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Senior Lead, PDT BU Public Affairs

Zurich, Canton of Zurich
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As a trusted global leader and industry partner who is reimagining plasma and exploring its untapped potential, Takeda’s Plasma-Derived Therapies (PDT) Business Unit is dedicated to transforming the lives of patients worldwide who rely on these lifesaving and life-sustaining therapies.

With an 80-year legacy of developing treatments for rare and complex chronic diseases, we thrive on innovation, offering a broad, differentiated portfolio of more than 20 plasma medicines with integrated care solutions to patients in more than 80 countries.

Powered by ~ 17,000 Takeda employees, our ~230 high-quality BioLife donation centers, a dedicated R&D team, and eight world-class plasma manufacturing facilities, we are unleashing data, digital and technology to transform our end-to-end operations and set new industry standards.

This enables us to innovatively and sustainably meet the growing and changing needs of patients, our people, and our planet, today and in the future.

Job ID R0163796 Date posted 10/15/2025 Location Zurich, Canton of Zurich

By clicking the “Apply” button, I understand that my employment application process with Takeda will commence and that the information I provide in my application will be processed in line with Takeda’s Privacy Notice and Terms of Use.  I further attest that all information I submit in my employment application is true to the best of my knowledge.

Job Description

About the role:
The Director Corporate Affairs is responsible for maintaining and enhancing positive relations with external audiences, including the general public, shareholders, investors, and government entities. This role focuses on influencing public opinion, government policy, and legislative direction to protect and promote the organization's reputation and improve its regulatory and economic environments.

OBJECTIVES/PURPOSE

  • Lead and influence policy discussions to enhance the recognition and international access of Plasma-Derived Therapies (PDTs). Strengthen Takeda’s reputation by fostering partnerships with global organizations such as WHO, OECD, UNITAR, and IPFMA, advocating for patient-centric healthcare policies that emphasize the unique benefits of PDTs.
  • Collaborate with the PDT Business Unit (BU) and cross-functional teams to equip leadership, regional teams, and local operating companies (LOCs) with strategies and tools to engage policymakers and tackle access and value recognition challenges.
  • Refine Takeda’s stance on global policy issues concerning PDT value and access, ensuring alignment among stakeholders and emphasizing the distinct advantages of these therapies.
  • Advocate for supportive public policies and engage in initiatives led by international organizations and industry groups to promote meaningful changes in PDT access and policy frameworks, highlighting PDTs’ unique contributions.
  • Manage complex policy issues alongside the Global PDT Corporate Affairs team, partnering with Communications and Patient Advocacy to devise strategies that ensure value recognition and patient access to PDTs.
  • Lead the development of public affairs strategies for business development initiatives focused on healthcare resilience in plasma leading to better access to PDTs.
  • Global scope with primary focus on ex-US regions and Local Operating Companies (LOCs), as well as BioLife EU.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

  • Shape a global policy environment that promotes patient access and enhances the recognition of the value of Plasma-Derived Therapies (PDTs), reinforcing Takeda’s reputation among key policy stakeholders and influencers.
  • Develop and coordinate Takeda’s positions on relevant global policy and legislative issues, ensuring collaborative approaches across teams and cultivating robust partnerships with organizations like WHO, OECD, UNITAR, and IPFMA.
  • Engage with policymakers and contribute to activities facilitated by global organizations to influence policy outcomes favorable for patients and healthcare systems, with an emphasis on the unique benefits of PDTs.
  • Represent Takeda’s engagement in trade associations and global healthcare dialogues, focusing on strategic objectives that highlight the value of PDTs in modern therapeutic landscapes.
  • Partner with other members of the PDT Corporate Affairs team to guide LOC teams in effectively communicating Takeda’s positions on healthcare access and value recognition, ensuring successful delivery of critical policy initiatives.
  • Develop educational materials and create evidence-based reports to support advocacy efforts and enhance understanding of PDTs’ value among stakeholders.
  • Manage outsourced Public Affairs resources as needed, establishing effective monitoring and reporting systems to align with strategic goals.
  • Foster a collaborative “One Takeda” approach by working seamlessly with regions and LOCs to advance strategic initiatives related to access and value for PDTs, ensuring responses to emerging policy challenges.

Leadership

  • Experience working in a complex organization, building strong cross-functional relationships with key partners, motivating teams across functions and regions without direct authority.
  • Demonstrated ability to help create a climate where people are motivated to do their best and teams apply diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.
  • Exhibits leadership capabilities and behaviors that help build a collaborative culture.
  • Can represent Takeda at internal and external engagements and at senior levels.

Decision-Making and Autonomy

  • Comfortable making decisions autonomously.
  • Demonstrated ability to create frameworks and plans where nothing exists.
  • Capable of working autonomously as part of the PDT Corporate Affairs team and in collaboration with EUCAN BU regional teams and LOCs
  • Effective use of and ability to manage appointed out-sourced public affairs consultancies.

