The Research Communications Manager plays an essential role in implementing the Foundation’s research communications strategy. This position supports the Director, Research Communications in establishing and delivering the vision for the Foundation’s overall research narrative, in order to inspire hope and confidence across the CF community and draw leading academic and industry researchers into our mission. The Research Communications Manager is charged with creating and implementing timely plans and tactics to educate the CF community on relevant areas of science; inform key stakeholders on our research funding priorities and ensure our collaborations are transparently and consistently communicated; and leverage financial and research milestones (e.g., pipeline progress, new collaborations, progress on key initiatives, scientific meetings) to advance the Foundation’s overall positioning and messages.
- Support the Director, Research Communications in all aspects of executing strategies that convey the Foundation’s research aspirations and progress, in order to inspire hope and confidence among people with CF.
- Create and implement integrated plans to communicate scientific progress as well advances in the CF pipeline to priority audiences, including patients and circle of support, clinicians, and Foundation staff.
- Develop and/or oversee the creation of messages, news stories, collateral, and other resources that tell a compelling and cohesive story about our research priorities and progress, and place incremental milestones in a broader context that acknowledges patient needs and experience. Build relationships with internal and external subject matter experts to ensure accurate and timely content.
- Conceptualize materials and graphics that bring our research story to life and work with internal and external designers on execution.
- Liaise with colleagues across relevant departments (Research Affairs, Therapeutic Development, Legal, Executive) in order to ensure transparent communications about the Foundation’s funding priorities, and leverage grants and awards in our research storytelling.
- Seek opportunities to highlight external collaborations with academic and industry organizations and leverage our collaborators’ progress to reinforce the Foundation’s role as a catalyst of progress in CF research.
- Work with community-facing colleagues across the Foundation to ensure materials and strategies are informed by patient insights.
- Minimum 6 years of progressively senior experience managing research/science communications in an academic, industry, nonprofit or government environment.
- Exceptional writing skills, including ability to translate complex science into lay language for a variety of audiences including patients, families, volunteers, donors, clinicians and others.
- Strong communications skills and ability to work well with extended CF community, and especially to "tune in" to the concerns and sensitivities of patients, families and volunteers.
- Curious and solution-oriented; demonstrated commitment to continuous learning and improvement.
- Strong organizational skills; ability to spearhead complex and detail-oriented projects that require collaboration with wide group of professionals; ability to oversee strict review processes; ability to work in fast-paced environment and meet multiple deadlines.
- Ability to work collaboratively with other communications staff and provide constructive feedback to writers and other content creators.
REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS:
- Communications Director.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
- Normal office environment with little exposure to excessive noise, dust and temperature.
- No heavy lifting required.
- Minimal travel (e.g., 2x/yr.) to conferences and meetings, as necessary.