Head of Patient Advocacy and Professional Societies Engagement - Oncology (Medical Affairs)

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com . Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook , Instagram , X and YouTube.

The Head of Patient Advocacy and Professional Societies Engagement - Oncology leads the global strategy for building, managing, and sustaining authentic, high-impact relationships with cancer patient advocacy organizations (PAOs), professional oncology societies, and key policy stakeholders.

This leadership role will embed a patient-centric mindset across the Global Oncology Medical Affairs enterprise. will ensure the patient voice shapes clinical pathways across our robust portfolio of Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs), T-Cell Engagers (TCEs), and targeted small molecules. Will manage, mentor, and develop a high-performing global team of 4 direct reports focused entirely on the hematology and solid tumor landscape.

Position will be based from an AbbVie major R&D site and follow a hybrid model of 3 days/week on-site. Locations include Mettawa, IL (headquarters), Florham Park, NJ, Waltham, MA, San Francisco, CA, and Irvine, CA.

Responsibilities

Global Strategy & Pipeline Integration: Design and execute the multi-year global engagement strategy for oncology PAOs aligned with AbbVie’s core therapeutic focus areas, spanning Hematologic Malignancies (CLL, AML, DLBCL, Multiple Myeloma) and Solid Tumors (NSCLC, SCLC, Ovarian Cancer, Colorectal Cancer).; Modality-Specific Advocacy: Develop specialized, tailored patient engagement frameworks for next-generation modalities, capturing patient and caregiver insights unique to Topoisomerase I inhibitor (Top1i)–based ADCs and immune-based pipelines.; Team Leadership & Development: Lead, mentor, and scale a team of 4 direct reports, fostering a culture of compliance, clinical fluency, and cross-functional collaboration in the complex global oncology space.; Clinical Trial Co-Creation: Partner with clinical development to leverage patient organization insights to optimize trial designs, decentralized trial models, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) for late-stage and registrational pipeline assets.; Professional Oncology Alliances: Cultivate strategic partnerships with primary global professional organizations (such as ASCO, ESMO, ASH, WCLC, and SGO ) to advance scientific exchange, consensus-building, and independent medical educational grants.; Launch Readiness & Access Advocacy: Work cross-functionally to bridge medical strategy with health equity, supporting access and addressing policy and reimbursement barriers ahead of major regulatory approvals and label expansions.; Compliance & Transparency: Ensure all team interactions adhere to regional legal/compliance codes (such as PhRMA, EFPIA, IFPMA) and navigate rigorous Fair Market Value (FMV) standards for multi-stakeholder healthcare collaborations.

Requirements

Education: Advanced degree in a health science, life sciences, public health, or healthcare policy field (PharmD, PhD, MSN, or Master’s/MBA in Health Administration or Policy preferred).; Experience: 10+ years of progressive experience in pharmaceutical Global/US Medical Affairs, Patient Advocacy, Corporate Affairs, or External Relations, with a minimum of 5 years dedicated exclusively to the Oncology/Hematology ecosystem.; People Management: Proven experience managing, coaching, and developing direct reports (prior experience leading a team of 3–5+ matrix or direct reports is required).; Scientific & Pipeline Literacy: Solid comprehension of cancer biology markers (e.g., c-Met, BCMA, SEZ6) and the operational nuances of managing clinical expectations around breakthrough designations.; Competencies:; Strong existing networks within international oncology advocacy coalitions and professional society executive teams.; Exceptional interpersonal, diplomacy, and executive communication skills.; Demonstrated commitment to driving health equity and reducing disease awareness gaps in underserved cancer patient populations.; Ability to navigate complex matrix organizations on a global scale.