Executive Communications, Director

The Opportunity

The Genentech Executive Communications team, within Corporate Communications, is seeking a seasoned communications leader to shape executive communications, thought leadership, and visibility strategies that build trust, engagement, and alignment across internal and external audiences. This role plays a critical part in advancing Genentech’s long-term business strategy while reinforcing our culture, values, and leadership credibility.  The right individual will be able to serve as a strategic advisor to senior leaders, develop and execute integrated executive communications and visibility strategies, elevate leader presence and influence, and connect executive messaging across priorities to ensure clarity, consistency, and enterprise alignment.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Executive Communications, the role partners closely with Internal and External Communications teams and key stakeholders across the enterprise to lead executive visibility efforts and deliver high-quality executive communications, including narratives, business updates, presentations, talking points, and thought leadership content for high-stakes moments. The ideal candidate brings a strong enterprise mindset and a proven ability to navigate complex, matrixed organizations, influencing through exceptional verbal and written communication skills, know-how, and influence with a bias for action.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to senior leaders, including the C-suite, shaping executive narratives and communications strategies that advance enterprise priorities and strengthen Genentech’s mission and reputation.

• Lead executive communications end-to-end, acting as the primary point of contact and ensuring clarity, consistency, and impact across all channels.

• Partner closely with Internal and External Communications teams to align executive messaging with enterprise strategy, corporate narratives, and reputational priorities across audiences.

• Provide senior-level counsel on executive positioning, thought leadership, public relations, and crisis communications, including preparation for high-stakes internal and external moments.

• Oversee and direct external agencies and partners—including media relations, speechwriting, creative development, logistics, and production—to ensure deliverables meet the highest standards of quality, tone, and brand alignment.

Skills / Abilities:

• Core Knowledge/Expertise: Essential communications, leadership, and content management experience required to drive enterprise objectives and engage diverse audiences.

• Strategic Agility & Innovation: Envisioning and leading innovative, high-impact strategies by synthesizing complex data, challenging current practices, and operating with an agile, continuous improvement mindset.

• Influencing, Partnering & Leadership: Ability to effectively partner and influence without formal authority, cultivate trust, and provide high-level strategic communications counsel, especially to C-suite leaders.

• Decision Making, Problem Solving, and Managing Change: Strategic prioritization, navigating ambiguity, making sound judgments, and driving a culture of change and impact through a disruptive mindset.

Who you are

• You have a Bachelor’s degree (general business, public relations, marketing and/or communications disciplines) 

• You have a minimum of 10 years of previous communications or public relations experience;

• Exceptional writing skills with speech writing as a key advantage

• Extensive communications design experience and advanced presentation development skills.

• Proven ability to develop and implement communication strategies in collaboration with a diverse team.

• Proven ability to provide strategic communications counsel to senior leaders, orchestrating high-visibility executive presentations, and developing brand identity. 

• Ability to design and implement innovative communication efforts that engage and inspire others at various levels in the organization.

Preferred Qualifications

• 8 years of experience gained in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or related industry preferred.  

• Experience with driving core business and corporate-level strategies and objectives, activities and communications, and execution is preferred.

• Previous executive communications, corporate communications or communications agency experience and marketing experience is preferred.

• Experience with collective leadership and stakeholder management, change communications and management, and the ability to approach work with adaptability and an enterprise mindset preferred.

This role requires an onsite presence at our South San Francisco Genentech Campus;

Relocation assistance is NOT offered on this posting

Travel as required to support executive engagements and business priorities.

The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of South San Francisco, CA is $167,300/yr to $310,700/yr.  Actual pay will be determined based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job-related factors permitted by law.  A discretionary annual bonus may be available based on individual and Company performance.  This position also qualifies for the benefits detailed at the link provided below.

Benefits

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Genentech is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy and practice to employ, promote, and otherwise treat any and all employees and applicants on the basis of merit, qualifications, and competence. The company's policy prohibits unlawful discrimination, including but not limited to, discrimination on the basis of Protected Veteran status, individuals with disabilities status, and consistent with all federal, state, or local laws.

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