dynamics of early‑pipeline patient engagement.

Core Competencies

• Patient-Centric Leadership: Centers decisions on patient outcomes; champions urgency to deliver therapies.
• Strategic Influence: Aligns cross‑functional teams around patient‑informed priorities; navigates complex tradeoffs.
• Operational Excellence: Builds scalable processes, governance, and metrics; drives execution with speed and quality.
• Trust & Integrity: Engages transparently and ethically; earns credibility with communities and clinicians.
• Communication & Storytelling: Translates insights into action; crafts compelling narratives for internal/external audiences.
• Agility & Resilience: Thrives in a dynamic environment; anticipates needs and adapts quickly.

~20–30% global travel to patient organization meetings, centers of excellence, conferences, and community events.

Equal Opportunity Workplace:

At BlueRock, we welcome and support differences and diversity and we are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. Please let us know if you require disability‑related accommodation or other grounds protected by human rights legislation during the recruitment process so that we can work with you to meet your needs.

Equal Opportunity Workplace:

At BlueRock, we welcome and support differences and diversity and we are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. Please let us know if you require disability‑related accommodation or other grounds protected by human rights legislation during the recruitment process so that we can work with you to meet your needs.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

BlueRock Therapeutics is a clinical stage cell therapy company focused on creating cellular medicines to treat devastating diseases. We are harnessing the power of cell therapy to create a pipeline of new medicines for people suffering from neurological and ophthalmic diseases. Two of our novel investigational cell therapies, one for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and one for the treatment of primary photoreceptor diseases, are clinical stage programs. BlueRock was founded in 2016 as a joint venture of Versant Ventures and Leaps by Bayer, the impact investing arm of Bayer AG that invests in paradigm‑shifting breakthrough innovation. In late 2019, BlueRock became a wholly owned, independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG. Our culture is defined by the courage to persist regardless of the challenge, the urgency to transform medicine and deliver hope, integrity guided by mission, and community‑mindedness with the understanding that we are all part of something bigger than ourselves.