Interaction

  • Excellent interpersonal, verbal, written communication skills. Ability to synthesize data and deliver a clear overview of policy impacts and strategies and plans needed to address them.
  • Communicates KPIs, project plans, and results at senior levels of the Takeda organization.
  • Builds strong relationships with policymakers and the broader policy community.
  • Possesses confidence and cultural awareness to work effectively for a global company.
  • Navigates Trade Associations to drive company goals and policy positions, and secure industry support and resources to reach Takeda’s goals.
  • Uses appropriate level of assertiveness and diplomacy when dealing with all levels of the organization and external contacts.
  • Demonstrates enterprise mindset.

Innovation

  • Identifies areas for process and systems innovation and implement change that will enhance the overall effectiveness of the team.
  • Understands healthcare issues and strategic long-term vision of company plans, objectives.

Complexity

  • Enjoys working on highly complex projects that have high visibility in Takada.
  • Ability to manage multiple complex projects, internal/external stakeholders, external consultants / agencies / vendors, changing schedules and multi-tasking.
  • Capability to manage high-intensity day-to-day deliverables and activities.

EDUCATION, BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS

  • Strong business acumen. Ability to monitor and process complex information. Proven experience in managing complex policy issues.
  • Minimum 10 years of experience in policy, public affairs / government relations, patient access acquired in multinational company, public affairs agency and/ or trade association, with minimum 5 years in the EU policy environment.
  • Ability to assess and articulate the business and reputational impact of policy, legislative, and regulatory issues.
  • Strong writing and drafting capabilities and abilities to develop engaging narratives and related materials are essential.
  • Understanding of trade associations’ ability to drive Takeda priorities in collaborative ways.
  • Knowledge of rare diseases and/or blood & plasma policy issues are a plus.
  • Embed ‘Takeda-ism’ and PTRB (Patient Trust Reputation Business) in decision-making processes
  • Language skills: Fluent in English and preferably in one (or two) other European languages
  • Business, communications and/ or public policy education

More about us:

At Takeda, we are transforming patient care through the development of novel specialty pharmaceuticals and best in class patient support programs. Takeda is a patient-focused company that will inspire and empower you to grow through life-changing work.

Certified as a Global Top Employer, Takeda offers stimulating careers, encourages innovation, and strives for excellence in everything we do. We foster an inclusive, collaborative workplace, in which our teams are united by an unwavering commitment to deliver Better Health and a Brighter Future to people around the world.

Empowering our people to shine:

Takeda is proud in its commitment to creating a diverse workforce and providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, genetic information or characteristics, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Locations

Zurich, Switzerland

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type

Regular

Time Type

Full time
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Success profile

What makes a successful team member within PDT at Takeda?

  • Bold thinker
  • Systematic
  • Innovative
  • Collaborator
  • Agile
  • Tenacious
At the iHUB, we focus on disruptive innovation within our patient ecosystem that not only focuses on the patients of today, but creates the pathway to meet the patients of tomorrow.

Nat Arlander - Head of the Plasma Innovation Hub in PDT

Our dedicated and specialized PDT R&D organization is uniquely positioned to support the entire patient experience. By challenging decades of established thinking and driving patient-centric innovations, we have the opportunity to have a tremendous impact on those who rely on plasma-derived therapies today and those who can benefit from them in the future.

Kristina Allikmets - Head of PDT, R&D

Our Los Angeles facility

Global Plasma Leaders Collaborate to Accelerate Development of Potential COVID-19 Hyperimmune Therapy Partnership brings together world-leading plasma companies to focus on developing and delivering a hyperimmune immunoglobulin in the global fight against COVID-19.

Changing lives with plasma-derived therapies

Working at Takeda

  • Inclusion

    Here, you will feel welcomed, respected, and valued as a vital contributor to our global team.
  • Collaboration

    A strong, borderless team, we strive together towards our priorities and inspiring mission.
  • Innovation

    Bold initiatives, continuous improvement, and creativity are at the heart of how we bring scientific breakthroughs from the lab to patients.
  • Top Workplace

    Recognized for our culture and way of working, we’re one of only 17 companies to receive Top Global Employer® status for 2025.
  • Work-Life

    Our people-first mission extends beyond patients to include their families, communities, and our own Takeda family.
  • Empowerment

    Through trust and respect, you will have genuine support from leaders, managers, and colleagues to do your best work.

We're Steadfast In Our Commitment to Four Key Imperatives

Patient


Responsibly translate science into highly innovative medicines and accelerate access to improve lives worldwide.

People


Create an exceptional people experience.

Planet


Protect our planet.

Data & Digital


Transform Takeda into the most trusted, data-driven, outcomes-based biopharmaceutical company.

Exterior of Takeda Building

About our location

Zurich, Canton of Zurich


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