Director, Communications - Site Services

The Site Services Head of Communications is an agile leader - responsible for leading, overseeing and guiding the development, implementation and execution of integrated, internal strategic communications programs and collaborating within networks across Genentech, the Sites Network (a global network of 10 DIA and Pharma Sites), and Group Communications. You will coach communications colleagues and work to catalyze an environment of best practice exchange, breaking down silos, enabling the team to deliver compelling audience-centric communication that increases employee engagement across Site Services, Genentech and the Sites Network. In this role, you will help the team focus its resources on the highest-value projects and content for the internal audiences we serve, while ensuring alignment with strategic business priorities.

To deliver consistent, engaging and effective Site Services communications, the Head of Communications will support and collaborate closely with the broader Genentech and Roche Communications communities. This role provides a unique opportunity to drive employee engagement and strengthen a culture of inclusion, innovation, and exceptional workforce experiences. This position will report to the Head of Site Services, Strategy and Business Operations and leads a team of communications professionals.

This is a significant leadership role and this person will be expected to be influential across the global enterprise, work autonomously and make independent decisions about significant topics on a regular basis. They will be expected to lead the team and project portfolio without direction.

Major Responsibilities:

Lead the Communications team and set strategic direction to meet organizational objectives

• Set vision and create outcome-based strategies for the team

• Create organizational model and lead the team to develop and execute communication strategies and plans that achieve Site Services' desired outcomes

• Own and maintain strategic communication portfolio covering a multi-year horizon, in alignment with Site Services, Pharma and Roche Group strategies

• Recruit and cultivate a team of high-performing communications professionals

• Lead, motivate, and inspire the Site Services communications team to work in accordance with broader business priorities and empower new ways of working through role-modeling

• Allocate resources to support business priorities based on skill sets, capacities and development interests/needs

• Identify potential barriers to team's success, and seek to proactively remove them in order to focus on outcomes that matter

• Manage team work activities and balance workload across an extremely fluid and ambiguous work environment

• Make decisions about team resources, priorities, operational direction, and expenditure of needed funds for training or project-related needs

Lead executive communications

• Serve as the lead communications partner to the SVP, Head of the South San Francisco Genentech site and Campus Vision Plan (CVP), and Vice President of Site Services

• Provide communications counsel and support for key business teams, squads and senior leaders. Counsel and influence senior executives, business teams, and squads in storytelling on multiple topics including, issues management, transformation and change

• Develop and advise on senior executive-level materials such as CEO and GEC talking points, Genentech/Roche board presentations, CEC and GEC presentations, as applicable

• Collaborate closely with Corporate Communications on the Genentech narrative and Site Services' and Sites Network messaging

• Lead communications and change management activities that enables senior leaders to craft a Site Services narrative that makes the vision, strategy, and purpose meaningful to the workforce

Lead organizational communications

• Create and advise on communication strategies on sensitive and highly confidential topics. Work closely with senior leaders on detailed communication plans and drafts.

• Own communication strategy for the Site Services workforce which supports an engaging and inclusive culture, as well as enables the organization to effectively translate strategic intent all the way through to outcomes in a clear and powerful process

Lead crisis communications

• Lead, or co-lead with Corporate Affairs where applicable, communication to the Genentech South San Francisco site in the case of a crisis or incident on any Genentech campus; this includes leading communications execution for potential union activity on any Genentech campus

• Play a key role in decision-making, shaping policy, and setting strategy for the site's response effort

• Partner across Genentech to develop solutions for new and complex problems, representing the employee voice and surfacing potential downstream impacts to operations and employee sentiment

• Orchestrate cross-functional collaboration to ensure communications are accurate, thorough, timely, and empathetic, and sent to the appropriate audiences

• Own the communications playbook for emergent situations and execute all needed communications for site-related incidents including but not limited to floods, storms, poor air quality, power outages, pandemics

• Advise senior leaders and partner across Site Services, Corporate Affairs, Informatics, People & Culture, and other business functions, as required, to ensure the Genentech workforce gets timely and accurate information in a way that exhibits calm and sensitivity in high-stress situations

