Associate Director, Patient Advocacy & Communications, Japan Oncology Business Unit / 日本オンコロジー事業部 ペイシェントアドボカシー＆コミュニケーション部 主席部員

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Job Description

OBJECTIVES/PURPOSE

Associate Director, Patient Advocacy & Communication (PA&C) is a critical role for Japan Oncology Business Unit (JOBU), establishing the external / internal communication and patient advocacy strategy and effectively executing it with the team.

Establishing implicit trust and enhancing our reputation in the society is a key driver to pursue our vision “We aspire to cure cancer,” and external communication is a critical component of it. Furthermore, JOBU believes in the power of people when the team is fully committed toward the same direction, and internal communication is the driver.

In addition to that, understanding and amplifying patient voices is central in driving our business and delivering innovative medicines. The patient perspective informs clinical trial design, educates how a cancer diagnosis truly impacts people and their families, informs our strategy to drive policy changes that support　comprehensive cancer care, and provides real world insights into how our medicines make an impact.

This is why patient advocacy and communications are integrated in one function.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Patient Advocacy & Communications overall strategy execution and management:
  • Drive execution/implementation of communications and patient advocacy strategy to elevate JOBU’s reputation in alignment with business strategy.
  • Identify, create, and optimize differentiating opportunities to demonstrate JOBU’s commitment to Oncology.
  • Understand regulatory frameworks and ensure compliance through appropriate process management at all communications, patient advocacy activities, and patient support programs.
  • Manage agency partners and budgets.

• Patient advocacy and patient support programs:
  • Design and implement disease awareness programs, patient advocacy activities, and patient support programs, aligned with brand plans.
  • Partner with cross-functional colleagues to ensure alignment and collaboration in strategic priorities.
  • Develop and strengthen trusted relationships with patient advocacy groups, through collaborative engagements, supporting activities, etc.

• External communications and branding:
  • Develop compelling materials to drive external communications, including key messages, Q&As, briefing documents, press releases, presentations, videos, social media content, etc.
  • Design and produce all kinds of press events; press conference, press seminar, media roundtable, media interview, etc., including preparing business leaders.
  • Cultivate and enhance favorable relationships with key journalists, by pitching stories.

• Internal communications and employee engagement:
  • Drive employee engagement programs, by leveraging regulatory and business milestones, disease awareness programs, and BU strategy/initiatives.
  • Ensure effective and timely internal communications through town hall meetings, messages/announcements, intranet articles, and other tactics.

EDUCATION, BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS

Educational Background

• BA/BS degree

Professional Background and Expertise

• Minimum of 5+ years of proven experience in corporate, product, and internal communications, media relations and patient advocacy, including but not limited to:
  • Demonstrated experience in media relations, issues management, knowledge of healthcare industry, media landscape, and reporting trends.
  • Proactively identify and address opportunities for external/internal communications through developing compelling stories.
  • Strong understanding of Japanese media and experience engaging directly with journalists, including pitching stories.
  • Experience to develop/drive robust strategies to engage with patient advocacy groups.
  • Experience to lead employee engagement programs.
  • Experience managing multiple projects (priorities, resourcing, timelines, budgets) in collaboration with cross-functional teams simultaneously; flexibility and result-oriented focus are essential.
• Experience at Public Relations consulting firms with healthcare/pharmaceutical clients is strongly preferred.
• Flawless Japanese written, verbal and visual communication skills are essential.
• High-level English written, verbal and visual communication skills are strongly preferred.

Leadership capabilities

• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and the ability to influence, lead, negotiate and work effectively at all levels within a matrix and multi-cultural environment.
• Capability of demonstrating enterprise strategic thinking, initiative, and creativity.
• Strong in problem identification as well as problem solving with prioritization in implementation.
• Ability to engage and manage multiple stakeholders to achieve objective.
• Curious with strong learning ability.
• Operationally excellent and resilient in the context of a rapidly changing environment.
• Organized with systematic approach to prioritization.

Values

• A firm belief of “Patient Centricity.”
• A strong commitment to contribute to curing cancer.

Languages

• Japanese: Native Japanese is required.
• English: Excellent in writing and speaking to work effectively with global organization and develop communications materials.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Oncology Business Unit (OBU) is an independent business unit with all core functions (e.g. Patient Advocacy & Comms, Medical Affairs, SPP, ComEx, Business Operations, Marketing, and Sales) embedded within the BU to ensure agile and flexible decision making in the fast-changing world.
• Japan OBU, established in 2015, is fully responsible for the oncology business of Takeda in Japan, and reports directly to the Global OBU structure. This structure enables the organization to take the advantage of close connection with the Global Organization, as well as to foster the mindset of a biotech-like agility. It has more than doubled its business and organization in the past few years, and will be the key driver for growth of GOBU in the coming years with multiple launches expected.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

• Position Location : Nihonbashi Hon-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
• Reasonable domestic/international travel required.
• Hybrid working style with on-site and remote (required working in the office about 30% of business days)

Takeda Compensation and Benefits Summary:

• Allowances: Commutation, Housing, Overtime Work etc.

• Salary Increase: Annually, Bonus Payment: Twice a year

• Working Hours: Headquarters (Osaka/ Tokyo) 9:00-17:30, Production Sites (Osaka/ Yamaguchi) 8:00-16:45, (Narita) 8:30-17:15, Research Site (Kanagawa) 9:00-17:45

• Holidays: Saturdays, Sundays, National Holidays, May Day, Year-End Holidays etc. (approx. 123 days in a year)

• Paid Leaves: Annual Paid Leave, Special Paid Leave, Sick Leave, Family Support Leave, Maternity Leave, Childcare Leave, Family Nursing Leave.

• Flexible Work Styles: Flextime, Telework

• Benefits: Social Insurance, Retirement and Corporate Pension, Employee Stock Ownership Program, etc.

Important Notice concerning working conditions:

• It is possible the job scope may change at the company’s discretion.

• It is possible the department and workplace may change at the company’s discretion.

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