Executive Director, Corporate Communications

Xenon Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:XENE) is a neuroscience-focused biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering, developing, and commercializing innovative therapeutics to improve the lives of people living with neurological and psychiatric disorders. We are looking for great people who thrive in a respectful, collaborative, inclusive, and productive culture to join the Xenon team. What We Do: We are advancing an exciting product pipeline to address indications with high unmet medical need, including epilepsy and depression. Our flagship azetukalner program represents the most advanced potassium channel modulator in clinical development for multiple indications. Building upon the positive results and compelling data from our Phase 2b “X-TOLE” study in adult patients with focal epilepsy, our Phase 3 epilepsy program includes multiple clinical trials evaluating azetukalner in patients with focal onset seizures and primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures. In 2024, we are planning to initiate a Phase 3 azetukalner program in major depressive disorder, based on topline data from our Phase 2 “X-NOVA” clinical trial. In addition, we are proud of the leading-edge science coming out of our discovery labs, including early-stage research programs that leverage our extensive ion channel expertise and drug discovery capabilities to identify validated drug targets and develop new product candidates. Backed by a strong balance sheet to support our growth plans, we continue to build a fully integrated, premier neuroscience company with strong discovery, clinical development, corporate, and commercial operations. About the Role: We are seeking an Executive Director, Corporate Communications to join our team. The Executive Director will be responsible for developing and executing communications and corporate affairs strategies to promote and protect the Company’s reputation focusing on internal and external stakeholders, including media, investors, HCPs, patients, payers, employees, and candidates. This leader will provide strategic execution of corporate branding and positioning, multi-media strategy programming; as well as tactical implementation associated with corporate newsflow, including business updates, clinical trial milestones, data readouts, and future product launches. This role will coordinate across stakeholders to deliver corporate messaging and support social and traditional media engagement to build the Xenon brand and reputation. The ideal candidate has significant depth of expertise in traditional and digital media, understanding of business strategies and executive priorities, experience with internal communications and is a critical thinker with strong problem-solving skills. The Executive Director will also work to ensure external and internal communications are closely aligned to ensure teams are upholding our culture and shared values: Xenon CARES about patients, employees, and those who put their trust in us. This position reports to the Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs and will be in Boston, MA, USA. We will consider other jurisdictions for exceptional candidates. The level of the position will be commensurate with the candidate’s education and industry experience. This role is a hybrid position, requiring a minimum of 2 days per week in the office. RESPONSIBILITIES: External Corporate and Product Communications: Multi-media strategy, corporate brand and reputation. Increase awareness and visibility of Xenon’s leadership in epilepsy and MDD and emergence as a leading commercial biotech company and commitment to local and global citizenship. Lead development of corporate messaging and materials, including press releases, Q&As, website content, corporate presentations, executive talking points, etc., in collaboration with Investor Relations, Legal, Medical Affairs, Commercial, Marketing, Clinical Development, and other parts of the organization. Build strategies around and execute programming for all stakeholder groups including investors, media, payors, HCPs, patients, caregivers, advocates, and policymakers/influencers. Establish, update, and support newsflow strategies and calendars. Lead work to create an integrated company brand approach to all internal and external marketing materials. Increase executive visibility and thought leadership via media outreach, conference participation, thought leadership, and awards. Partner closely with legal, regulatory, medical, advocacy, market access, and marketing colleagues to align on positioning and messaging, as well as launch readiness. Responsible for managing external partners to execute on content, timing, and appropriate media outreach surrounding announcements. Lead the development of corporate communication materials on behalf of the Company, including press releases, brochures, presentations, web content, key message documents, and FAQs. Manage the review process of external corporate materials and internal communications. Participate in quarterly earnings preparation, help to prepare periodic SEC disclosures, financial filings, and presentations to investors, IR/Industry conference presentations, panels/Q&As. Work closely with CEO, CFO, and Senior Executive Team on strategy and execution of external and internal communications. Work with Internal Comms & Events lead to ensure consistency of external and internal communications and employee activities, pull through external messaging (where appropriate) internal employee communications, CEO communications, town hall meetings, companywide channels, community events, celebrations, etc., to ensure that the company has insight into perspectives on a wide variety of issues impacting the industry. QUALIFICATIONS: Creative thinker with 15+ years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry in communications, marketing, and/or public relations roles. Strong communications expertise, including written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to translate and simplify complex information for research analysts and investors. Strong writing skills with experience in content development, generation, and amplification. Comprehensive understanding of the biotech industry, drug development, and commercialization. Results-driven and possesses an understanding of leading and emerging PR tactics to maximize impact. Issues management experience with a track record of successfully planning for and publicly addressing high-profile business topics with press, employees, and key stakeholders. Highly organized, with attention to detail, adherence to deadlines, and ability to work under pressure with multiple, shifting priorities. Comfortable operating in an agile environment, but also possess solid experience successfully navigating the complexities of a growing organization. Ability to build and retain in-depth knowledge of a company, business strategies & objectives to be able to develop innovative concepts that will work in the organization, and then can effectively communicate and promote new ideas to ensure organizational buy-in. Can consistently work with abstract ideas or situations across functional areas of the business, then through assessment of variables and assumptions, can identify strategies and solutions. Can build effective, trusted relationships and influence without authority – has the confidence and ability to interact with executive-level management and various functions (regardless of level of responsibility) and can navigate extremely critical matters. Can effectively interact with all functions, teams, independent contributors, contractors, agency partners, and vendors in gaining consensus, developing strategies, or executing a program. Ability to travel up to 25%, both domestically and internationally. The base salary range for this role is $237,500 to $300,300 USD; we will consider above this range for exceptional candidates. Base salary is determined by a combination of factors including, but not limited to, education and other qualifications, years of relevant experience, and internal equity. Our Total Rewards program includes base salary, target bonus, and stock options, as well as a full range of benefits including medical, dental, vision, short- & long-term disability, accidental death & dismemberment, and life insurance programs, Employee Assistance Program, travel insurance, and retirement savings programs with company matching contributions. Xenon encourages time to rest and re-charge through vacation, personal days, sick days, and an end-of-year company shutdown. Xenon highly values employee development and has an expanding Training, Learning & Development program, including a Tuition Assistance program for advanced degrees. US positions only: Xenon Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. participates in the E-Verify program in all states in which we hire.

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