• Flexibility in work hours required to support emergency events

Own site communication strategy

• Design and drive an effective site communication strategy for the South San Francisco workforce that contributes to a top tier campus experience

• Own monthly campus newsletter sent to all South San Francisco employees

• Serve as a connector in Site Services to break down silos and create alignment

• Represent the customer voice and coach Site Services stakeholders to see services through the eyes of the customer

• Coach the organization, not only on effective communications, but on how to make strategic operational decisions that will more effectively realize their target outcomes (e.g. improved customer experience)

• Establish a cohesive Site Services brand and influence consistent messaging to customers

• Develop solutions to complex problems requiring regular use of ingenuity and innovation

• Collaborate across many departments and programs, understand stakeholder needs, and build credibility quickly

• Apply change management concepts and methodologies to maximize employee adoption/benefit realization and minimize resistance to change

• Maintain a strong, trusting partnership with Corporate Communications

• Build rapport and trust with cross-functional teams and senior executives; provide leadership within the Genentech communicator network and influence alignment and impactful outcomes across the enterprise, especially for intersecting initiatives and topics

• Own the development, monitoring, analysis and reporting of critical metrics for internal communications channels and projects to develop actionable insights for continuous improvement

• Own Site Services' intranet presence (i.e. content and brand)

• Partner with Sites Network communicators on strategy and execution related topics, including sharing of best practices. Lead network-wide work packages and continuous improvement initiatives as needed

Qualifications:

Education: Master's degree or Bachelor's with equivalent expertise

Experience / Skills:

• More than 12 years of relevant experience in employee communications

• Excellent writing skills and creative thinking to be able to translate complex topics into simple, engaging materials for multiple audiences; strong verbal communication skills

• Experience in people leadership and team development, experience building a culture of expertise and best practice sharing

• Expert understanding of communications, content and channel strategies, employee engagement, change communication and experience in leading the development of strategic communication programs

• Experience in project management and working on cross-functional projects, both with internal communication teams and in collaboration with external agencies and contractors

• High professional competency to provide counsel and present to senior leaders on communication approaches and personal styles, demonstrated by ability to influence decision-making

• Outstanding consulting skills: active listening skills, ability to extract and quickly process key information, summarize key needs or interests of internal stakeholders, and provide targeted and appropriate insights and recommendations

• Ability to breakdown siloed behavior and bring different functions together

• Skilled at building connections in a global matrix and working with a wide range of internal stakeholders to plan, develop and execute communication strategies and support alignment between functional and Group Communications

• Applies a complete understanding of theories and concepts of communication strategy to independently address a broad range of difficult problems

• Experience and knowledge of service design principles, methodologies and tools

• Ability to connect seemingly disparate messages and content into stories easily understood by a broad audience

• Proven ability to produce high quality written communications under tight timelines and be able to work under pressure managing multiple projects simultaneously

• Lead the team and project portfolio without direction

• Make independent decisions about significant topics on a regular basis

• Capable of solving a wide range of difficult problems in imaginative ways

• Demonstrates good judgment in selecting methods and techniques for obtaining solutions

• Knows how to prioritize efforts and effectively manage time based on business needs

• Exercises independent judgment and discretion in matters of high significance

• Comfortable in working with all levels of professionals

• Builds credibility through strong relationships with key stakeholders and a solid track record of results; leverage alliances to garner support for ideas

• Demonstrate ability to influence with or without authority, facilitate groups with diverse perspectives, bring teams to consensus/alignment

• Advanced skills and technical competency working with Google applications

The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of California is $167,700.00 - $311,400.00 USD Annual. Actual pay will be determined based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job-related factors permitted by law. A discretionary annual bonus may be available based on individual and Company performance. This position also qualifies for the benefits detailed at the link provided below.

Benefits

Genentech is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy and practice to employ, promote, and otherwise treat any and all employees and applicants on the basis of merit, qualifications, and competence. The company's policy prohibits unlawful discrimination, including but not limited to, discrimination on the basis of Protected Veteran status, individuals with disabilities status, and consistent with all federal, state, or local laws.

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