Director, Specialty and Pharma Communications – New Products, Ophthalmology

MSD

Director in Specialty & Pharma Communications leading communications for ophthalmology portfolio at premier biopharmaceutical company. Managing unbranded and branded communications for product launches and strategy alignment.

Posted 6/11/2026full-timeRahway • New Jersey, Pennsylvania • 🇺🇸 United StatesSeniorLead💰 $173,200 - $272,600 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Manage branded and unbranded communications activities in support of our company ophthalmology portfolio, with a heavy emphasis on milestone communications (regulatory approvals, data releases, medical meeting communications)
Act as strategic counselor on strategy and issues management, in coordination with Executive Director, peers and other team members
Provide strategic oversight and drive ongoing support and execution of signature U.S. unbranded patient/consumer programs including engagement with patient advocacy organizations; work closely with country communicators to enable local activations of unbranded campaigns
Serve as primary liaison with our company Patient Innovation & Engagement team and U.S./global Marketing teams, our company Research Labs and other cross-functional stakeholders
Responsible for communication to internal and external audiences in alignment with the company’s corporate narrative and Specialty & Pharma business strategy while continuously partnering with various stakeholders to develop strategic communications aligned with key business priorities
Proactively evaluate innovative and creative omni-channel strategies to engage with internal and external stakeholders aligned with key priorities; ensure that the strategies are robust and complementary
Develop and communicate strategies, programs and materials for use by the markets, regions and subsidiaries worldwide; help advise regions and subsidiaries for franchise and product communications issues
Serve as a liaison to third party groups (including advocacy organizations) and external experts (including researchers) and to trade and local news media
Directly manage public relations agencies and related budgets; directly and/or in-directly manager team members

Requirements

What you’ll need

Requires a minimum of eight (8) years’ experience in a communications or public relations role within the pharmaceutical industry (agency or in-house)
Deep pharmaceutical product communications experience – including background managing communications for a new product launch – strongly preferred; experience in the ophthalmology space highly desirable
Ability to confidently lead and provide strategic counsel to executives to support business goals, while simultaneously delivering at the tactical level
Ability to handle crisis communications, provide long-term strategic communications counsel and deliver on short-term communication tactics and objectives
Excellent written and oral communications skills across a variety of mediums/channels (e.g., print, digital, presentation); keen eye for detail
Strong project management skills and the ability to juggle multiple tasks, stakeholders and competing priorities
Experience managing and mentoring team members; strong agency and budget management experience

Benefits

Comp & perks

medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family)
retirement benefits, including 401(k)
paid holidays
vacation
compassionate and sick days

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

pharmaceutical product communicationscrisis communicationsstrategic communicationsproject managementpublic relationscommunications for new product launchomni-channel strategiesmilestone communicationsdata releasesmedical meeting communications

Soft Skills

strategic counselleadershipcommunication skillsattention to detailability to manage multiple tasksstakeholder engagementmentoringtactical executioncreativitycollaboration