Head of Investor Relations (hybrid)

This is a hybrid opportunity, expectation is two times a week at our Concord, CA office. 

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Head of Investor Relations is the lead team member responsible for shaping and executing the investor relations (IR) strategy  - seeking to maximize shareholder value by communicating timely, effectively, and accurately.  This role involves engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders, with an emphasis on the investment community, to articulate and enhance the Cerus narrative. In order to be successful in this role, this leader will develop and ultimately command a detailed understanding of Cerus’ business, products, strategy, markets, customers, investors, employees and other key audiences. The Head of IR is responsible for writing, designing, managing, and delivering content, as well as managing meetings and events to support investor relations initiatives.  The Head of IR will possess energy and drive combined with exceptional communication skills and financial acumen to build strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders, including the C-suite and Board of Directors.

Primary Responsibilities: 

• Cultivate and maintain long-term relationships with existing analysts and investors as well as prospective shareholder targets through timely communication of the company’s strategy, execution, financial goals and results on a regular basis. Develop and execute on plan for continued, active engagement with targeted shareholders.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to create, manage and deliver compelling investor content and materials.  This includes drafting and designing presentations, press releases, scripts, web pages and other key communications. 
• Manage IR conferences and roadshows, including scheduling, team participation, materials and investor outreach; coordinate administrative assistant support for travel logistics.
• Serve as a key advisor to the Board of Directors and senior leadership team on issues involving analyst/investor estimates, expectations and perceptions of the business in both the short and long term.
• Support preparation and follow-up for quarterly financial results conference calls, including call logistics, script and Q&A practice, post-call communications, post-event reporting of participation.
• Maintain and manage an up-to-date database of IR contacts; coordinate ongoing updates to record IR team meetings; report summaries to team as needed to support BOD reports, roadshow preparation, and other IR activities. 
• Facilitate analyst interactions, by scheduling calls, calls, monitoring research notes, updating consensus estimates and preparing briefing materials to support strategic communications.
• Coordinate non-deal road show activity – both company led or bank sponsored.
• Maintain and respond to inbound messages and requests; collaborate with internal stakeholders to triage requests to manage senior management time effectively while still providing timely responses on behalf of Cerus.
• Work with key internal stakeholders to identify and plan news flow; coordinate internal and external activities to maximize impact of press releases and pursue additional media opportunities to publicize corporate and product news.
• Lead company’s ESG/sustainability communication efforts, including reporting and content development for website.
• Stay informed of industry best practices and vendor/technology options for Cerus communications programs; suggest improvements and lead implementation of chosen solutions. 
• Provide additional IR, public relations (PR) and other communications support as required.

Qualifications/Requirements/Skills: 

• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 15 years of experience in biotech, medtech, investment banking/research or other related healthcare investor relations roles; experience serving in corporate financial roles (i.e. treasury, FP&A, etc.) preferred.
• Established relationships with relevant sell-side and buy-side analysts a plus.
• Previous hands-on experience in investor relations, public relations or within the investment community is required; expected skills include drafting press releases, media backgrounders, and PowerPoint slides, creating and maintaining web pages, managing communications projects and supporting company presentations and investor/media outreach at conferences and other events.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills – able to craft text and verbal commentary appropriate for a wide range of audiences and applications, ensuring that accuracy of scientific and business details are maintained even when prose is simplified for brevity or use with lay audiences; comfortable receiving editorial direction and also providing direction to other writers.
• Ability to learn critical aspects of blood safety, Cerus, and Cerus products rapidly – must demonstrate the desire and capacity to learn about our industry, products, customers and other key audiences; application of acquired knowledge to daily activities is critical to success in position.
• Attention to detail – able to verify and proofread own work and that of others, check facts and calculations, identify inconsistencies, and actively maintain a current understanding of company and product information.
• Teamwork & interpersonal skills – ability to work with others and integrate themselves smoothly into both internal Cerus operations and external partners including IR and PR agency relationships.
• Project management – ability to grasp goals and scope of individual projects, work with team to organize timelines and details, monitor progress and manage projects to successful completion.
• Responsibility & initiative – take responsibility for following tasks through to completion and helping team to fully use their abilities.  Develop strong grasp of company and departmental objectives and find ways to anticipate and fulfill needs in advance.
• Results oriented – potential to re-adjust specific assigned tasks and approach to better reach team’s goals (view assignments in light of trying to achieve a particular outcome, rather than relying on detailed instructions).
• Commercial experience highly preferred.
• Ability to travel frequently.

We understand that our people are essential to our success.  This philosophy is revealed in our competitive benefits package, designed to improve employees’ lives both on and off the job.

Benefits plans: medical, dental, vision, domestic partner benefits, paid maternity and paternity leaves, healthcare and dependent care flexible spending, life and accidental death insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, matching 401(k), ESPP, RSUs

Work and family: EAP, legal and financial services, health club membership discounts, tuition reimbursement

Compensation: The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $265,000-$368,475 annually.  Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on various factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the total package to compensate and recognize employees for their work.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability.