Flagship Pioneering is a biotechnology company that invents and builds platform companies that change the world. We bring together the greatest scientific minds with entrepreneurial company builders and assemble the capital to allow them to take courageous leaps. Those big leaps in human health and sustainability exponentially accelerate scientific progress in areas ranging from cancer detection and treatment to nature-positive agriculture.   

 What sets Flagship apart is our ability to advance biotechnology by uniting life science innovation, company creation, and capital investment under one roof in a way that is largely without precedent. Our scientific founders, entrepreneurial leaders, and professional capital managers are each aligned around an institutionalized process that enables us to innovate and transform for the benefit of people and planet.   

Many of the companies Flagship has founded have addressed humanity’s most urgent challenges: vaccinating billions of people against COVID-19, curing intractable diseases, improving human health, preempting illness, and feeding the world by improving the resiliency and sustainability of agriculture.  

Flagship has been recognized twice on FORTUNE’s “Change the World” list, an annual ranking of companies that have made a positive social and environmental impact through activities that are part of their core business strategies, and has been twice named to Fast Company’s annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. 

Why Flagship?
At Flagship Pioneering, YOU get: inspiring leadership, great company culture, competitive compensation packages, best in class benefits, generous PTO, beautiful office space stocked with unlimited snacks and free lunch delivered daily, and impactful work with endless career growth.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a dynamic individual to join the Communications and Public Affairs team to serve as a Director of Communications with a primary focus on Flagship’s Pioneering Medicines and Pioneering Intelligence business units. The successful candidate will be a seasoned communications leader able to thrive in a fast-paced, start-up environment, and flexible with strong multi-tasking skills to manage competing priorities. 

Pioneering Medicines is a division within Flagship Pioneering that is dedicated to conceiving and developing a broad portfolio of life-changing treatments by leveraging and expanding the use of Flagship’s innovations. By harnessing the power of Flagship's multiple scientific platforms, Pioneering Medicines creates and advances novel medicines together with Flagship’s bioplatform companies to accelerate the extension of their portfolios into previously unexplored areas and show that they can be applied more broadly, thereby delivering benefits to more patients, sooner. In addition to its internally financed programs, Pioneering Medicines works with external strategic partners including Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to jointly conceive medicine concepts by combining partners’ R&D priorities with Flagship Pioneering’s unique platform capabilities.

Pioneering Intelligence is an initiative of Flagship Pioneering harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate innovation in the life sciences and beyond. Pioneering Intelligence is building unique AI and machine learning know-how to augment the capabilities of Flagship companies and enable bigger leaps in human health and sustainability, amplify the process of creating breakthrough innovations, and originate new platform companies that build on innovations in machine learning.

The Flagship Communications and Public Affairs team is responsible for overseeing all aspects of communications, government and regulatory affairs, and social impact. This portfolio includes corporate communications, media relations, executive communications, internal communications, digital strategy, social media, and events. ​

This position is full-time and reports to the Senior Vice President and Partner, Corporate Communications and Social Impact, Corporate Communications & Social Impact. Ideal location is in Cambridge, MA; other locations may be considered.

Responsibilities include:

• Serve as communications lead for Pioneering Medicines and Pioneering Intelligence responsible for brand, messaging, announcements, and communications strategy and execution 
• Develop and execute integrated external communications strategy for announcements (e.g., company launches, partnerships and milestones, talent), including all written materials, media engagement, website updates, and all social media elements, working in alignment with Flagship CPA. Work closely with communications teams at Flagship-founded companies and external partner companies to align and execute agreed announcement strategy.  
• Serve as lead for launching Pioneering Intelligence-originated companies from stealth, including brand development/visual identity, and website design and development, working with and overseeing outside agencies. Provide strategic guidance as these companies develop brand, voice, and overall communication strategies. Help to onboard new communications leaders/team members as companies grow and mature, continuing to be a liaison between each company and Flagship.
• Serve as an advisor and counselor to President of Pioneering Medicines and Head of Pioneering Intelligence providing strategic guidance and execution support on leadership brand, voice, and overall thought leadership strategy. Identify, secure, and facilitate top-tier speaking engagements and manage ongoing day to day activity on social media including drafting copy. 
• Manage day to day activity on Pioneering Medicines and Pioneering Intelligence social channels (LinkedIn and X) including drafting, posting, and reviewing copy, working collaboratively with CPA Digital and Social Media lead for alignment across channels 
• Identify opportunities and develop content for storytelling about the two business units, their unique offerings, partnerships, and teams to support and extend brand, messaging, and role within Flagship in order to reach and engage target audiences 
• Work closely with Flagship CPA to integrate Pioneering Medicines and Pioneering Intelligence messaging and updates into broader Flagship communications planning, materials, and event strategy 
• Guide and support on communications materials about Pioneering Medicines and Pioneering Intelligence’s work, companies, and partnerships including slide decks, presentations, and other content
• Support internal communications needs for Pioneering Medicines and Pioneering Medicines
• As needed, advise and support the extended leadership teams of the two business units on thought leadership and external engagements including media, conferences, presentations, etc. 
• Advise and guide on other comms and content needs arising from Pioneering Medicines and Pioneering Medicines teams
• Serve as liaison to Communications and Public affairs team and broader activities that engage the head of Pioneering Medicines and head of Pioneering Intelligence 

Other

• Work collaboratively with other Communications & Public Affairs team members 
• Participate in weekly Communications & Public Affairs team meetings and collaborate with team members as needed to support both PBU work and corporate communications activity including events, government relations, digital, internal communications, and media relations 

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in communications, journalism, English, or a related discipline with extensive leadership-level experience in a public relations agency or corporate communications environment. Experience in pharmaceutical and/or biotech industry as well as some experience with/exposure to financial and transaction communications.
• Experience working within and across multiple highly complex organizations, while understanding and addressing the needs of both is critical.  
• Exceptional research, writing, editing, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proven media relations track record, as well as the ability to see industry trends and craft insights into effective media relations pitches. 
• Strong diplomatic and persuasive skills.
• High degree of professional versatility and hands-on capability with a willingness to meet challenges head-on.
• Experience leading in a complex environment that requires skillful engagement of multiple stakeholders and successful, resourceful, and creative navigation of ambiguity.
• Must have the proven ability to advise senior leaders effectively.
• Must have superior interpersonal and organizational skills, along with a demonstrated ability to think strategically and critically and consistently exercise sound judgment. 
• Proven track record of coordinating multiple programs simultaneously, moving projects forward, and developing and implementing creative, solution-oriented strategies while anticipating future demands and opportunities.

Flagship Pioneering and our ecosystem companies are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.

Recruitment & Staffing Agencies: Flagship Pioneering and its affiliated Flagship Lab companies (collectively, “FSP”) do not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to FSP or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Flagship Pioneering’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of FSP, and FSP will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.

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