Associate Director Communications & Patient Engagement - Ssa

Merck; Gauteng; Hybrid; ZAR 500,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the pharmaceutical sector is seeking a Corporate Communications professional to enhance its social impact across sub-Saharan Africa. The role requires developing communication strategies, managing media engagement, and ensuring alignment with corporate objectives. Ideal candidates are ethical, skilled in digital communication, and possess significant experience in corporate PR, with a capacity for creative problem-solving and strategic thinking.

Qualifications

• Minimum five years of related experience in corporate communications or PR.
• Experience working in a highly regulated industry.
• Pharmaceutical sector experience is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Developing corporate narrative and external communications strategy.
• Managing crisis and issues to protect the company's reputation.
• Supporting Corporate Responsibility and Patient Engagement Initiatives.

Skills

Fluent in English

Strong networking skills

Excellent communication skills

Proficiency in digital and social media strategies

Problem-solving skills

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in public relations, journalism, communications, business, or marketing

Tools

Word

PowerPoint

design software

Job description

Job Description

The External Affairs team is responsible for driving our company's environmental shaping efforts to promote health systems strengthening and improved patient access to innovative medicines and vaccines across sub-Saharan Africa.

In keeping with our purpose to use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives, the ideal candidate should be passionate about innovation and the role it can play in unlocking health outcomes at both national and individual patient levels.

Furthermore, they should exhibit a demonstrated track record in tackling complex issues with innovative and creative solutions in social impact and external communications.

Finally, we believe that what we do is important, but how we do it also matters.

As such, the ideal candidate must be committed to the highest levels of integrity, demonstrate a high level of self-awareness and mastery, and know how to work effectively in a team and matrix environment.

Major Responsibilities

1. Developing a corporate narrative that captures our company's value proposition in sub-Saharan Africa.
2. Developing and implementing an external communications strategy and plans, emphasizing traditional, digital, and social media to position our company among key stakeholders.
3. Supporting environmental shaping priorities at organizational and brand levels through external communications strategies aligned with commercial objectives.
4. Ensuring executive readiness for media engagement.
5. Driving our company's Corporate Responsibility and Patient Engagement Initiatives across SSA.
6. Managing crisis and issues to protect our company's reputation.
7. Monitoring media reports for information relevant to our markets in SSA and coordinating responses to potential risks.
8. Implementing internal communications strategies to support HR and leadership visibility.
9. Collaborating with media, PR, event vendors, and strategic partners across sub-Saharan Africa.
10. Leading our company's participation in industry working groups (e.g., IPASA).

Key Competencies & Requirements

• Proficiency in identifying and responding to reputation and brand opportunities in traditional and social media.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with advanced presentation abilities.
• Strong networking skills and relationships with media and stakeholders.
• Experience in designing and delivering media events.
• Ability to coordinate communications materials for brand, reputation, and CSR initiatives regionally.
• Ability to build internal and external networks, communicate effectively with diverse audiences, and adapt to situations.
• Advising and coaching senior leaders.
• Experience working in a highly regulated industry.
• Pharmaceutical sector experience is advantageous.
• Highly ethical, professional, with excellent speaking, writing, editing, and research skills.
• Strong negotiation, problem-solving, conflict resolution skills, and sound judgment.
• Proficiency in digital and social media strategies.

Skills

• Fluent in English; French proficiency is advantageous.
• Ability to understand and translate technical/scientific information.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills.
• Advanced computer literacy (Word, PowerPoint, design software).
• Exceptional analytical and presentation skills.
• Ability to operate in a global matrix environment and influence without authority.

Educational & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in public relations, journalism, communications, business, or marketing.
• Minimum five years of related experience in corporate communications or PR.

Additional Requirements

• Code 8 driver's license; flexibility to travel.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage applications from talented individuals of all backgrounds. This job posting is active until 11:59 PM on the day before the listed end date.

Employee Status: Regular

Relocation: Not specified

VISA Sponsorship: Not specified

Travel Requirements: Flexible

Work Arrangements: Hybrid

Shift: Not specified

Required Skills: Advertising, Communications, Content Creation, Employee Engagement, PR, Social Media, Event Planning, Strategic Thinking

Preferred Skills: Not specified

Job Posting End Date: 06/2/2023