Associate Director, Patient Engagement & Advocacy- Eastern Region

Neurocrine Biosciences • Washington DC, DC

3d • Remote

About The Position

This is a remote position requiring the candidate to be located in the Eastern Region (NE, SE, E). The Associate Director, Patient Engagement & Advocacy will lead and advance patient advocacy relationships and interactions in a defined region across the mental health portfolio. This role translates national patient advocacy priorities into regional strategies and uses external stakeholder insights to inform broader functional strategy. The position involves cultivating trusted, mutually beneficial relationships with patient advocacy organizations and developing and leading education, awareness, and engagement strategies that address complex patient and caregiver needs within the defined region. The Associate Director will serve as an emerging thought leader and strategic advisor on patient advocacy matters, providing recommendations, external insights, and counsel to departmental and senior leadership. Reporting to the Director, Patient Engagement and Advocacy, this role leads complex cross-functional initiatives and influences internal decisions to ensure patient perspectives are appropriately reflected in company programs, policies, and engagement strategies.

Requirements

• BS/BA degree in public health, public policy, communications, business, life sciences, social sciences, or a related field and 10+ years in pharma, biotech industry or patient advocacy.
• Strong experience in patient engagement, advocacy, and/or relations including experience in developing communications and educational resources.
• Demonstrated commitment to understanding and representing the needs and perspectives of patients and caregivers, with empathy, integrity and respect in all interactions.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing patient advocacy strategies in partnership with advocacy organizations, with measurable outcomes and alignment to organizational priorities.
• Required US travel 50-60%.
• Demonstrated ability to independently lead complex, high-impact initiatives across multiple disease states, programs, and cross-functional stakeholder groups while managing competing priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to establish, cultivate, and sustain credible, mutually beneficial working relationships with patient advocacy organizations, patients, caregivers, community leaders, and senior internal stakeholders.
• Strong track record of developing and executing complex patient advocacy programs within established timelines, budgets, governance requirements, and measures of success.
• Demonstrated deep expertise in patient advocacy and patient engagement, with the ability to serve as an emerging internal thought leader and strategic advisor.
• Broad understanding of patient advocacy processes, governance and systems, as well as how patient advocacy integrates with Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, Commercial, Market Access, Government Affairs, Corporate Communications, Legal, and Compliance.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively synthesize and communicate the priorities, public policy positions, and unmet needs of the patient and caregiver communities in the region and translate those insights into strategic recommendations for internal stakeholders.
• Applies in-depth understanding of how patient advocacy integrates across functions and contributes to Neurocrine's patient-focused mission, business objectives, and external reputation.
• Demonstrated discretion, sound judgment, adaptability, and attention to detail when managing sensitive external relationships, competing priorities, and complex stakeholder matters.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, written, verbal, presentation, negotiation, and influencing skills, including the ability to communicate complex or sensitive matters and influence senior leaders and external stakeholders without direct authority.

Nice To Haves

• Master's preferred and 8+ years of related experience.
• PhD preferred and 6+ years of related experience.
• Knowledge of patient advocacy communities within neuroscience, including mental health and movement disorders, preferred; demonstrated ability to rapidly develop credibility and expertise in new or emerging disease areas required.

Responsibilities

• Develops and leads the patient advocacy and engagement strategy for an assigned region, aligning with national priorities and influencing broader functional strategy through patient, caregiver, and advocacy-community insights.
• Develops and implements a comprehensive regional advocacy plan that identifies strategic priorities, stakeholder needs, engagement opportunities, risks, success measures, and alignment with broader patient advocacy and business objectives.
• Establishes and cultivates trusted, long-term relationships with rare disease and other priority patient advocacy stakeholders, including organizations and advocates with limited or no prior relationships with Neurocrine.
• Establishes and maintains strategic relationships with patient advocacy organizations to identify and lead opportunities for collaboration, education, awareness, and patient engagement.
• Shares appropriate information regarding Company activities and priorities and brings relevant patient and caregiver perspectives back into internal planning and decision-making.
• Provides patient advocacy expertise and strategic recommendations to cross-functional partners including marketing, market access, HEOR, medical affairs, government affairs and corporate communications, on regional and broader patient-related opportunities, risks, and initiatives.
• Manages a regional patient advocacy sponsorship budget and grant-review process, applying sound judgment, established governance, compliance requirements, and strategic priorities to recommend allocation of resources and evaluate impact.
• Identifies key strategic Company representation and advocacy activities at patient and health policy conferences, meetings, and briefings related to patient advocacy events in the region.
• Evaluates the external patient advocacy, policy, and industry landscape across priority disease states to identify emerging trends, stakeholder needs, reputational considerations, risks, and strategic opportunities; develops recommendations for functional and cross-functional leaders.
• Partners with Patient Engagement and Advocacy leadership to shape engagement with national organizations and develop advocacy strategies supporting pipeline, clinical development, and product priorities.
• Identifies, evaluates, and leads appropriate opportunities to educate patient and grassroots advocacy communities regarding clinical research and Neurocrine clinical trials.
• Leads complex cross-functional initiatives involving patient advocacy and other Neurocrine functions, establishing objectives, stakeholder roles, timelines, decision points, and measures of success.
• Leads or serves as the patient advocacy subject-matter representative on matrixed teams, influencing decisions and ensuring patient and caregiver perspectives are incorporated into relevant strategies, programs, and communications.
• Leads relationship with a select number of national patient advocacy organizations, as assigned.
• Performs other job duties as assigned.

Benefits

• retirement savings plan (with company match)
• paid vacation, holiday and personal days
• paid caregiver/parental and medical leave
• health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director