Principal Activation & Engagement Lead

Genentech; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 153,000 - 284,000; Full time

Job summary

Genentech is seeking a Principal Activation & Engagement Lead to drive complex operational transformations within PAA ACE. You will design and execute targeted change initiatives, onboard brand teams, and partner with L&S to build bespoke capabilities and training.

You will mobilize champion networks, monitor engagement health, and coach cross‑functional teams to ensure sustainable adoption across the organization. Hybrid onsite in South San Francisco with 3 days in the office.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or related graduate‑level degree is a plus.
• 8+ years total professional experience, including at least 6 years in sales, market access, or customer insights in pharma/biotech.
• Proven ownership of commercial tactics from strategy through execution.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex change management initiatives with enterprise‑wide scope.
• Strong cross‑functional collaboration, leadership, and coaching skills.
• Excellent project planning, budgeting, oversight, and vendor management capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Drive end‑to‑end change management from current to future state across PAA practices.
• Deliver tailored training programs with Learning & Skill Development (L&S) for foundational and advanced PAA concepts.
• Lead champion networks, onboard brands into PAA practices, and provide coaching.
• Optimize operational workflows with cross‑functional partners across PAA workstreams.
• Partner across functions to identify, build, and scale shared capabilities and platforms.
• Measure engagement health, track adoption metrics, and report risks and progress.
• Lead high‑impact projects, including large‑group sessions and cross‑brand alignment workshops.

Skills

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Coaching

Change Leadership

Enterprise Mindset

Project Management

Business Acumen

Strategic Thinking

Vendor Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

MBA or related graduate degree

Job description

The Position

This role is an essential part of our Public Affairs & Access (PAA) organization, specifically within Channel & Contract Management - Activation & Capabilities Enablement (ACE). PAA is dedicated to delivering impact through a fully integrated public affairs function that leverages our capabilities and world-class brand to ensure eligible patients gain access to life‑saving medicines. As a member of this ACE team, you will have the opportunity to collaborate closely with key stakeholders across brand teams, commercial functions, operations, and Learning & Skill Development (L&SD). In this role, you will lead complex change initiatives, coach teams, and implement new capabilities to ensure seamless alignment across our commercial strategies.

The Opportunity

As a Principal Activation & Engagement Lead, you will serve as the domain expert and strategic change agent driving complex operational transformations to transition brand teams to future‑state PAA practices. In this role, you will design and execute targeted change initiatives, onboard brand teams, and partner with L&SD and cross‑functional teams to build custom capabilities, streamline processes, and deliver tailored training. By mobilizing a champion network, holding regular office hours, and monitoring engagement health, you will coach teams through critical capability shifts, proactively address knowledge gaps, and ensure seamless, long‑term adoption across the organization. Key responsibilities include:

• Drive End-to-End Change Management: Lead teams through current-to-future state transitions, ensuring seamless adoption of new PAA strategies, practices, and operational processes.
• Deliver Tailored Training & Capability Building: Partner with Learning & Skill Development (L&SD) to design and deliver comprehensive, bespoke PAA training programs addressing both foundational knowledge and advanced practices.
• Lead Champion Networks & Direct Coaching: Lead champion teams, actively onboard individual brands into PAA practices, and hold regular office hours to address knowledge gaps and provide direct support.
• Optimize Operational Workflows: Collaborate with Operations and the PAA Enablement & Process Lead to identify, revise, or overhaul inefficient processes and represent best practices across PAA workstreams.
• Partner Across Functions: Align with cross‑functional partners to co‑identify, build, and scale shared capabilities and platforms that can be leveraged across the PAA organization.
• Measure & Report Engagement Health: Document and report on the overall health of PAA engagement, track change adoption metrics, and proactively elevate challenges or risks.
• Facilitate Special Projects & Workshops: Lead and support high‑impact initiatives, including large‑group presentations, interactive workshops, and cross‑brand alignment sessions.

Who You Are

• Education: Bachelor’s degree required; an MBA or related graduate‑level degree is a plus.
• Commercial Experience: Minimum of 8 years total professional experience, including at least 6 years of commercial experience in sales, market access, or customer insights (preferably within the managed care, pharmaceutical, or biotech industries).
• Strategic Ownership & Execution: Proven experience with sole ownership of commercial tactics, including the ability to articulate business problems, craft end-to-end strategies, and own content development from strategy through execution.
• Change Leadership & Enterprise Mindset: Demonstrated ability to lead complex change management initiatives, flex and thrive in an ambiguous environment undergoing transformation, and think with an enterprise‑wide perspective.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Coaching: Strong interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills with a proven track record of building partnerships, coaching teams, and elevating the capabilities of others.
• Business Acumen & Project Management: Highly proficient in project planning, budgeting, oversight, and vendor management, with strong critical thinking skills and the ability to drive high‑value business and customer outcomes.

The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of California is $153,000 - $284,100. Actual pay will be determined based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job‑related factors permitted by law. A discretionary annual bonus may be available based on individual and Company performance. This position also qualifies for the benefits detailed in this link.

This is an onsite role in South San Francisco with a hybrid schedule of 3 days per week in the office.

Relocation benefits are not approved for this posting.

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Genentech is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy and practice to employ, promote, and otherwise treat any and all employees and applicants on the basis of merit, qualifications, and competence. The company's policy prohibits unlawful discrimination, including but not limited to, discrimination on the basis of Protected Veteran status, individuals with disabilities status, and consistent with all federal, state, or local laws.

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