Principal Activation & Engagement Lead

Roche; South San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 284,000; Full time

Job summary

Genentech's Public Affairs & Access organization, within Channel & Contract Management - ACE, seeks a Principal Activation & Engagement Lead to drive complex operational transformations and build new capabilities across brand teams and cross-functional partners.

You will design and deliver targeted change initiatives, onboard brands, co-develop training with L&SD, and coach teams through knowledge gaps, ensuring sustained adoption of future-state PAA practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or related graduate-degree is a plus.
• Minimum of 8 years total professional experience, including at least 6 years in commercial roles (sales, market access, or customer insights).
• Experience owning commercial tactics from strategy through execution.
• Leadership in change initiatives with an enterprise-wide mindset.
• Strong cross-functional coaching and collaboration skills.
• Solid business acumen and project management capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Drive end-to-end change management across brand transitions and future-state adoption.
• Deliver tailored training and capability building with Learning & Skill Development (L&SD).
• Lead champion networks and provide direct coaching to onboard brands.
• Optimize workflows and share best practices across PAA workstreams.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to scale common capabilities across PAA.

Skills

Change management

Strategic ownership

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Business acumen

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA

Job description

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.

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.

If you have a disability and need an accommodation in relation to the online application process, please contact us by completing this form Accommodations for Applicants.