The Head of Patient Advocacy and Professional Societies Engagement - Oncology leads the global strategy for building, managing, and sustaining authentic, high-impact relationships with cancer patient advocacy organizations (PAOs), professional oncology societies, and key policy stakeholders.
This leadership role will embed a patient-centric mindset across the Global Oncology Medical Affairs enterprise. will ensure the patient voice shapes clinical pathways across our robust portfolio of Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs), T-Cell Engagers (TCEs), and targeted small molecules. Will manage, mentor, and develop a high-performing global team of 4 direct reports focused entirely on the hematology and solid tumor landscape.
Position will be based from an AbbVie major R&D site and follow a hybrid model of 3 days/week on-site. Locations include Mettawa, IL (headquarters), Florham Park, NJ, Waltham, MA, San Francisco, CA, and Irvine, CA.
Key Responsibilities
- Global Strategy & Pipeline Integration: Design and execute the multi-year global engagement strategy for oncology PAOs aligned with AbbVie’s core therapeutic focus areas, spanning Hematologic Malignancies (CLL, AML, DLBCL, Multiple Myeloma) and Solid Tumors (NSCLC, SCLC, Ovarian Cancer, Colorectal Cancer).
- Modality-Specific Advocacy: Develop specialized, tailored patient engagement frameworks for next-generation modalities, capturing patient and caregiver insights unique to Topoisomerase I inhibitor (Top1i)–based ADCs and immune-based pipelines.
- Team Leadership & Development: Lead, mentor, and scale a team of 4 direct reports, fostering a culture of compliance, clinical fluency, and cross-functional collaboration in the complex global oncology space.
- Clinical Trial Co-Creation: Partner with clinical development to leverage patient organization insights to optimize trial designs, decentralized trial models, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) for late-stage and registrational pipeline assets.
- Professional Oncology Alliances: Cultivate strategic partnerships with primary global professional organizations (such as ASCO, ESMO, ASH, WCLC, and SGO) to advance scientific exchange, consensus-building, and independent medical educational grants.
- Launch Readiness & Access Advocacy: Work cross-functionally to bridge medical strategy with health equity, supporting access and addressing policy and reimbursement barriers ahead of major regulatory approvals and label expansions.
- Compliance & Transparency: Ensure all team interactions adhere to regional legal/compliance codes (such as PhRMA, EFPIA, IFPMA) and navigate rigorous Fair Market Value (FMV) standards for multi-stakeholder healthcare collaborations.
- Education: Advanced degree in a health science, life sciences, public health, or healthcare policy field (PharmD, PhD, MSN, or Master’s/MBA in Health Administration or Policy preferred).
- Experience: 10+ years of progressive experience in pharmaceutical Global/US Medical Affairs, Patient Advocacy, Corporate Affairs, or External Relations, with a minimum of 5 years dedicated exclusively to the Oncology/Hematology ecosystem.
- People Management: Proven experience managing, coaching, and developing direct reports (prior experience leading a team of 3–5+ matrix or direct reports is required).
- Scientific & Pipeline Literacy: Solid comprehension of cancer biology markers (e.g., c-Met, BCMA, SEZ6) and the operational nuances of managing clinical expectations around breakthrough designations.
- Competencies:
- Strong existing networks within international oncology advocacy coalitions and professional society executive teams.
- Exceptional interpersonal, diplomacy, and executive communication skills.
- Demonstrated commitment to driving health equity and reducing disease awareness gaps in underserved cancer patient populations.
- Ability to navigate complex matrix organizations on a global scale.
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
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